Stock car racing has come a long way since the 1920s when racing began. The cause of racing was Prohibition. The 18th Amendment prohibits the production and possession of alcohol. So people had to make their own liquor, called moonshine. In order to make money from alcohol, part of the job was delivering it to their customers, but with law enforcement trying to obey the new law, the Moonshiners had to run at night. They also needed to use vehicles that would blend in and not create too much attention, but these vehicles couldn't outrun the cops, so they decided to modify them slightly. After the moonshiners made these slight modifications, they were able to drive 120 mph on a dirt road without using headlights. Soon after, the Moonshiners began competing against each other on weekends. Bill Francis Sr. is the founder and first president of NASCAR, which was finally incorporated on February 21, 1948. AAA sponsored stock car racing even before NASCAR was established. Three divisions were run: Modified, Roadster and Strictly Stock. Strictly Stock was the elite series, but it was suspended due to manufacturers' inability to produce enough family saloons during World War II, while Roadsters were quickly abandoned due to a lack of fans. Today, the top three series in NASCAR are the Sprint Cup, the Nationwide, and the Camping World Truck Series. As cars could go faster, safety became a concern for circuit officials. The helmets were designed to dissipate impact energy and prevent damage to the driver's head. The first helmets looked like hard hats; later they developed a chin strap. The first full-face helmet was made by Bell, but was not worn until the 1968 Indianapolis 500. But NASCAR did not...... middle of paper ...... following a collapse during an accident. . This has resulted in some teams designing a complete roll cage to protect the rider in all areas and not just one. The whole point of having a roll bar is to keep the car rigid, so the whole thing doesn't collapse on the driver or crush him in a place where he can't get out. NASCAR introduced roof flaps in 1994. The purpose of the roll bar The roof flap serves to keep the car on the ground when it spins. Due to the high speeds after a car spun, the car was able to catch air underneath, allowing it to fly through the air and flip over. Another element of today's modern cars is the rear spoiler. The spoiler helps keep air pushed down on the car for maximum downforce. This helps the tires stay on the ground for more traction on the track. But that takes away some of the speed that cars have..