Name changes, legends and more from the history of the NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski teams up with King’s Hawaiian and joins ‘Fox & Friends’ with his wife to discuss their family and their favorite recipes.

The Cup Series is the highest level of racing in NASCAR. All season, racers participate in a variety of racing events, aimed at qualifying for the playoffs, and finally, the championship.

In NASCAR’s early days, races took place on dirt surfaced racetracks. Now, speedways are located throughout the country and bring in thousands of excited fans to watch the thrilling races unfold.

Below is a brief history of the NASCAR Cup Series.

The NASCAR Cup Series all leads to the championship where a winner is crowned.  (Patrik Giardino/USA Network via Getty Images)

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The first Strictly Stock race, now known as the NASCAR Cup Series, was at the Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway on June 19, 1949. This particular race was won by Jim Romper. 

On October 16, 1949, Red Byron took home the first NASCAR Strictly Stock championship title.  Byron was also the winner of NASCAR’s very first race, which took place at Daytona Beach on February 15, 1948. 

The NASCAR Cup Series has sported a variety of names over the years. When it first began in 1949, it was known as the Strictly Stock Division. Then, the name was changed in 1950 to the Grand National Series which remained the same until 1970.

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The NASCAR Cup Series began in 1949.  (Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

After its run as the Grand National Series, the series took on the name of sponsors. This is what led to the name the NASCAR