Back in the day, people had to go to actual casinos and play their slot machine games, not to mention actual poker and other table games. Today, everything can be done online. You can order food online, play video games, even visit online casinos. Some slot machine games are so popular that people do anything to play them, without a deposit, even. Starburst is a very popular slot machine game, so people jump with joy when they find starburst free spins no deposit promo codes. Yes, today, people jump with joy over online promo codes.
Back in the day, people used to jump with joy when daredevils would find incredible ways of bringing alcohol to the masses, or rather, hidden masses. During Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, there was a constitutional ban on producing, importing and transporting and drinking alcoholic beverages.
Bootleggers, people who took it upon themselves to bring alcohol to various warehouses and establishments were very brave. They also helped invent NASCAR. The two are connected, believe it or not. Here is their story.
What is Bootlegging – Bootlegging Explained
During Prohibition, alcohol was banned in the United States. You know all those teenagers who, in all those teenager movies, find ways of obtaining alcohol even though they are obviously under 21, just because they want to drink and party? Well, imagine all the adults in the United States during Prohibition, and you can get the picture, somewhat. Alcohol was strictly forbidden during that time and bootleggers made their debut. Actually, bootleggers existed prior to Prohibition. A bootleg is an alcoholic beverage which is sold directly, without paying tax. That is illegal on multiple levels, so smugglers, rum-runners or bootleggers, came to be. What does this have to do with NASCAR? Keep reading.
Moonshine Racing – Bootlegger Drivers
Given that smuggling used to be done a long time ago, much longer than we had cars, people used to smuggle moonshine in ships and on carriages. Moonshine is once more, illegal alcohol, or rather, alcoholic beverages distilled outside registered distilleries. People made alcohol illegally and distributed it illegally. During Prohibition, all of this was even more illegal, if that is even possible.
Drivers were hired, trained and given loads of spirits to smuggle in sleeper cars. A sleeper car is a car which looks stock but is actually modified to be much better. In the case of smuggling cars, they were faster, cornered better and had much better suspension, so that the alcohol would survive bumpy roads and sharp turns.
These drivers knew every road and every turn. They made sharp turns, bootleg turns, and almost always outran the police and tax agents. These drivers then went to become professional racers after Prohibition ended. One of the bootleggers, Big Bill France, had a meeting with other mechanics and drivers, to set the rules of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. This took place in late 1947, the first race being held in early 1948.
We have smugglers and bootleggers to thank for NASCAR. The world does make interesting turns indeed.