“Alcohol is the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems”

– Homer Simpson

Alcohol is also the cause of NASCAR racing! No, really.

Today was another of those days where I find out things that I never knew about before but probably everyone else already knew, but I have a blog and you don’t, so I’m gonna make you hear about it anyway.

Back in the US of A, there used to be this horrible thing called Prohibition. Yes, Prohibition. Don’t make me say that word again. It means one was not allowed to partake in the sweet, sweet ritual of getting shitfaced (or even responsibly having one) on alcohol, and this was probably the beginning of the downfall of America, tbh.

In the southern states, entrepreneurial folk were clandestinely concocting all sorts of bootleg liquor in order to keep the good people of the era nice and pissed. Stealthily brewing these liquors under the light of the moon gave the liquor the name moonshine. This black market business was off chops, featuring hidden distilleries that used “runners” to deliver the good stuff to Speakeasies and discerning customers all across the area. The runners would use basic, nondescript-looking cars in order to avoid attracting attention from the law, but the cars themselves were super speedy and super pimped out.

The cars had to have crazy springs and shock absorbers installed in order to mitigate breakage of the moonshine bottles en route, and they had fast engines so that they could be sure to outrun any meddlin’ cops. The drivers were super fast and super knowledgeable about the routes, resulting in really fast trips with daredevil stunts like drifting, skidding and high-speed direction changes that would thro off Johnny Law. This kind of lifestyle led those drivers to race outside of their usual driving schedules, and by the time Prohibition ended, these guys were out of work and stuck with these crazy pimped-out fast cars.

In 1947, the runners started enforcing rules to their racing, and BAM – NASCAR was born!

Alcohol rulz.

Love, Akika xoxoxooxxo