Savoy Automobile Museum has announced the opening of a new temporary exhibit, “From Stock Cars to Racecars.”
How NASCAR Race Cars Evolved From Stock Cars
In December 1947, Bill France Sr. organized a meeting with drivers, mechanics and car owners in Daytona Beach, Florida, to discuss the future of stock car racing. NASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, was born.
Originally, cars were driven directly off the street and onto the racetrack. As safety and technology advanced, so have race cars. Since the first race in February 1948, there have been seven distinct generations of NASCAR race cars. “From Stock Cars to Racecars” explores the evolution from original stock cars to the high-tech modernization of today’s racing machines.
Vehicles Featured in the Exhibit
- 1939 Ford Standard (On loan from the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and the Sosebee Family)
Pre-Generation 1: WWII Models
Gober Sosebee, #50 Cherokee Garage - 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS (On loan from Rob Kauffman/RK Motors, Charlotte, North Carolina)
Generation 1: 1948-66
Junior Johnson, #3 Holly Farms Poultry Industries, Inc. - 1974 Dodge Charger (On loan from private collection)
Generation 2: 1967-80
Richard Petty, #43 STP - 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (On loan from the Bill Rhine Collection)
Generation 2: 1967-80
Butch Mock, #75 RahMoc Enterprises - 1985 Ford Thunderbird (On loan courtesy of the NASCAR Hall of Fame)
Generation 3: 1981-91
Ricky Rudd, #15 Motorcraft - 1989 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (On loan from Hendrick Motorsports)
Generation 3: 1981-91
Darrell Waltrip, #17 Tide - 1992 Ford Thunderbird (On loan courtesy of the NASCAR Hall of Fame)
Generation 4: 1992-2007
Bill Elliott, #11 Budweiser - 2007 Chevrolet Impala SS (On loan from Hendrick Motorsports)
Generation 5: 2008-12
Jeff Gordon, #24 Pepsi - 2010 Chevrolet Impala SS (On loan courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum)
Generation 5: 2008-12
Jamie McMurray, #1 Bass Pro Shops - 2014 Chevrolet SS (On loan from Hendrick Motorsports)
Generation 6: 2013-21
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #88 National Guard - 2018 Ford Fusion (Savoy Collection, generously donated by Mark Thompson)
Generation 6: 2013-21
Mark Thompson, #66 Phoenix Air - 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE (On loan from Hendrick Motorsports)
Generation 7: 2022-Present
William Byron, #24 Axalta
The exhibit is on display now through Sept. 27, 2026.