Bowman Gray Stadium is a NASCAR sanctioned 1/4-mile asphalt flat oval short track and football stadium located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most legendary venues, and is referred to as "NASCAR's longest-running weekly race track". Bowman Gray Stadium is part of the Winston-Salem Sports and Entertainment Complex and is home of the Winston-Salem State University Rams football team.[1] It was also the home of the Wake Forest University football team until Groves Stadium (now BB&T Field) opened in 1968.
The first NASCAR-sanctioned event took place on May 18, 1949 and was won by Fonty Flock.[2] The first Grand National (now Sprint Cup Series) event took place in 1958 and it was won by Bob Welborn.[3] Other winners include Glen Wood, Rex White, David Pearson, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson and Marvin Panch.[3] The NASCAR Grand National Series (now the Sprint Cup) first raced at the track in 1958 and hosted a total of 29 Grand National races through 1971.
Bowman Gray's weekly racing tradition continues to this day as part of the Whelen All-American Series. Weekly races include the Modified, Sportsman, Street Stock, and Stadium Stock divisions. Bowman Gray is also a part of the Whelen Southern Modified Tour and hosts other special events including classic modified coupes, monster trucks, demolition derbies, chain races, and mini-cup races. The History Channel show MadHouse was taped at the track.
The track features 4 Divisions the Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stock and Stadium Stock. The Modifieds are the featured division at Bowman Gray, the division started in 1949 and the All-Time Wins List features some of the best NASCAR Drivers like: Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Ralph Earnhardt and Ned Jarrett.
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