New History of NASCAR Available

Deb Williams, a longtime motorsports writer and a member of the Stock Car Racing Collection Advisory Committee, has authored a new history of NASCAR just in time for the Christmas season. The History of NASCAR Vault recounts the early history the sport and its growth to national prominence. The lavishly illustrated volume contains never before published photographs, artwork, and memorabilia. As they delve into the scrapbook format, readers will find dozens of pockets containing such fascinating items as a 1940s Bill France Sr. business card, a 1959 program from the first Daytona 500, and a 1974 NASCAR driver's license. Published by Whitman, the book is available on Amazon and from bookstores throughout the country.

Dick Beaty Items Donated to the Stock Car Racing Collection

The family of Charlotte area racer and longtime NASCAR official Dick Beaty has donated materials to the Stock Car Racing Collection. Beaty's children, Carolyn Torrence and Don Beaty, donated a number of items from their father's collection, including issues of racing magazines and newspapers, a large collection of race programs, and some personal memorabilia and correspondence related to his career in racing. The magazines,  newspapers, and race programs will expand the Collection's holdings in these areas. Plans for the items directly documenting Beaty's racing career are to organize them for public access and post a descriptive guide of the material on the Collection's web site.

A Visit with Selma Hamrick

Stock Car Racing Collection curator Suzanne Wise recently visited Selma Hamrick, widow of legendary racing broadcaster and publisher Hal Hamrick, who died in 2008. Selma donated audio tapes of several races featuring Hal as a race announcer, as well as some issues of FasTrack, the racing newspaper he published for many years, to the Collection. Suzanne reports that Selma is very active and is on the go a lot visiting children and grandchildren. She also makes an incredibly delicious pound cake!