CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – Fans heading into town for this weekend’s NASCAR races at EchoPark Speedway might want to schedule a little extra time for a trip up to Cartersville.
That’s because right now, the city’s Savoy Automobile Museum is celebrating the history of NASCAR with an exhibit called “From Stock Cars to Racecars,” which features cars driven by racing legends including Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Bill Elliott, and Jeff Gordon.
“From Stock Cars to Racecars” went on display last month and will remain at the museum through September 27th, giving fans the chance to learn about the evolution of stock car racing. According to the NASCAR website, the official story begins in December 1947, when Bill France Sr. hosted a meeting dedicated to stock car racing at a hotel in Daytona Beach. The idea for NASCAR — which stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing — comes from that meeting. Just a few months later, the first NASCAR race was held at the beach road course in Daytona Beach, with Red Byron taking home a historic win.
Since then, curators at the Savoy Automobile Museum say there have been seven distinct generations of NASCAR racecars — and there are examples of each one on display in the new exhibit. From a 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS driven by Junior Johnson to a 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by William Byron, the cars show a fascinating evolution in terms of style, safety, and technology.
“From Stock Cars to Racecars” is included with admission to the museum, which is located at 3 Savoy Lane in Cartersville. It’s open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sundays and tickets are $17 for adults and $7 for youth ages 3 to 12. For more information on the Savoy Automobile Museum, click here.
The Source: Information for this story comes from the Savoy Automobile Museum and NASCAR websites and original reporting by Good Day Atlanta’s Paul Milliken.