Why do NASCAR races only turn left?

Anyone who has seen NASCAR or even caught a glimpse of it can easily identify the iconic oval track with only left turns. Most NASCAR fans may have come across a comment that defines stock car racing as nothing more than turning left for a couple of hours straight. So why do NASCAR races only have left turns?

In an old article on ESPN, a bunch of experts provided their views on the history of NASCAR's left turn and counterclockwise racing. According to NASCAR historian Buz McKim, it is because horses ran clockwise in England.

“From the beginning, our horse races were run counterclockwise, as an act of defiance against the British. When NASCAR built its speedways, they kept the tradition.”

Another theory suggests that left turns on the track help drivers stay away from the wall and increase safety. In America, cars are left hand drive. The long left turn in NASCAR allows the driver to get a better view of the apex of the turn which helps turn the car better at high speeds.

Simply put though, the iconic oval and the left turns have just become part of the NASCAR experience.

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NASCAR's bootlegging roots

Bootleggers during the Prohibition would use small, fast vehicles to elude federal Prohibition agents, sheriffs and cops on the road to distribute their illicit products.

The runners used to modify their cars and engine for a faster pace, better handling and increased cargo capacity. Even after the Prohibition ended in 1933, the cars continued to evolve. By the late '40s, the runners would race these cars in their past time on weekend afternoons out on makeshift dirt tracks for pride and profit. These races eventually led to the birth of NASCAR.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was founded by William France Sr. on February 21, 1948 with the help of several other drivers. A series of meetings took place at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida. They discussed the future of stock car racing and NASCAR came to fruition.

Red Byron, NASCAR's first Modified champion in 1948 and Strictly Stock champion in 1949, was a former moonshine runner who won with a modified Ford.