Glovebox: Stock Footage

Paul Meyers

02/01/2007

Before the days of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and nationally syndicated television, a fast, loud, and frenzied crew of car aficionados crowded the beaches of Daytona, Fla. There was something fervent about the people and places that shaped our country’s automotive history, and nothing was as bold or brash as the legacy of NASCAR. John W. Warner IV, a former professional racecar driver turned filmmaker, captures the boys-will-be-boys mentality of the sport in The Golden Era of NASCAR 1936–1971, a new four-volume collectible DVD set ($60).
 
The opening narrative sets the tone for photos and raw raceway footage with a resounding message:  “America has always had a love affair with speed.” It is that love affair that gave Bill France the impetus to establish NASCAR and gave Warner the drive to document France’s accomplishments some 70 years later. More than 50 NASCAR legends and family members are interviewed throughout the first three discs, while the fourth offers tributes to Wendell Scott, long considered to be the Jackie Robinson of NASCAR, and Curtis Turner. Warner spent the past five years and $3 million to ensure that these videos represent the truest and highest-quality testament to the early days of NASCAR.  

American Stock, 800.405.9514, www.americanstock.us