NASCAR race vehicles have seen some tremendous improvements throughout the years, as well as significant evolution into the cars we see today. This one is clearly near, since it has painted-on headlights rather than actual ones. However, even these days, many drivers will still wear head protection during races. The first race cars were modified roadsters based on Standard Model T's. They had dropped bodies with flat fronts and tails, single seats, wooden floors, and open wheelers were the most common type. The first race was held in Daytona Beach, Florida in February of 1949. It was called the Grand National Series and was open to stock car racing vehicles. The winner was awarded $10,000 ($ when it first started). By the early 1950's, cars were becoming faster and faster as they evolved from open wheelers to closed wheels. In 1955, the first NASCAR Winston Cup Series race was held at North Carolina's Rockingham Speedway. Since then, the series has become one of the biggest sports leagues in America. Today, all types of cars are used in NASCAR races, from simple go karts to highly specialized prototypes. But no matter what type of vehicle a driver uses, they all share certain characteristics. All have four wheels and two seats, but other things may vary greatly including number of doors, length, height, weight, and power source.