In the fall of '47
Bill France had a dream
He pulled together some roughneck drivers
In the name of speed
They raced on sand in Daytona
And dirt in Caroline
And on the back roads of Georgia
They beat the law running 'shine
The plan Bill had was simple
To put rules into place
He'd promote the races
And guarantee the pay
So they'd tune their engines
Just like an old guitar
What started off as just a dream
Became NASCAR
Now the checkered flag is golden
They waved it fifty years
And everyone has played their part
And the end is nowhere near
From the sponsors to the drivers
To the fans young and old
It's one big celebration
The checkered flag is gold
The fifties brought us asphalt
With turns banked way up high
A win on Sunday meant sales on Monday
It opened Detroit's eyes
Became a household name in the sixties
Thanks to ABC
And R.J.R. made it's mark
With the Winston Cup series
The seventies and eighties
Brought more fans and faster cars
The purses became larger
And drivers became stars
It gets more exciting
As every year rolls by
It's become a way of life
America as apple pie
Now the checkered flag is golden
They waved it fifty years
And everyone has played their part
And the end is nowhere near
From the sponsors to the drivers
To the fans young and old
It's one big celebration
The checkered flag is gold
In the fall of '47
Bill France had a dream