U.S. Senator and Son Collaborate on DVD Series that Retraces NASCAR's Untold, Colorful Past

U.S. Senator and Son Collaborate on DVD Series that Retraces NASCAR's Untold, Colorful Past

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- With a fan base exceeding 75 million people nationwide, NASCAR fever is at an all-time high.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060511/NYFNSS01 )

But the appeal of the DVD series "American Stock: The Golden Era of NASCAR 1936 - 1971" is its ability to transcend NASCAR enthusiasts to include history buffs and anyone else who has ever dreamed of racing the family car right out of the garage -- which is how this unique American sport got its start more than 70 years ago.

Created by filmmaker and former professional racecar driver John W. Warner IV, the collectible four-volume, 4 1/2 hour DVD series on the history of stock car racing and the rise of NASCAR is the only authentic view of the sport's early history on film today.

Warner weaves personal narrative, including exclusive interviews with more than 50 NASCAR legends and other colorful people from the sport's golden era, with never-before-seen photos and film footage. He captures the stories of how ordinary men and women raced their "real" Detroit model cars to found what would become one of the most popular organized sports in the country.

"The story of NASCAR is really a very patriotic story," says Warner, 44, a Virginia native whose father, U.S. Sen. John W. Warner III, R-Va., narrates the series. "It is romantic, it is rich and it mimics in almost every way the history of the last century."

Warner traces NASCAR's humble beginnings to the white sands of Daytona and red-dirt clay of the Southern Piedmont, where notorious moonshiners made a living outrunning the cops and also made a name for themselves at the track.

From Wendell Scott, NASCAR's first African-American driver who courageously raced in a white man's world, to gutsy women drivers such as Louise Smith, known as "The Agitator" for her aggressive driving skills, Warner got remarkably close to these pioneers and their families to hear their stories, and not a moment too soon. Seven drivers and old-timer personalities who appear in the films have since died, including Smith who passed away in April at age 89.

The four DVDs -- The Early Years 1936-1949; The Jet Age, 1950-1959; The Wild Wild 60's, from 1960-1971; and a bonus DVD, Profiles of Legends Wendell Scott and Curtis Turner -- are packaged in a keepsake film can, along with a 31-page companion book of Golden Era photos and a set of army-weight dog tags embossed with American Stock's motto Drive Loud, Journey Proud(TM).

American Stock is dedicated to honoring and bringing to life the rich and colorful history of NASCAR and stock car racing through a series of exciting new products.

The DVD series retails for $59.95, and can be purchased at http://www.americanstock.us/ or by calling 800-405-9514. It is also available at http://www.amazon.com/ .

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060511/NYFNSS01
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: American Stock(TM)

CONTACT: Jennifer Bebon, MAX Communications, +1-203-256-0907, or
jenniferbebon@maxcompr.com, for American Stock(TM)

Web site: http://www.americanstock.us/

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