Misplaced Pages

Generation 1

Hudson Hornet at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina
Constructor	Hudson Chevrolet Ford Plymouth Oldsmobile Pontiac Studebaker
Successor	Generation 2
Technical specifications
Engine	90° pushrod V-8 Inline-six (Hudson Hornet only) 303–440 cu in (5.0–7.2 L)
Competition history
Debut	February 15, 1948 (Daytona Beach Road Course, Florida)
Last event	October 30, 1966 (1966 American 500)

The Generation 1 in NASCAR refers to the inaugural generation of post-war cars used between 1948 and 1966. The first generation of stock cars used a strictly-stock body and frame, the doors were strapped with the use of seat belts being required, and a heavy-duty rear axle was mandated to stop the cars from rolling over during a race. These cars were almost identical to their road-going counterparts, albeit with tuning and modifications to the car itself being prohibited. It was also notable for being the only generation of stock cars to use real doors. Examples include the Hudson Hornet, Oldsmobile Rocket 88, Ford Galaxie, Plymouth Belvedere, Pontiac Catalina, and the Chevrolet Impala.

They were eventually replaced by the Generation 2 cars in 1967.

Models

Chrysler Corporation

• Hudson Hornet: 1950-1954
• Plymouth Belvedere: 1959

Ford Motor Company

• Ford Galaxie: 1958-1965
• Ford Thunderbird: 1959-1964

General Motors

• Chevrolet Impala: 1955-1962
• Oldsmobile Rocket 88: 1949-1953
• Pontiac Catalina: 1950-1958

Studebaker

• Studebaker Starlight: 1949-1952

References

1. "NASCAR History".
2. "The evolution of NASCAR Cup Series cars".
3. "NASCAR's Wild Ride from Generation 1 Through 7". 6 May 2021.
4. "Hinton: Generational shift". 16 January 2013.
5. "NASCAR Cars Through the Generations | NASCAR Hall of Fame | Curators' Corner".

• NASCAR Cup Series
• 1940s in NASCAR
• 1950s in NASCAR
• 1960s in NASCAR
• 1964 endings
• 1948 beginnings