North Wilkesboro

North Wilkesboro was the center of the moonshine industry.

One reason is that this is a very remote location. Another is the region's pristine water.

There's another interesting connection. There's a close historical connection between the production of illegal moonshine and the origins of NASCAR racing in the United States. During Prohibition and for decades afterward, moonshiners transported their illegal liquor over the winding back roads of the South. To evade police and federal agents, they modified their cars to be faster and more agile, and developed unique driving techniques like the "bootleg turn." These technical and driving skills became the basis for informal competitions on dirt tracks nationwide, where the best drivers raced against each other in their modified "whiskey cars." After Prohibition ended, many former moonshiners continued to apply their skills to the racetrack. In 1947, Bill France Sr. organized a meeting in Daytona Beach, where the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was formally founded. Many of the early NASCAR drivers were former moonshine haulers, and their original race cars often featured upgraded suspension, powerful engines, and room for beverage cargo.

Pascal Brackman