The very first NASCAR race took place on a dirt track at the old Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina on June 19, 1949 in front of a crowd of approximately 23,000 curious spectators. Christian "Jim" Roper took first place (and the $2,000 purse) in a Lincoln Cosmopolitan after reading about the race in a syndicated comic strip. Fonty Flock came in second, future Hall of Famer Red Byron took third, Sam Rice came in fourth, and Tim Flock took fifth. Several other legendary racers competed that first day including Lee Petty, Curtis Turner, and Buck Baker.