You learn something new everyday. From The Recorder:

NASCAR, like America, has never been “purely American.” The boys who came home from Europe after WWII brought with them a love and passion for the European sports car. The lightweight and nimble MGs (Morris Garage), Austin Healeys and Triumphs revolutionized the American motor sports outlook. Sports car road racing joined America’s sprint and indy car scene in the late 1940’s and NASCAR and the National Hot Rod Association formed and jumped aboard the wave. A British invasion occurred long before the arrival of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Between 1960 and 1963 four European marques actually raced on the NASCAR circuit (MG, Triumph, Austin Healey and the Italian-made Alfa Romeo). The 1960 International 200 at Bowman-Grey Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina saw a 1957 Triumph driven by Jack Hart take 14th place in race 22 of the 44 race schedule. On August 16, 1963, Smokey Cook took his MG to a 17th place finish against such greats as Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Glen Wood, David Pearson, Wendell Scott and Ned Jarrett. His cut of the purse was $75. NASCAR’s humble roots were quite open to international competition.

Totally awesome.