*Article written for and featured in CharlotteFive

Prohibition ended in 1933, but it was just 10 years ago that Tennessee reformed its prohibition-era laws, eliminating the legal barriers to entry for whiskey distilleries. Since then, the number of whiskey distilleries has jumped from three to 30, with more than six million people from around the world having visited the state’s Tennessee Whiskey Trail. Officially launched in 2017, the trail was created to raise awareness of the history and craft of Tennessee whiskey making.

It was the transportation of bootlegged moonshine during prohibition that led to one of Charlotte’s favorite past times. Bootleggers responsible for “runnin’ shine” would drive small, quick cars that could be easily maneuvered to evade the law. These cars would be rigged with extra shocks and springs to protect the glass jars from the rough mountain roads. Moonshine drivers loved the thrill of outrunning the police and eventually began competing with one another in races for bragging rights. Ultimately rules were established and NASCAR was born. 

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