NASCAR Racing: NASCAR/Stock Car, air dams, stock frame

Question
I have a bet with my brother on when NASCAR quit racing stock cars (stock frame/body/blocks).  I thought it was around 1989/1990, he says it was a few years earlier.  Can you settle the bet?

Answer
This one's a tough one. It was such a long evolution that you really can't put a date or year when they quit being "stock". Some will say when the first "downsizing" happened in the early 80's, other's will say the advent of the hand built chassis' by McLaughlin in the mid 80's. Other's will point to the use of plastic air dams and hand crafted body parts in the late 80's, changing the total look from what you would see on the streets.

So what's the answer? Well, since you've bet on it, I don't feel right giving you a definitive answer since there really isn't a definitive answer. My personal preference is the advent of the "homemade" body parts of the mid to late 80's, when they quit going down to the parts dealers for fenders and started making them in shop.

Sorry I couldn't give you an "exact" year.