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SPRING 2019 ISSUE 01 / VOL . 04
( The wood-stoked contraptions were traditionally fired up at night , so the smoke wouldn ’ t give them away , hence the term “ moonshine .”)
Through popular culture , moonshiners became legends and folk heroes . When they weren ’ t running corn liquor , bootleggers often raced each other for sport to see who had the fastest car . Some of the rivalries between these good ol ' boys — among them Junior Johnson and Lee Petty — led to the formation of NASCAR . Throughout my ride , I marveled at the pride with which Tennesseeans embrace their past . It ’ s not about glorifying moonshine , they say , it ’ s about remembering the region ’ s heritage . Everywhere I went , people asked
A misty morning near Caryville .