By Ben White A variety of car numbers have become established winners since NASCAR’s first-ever Strictly Stock race was held on June 19, 1949 at the 3/4-mile Charlotte Speedway once located just off Wilkerson Boulevard. The No. 34 was the first to win in NASCAR’s premier series. That day, Jim Roper wheeled a solid black 1949 Lincoln he drove 2,000 miles all the way from Halstead, Kansas. The second-place finisher was declared the winner when Glenn Dunaway’s 1947 Ford was deemed illegal for using leaf springs. Ironically, the No. 34 has only won four times in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition.…

By Ben White Eric Penza, interior specialist for Front Row Motorsports and driver David Ragan, remembers the 2005 Nextel All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2005 as his first NASCAR race when he was 11 years old. His mother’s friend was married to an attorney associated with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Through that friendship, Penza was given the opportunity to enjoy the race from an incredible perspective on pit road. “I got to hang out with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sit on his pit box,” Penza said. “My family wasn’t in racing, and I didn’t grow up in the sport so that’s…