WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — For three decades, from the 1940s through the 60s, Wilkes County was the center of the moonshine industry in North Carolina. Transporting hooch required a skilled driver who could navigate dirt roads, often at night. This led to many drivers challenging one another for bragging rights.

“Moonshine was very prevalent here in Wilkes County even long before NASCAR started,” George Smith, CEO of the Copper Barrel Distillery, said.

What You Need To Know

  • Moonshine helped fuel the start of NASCAR

  • North Wilkesboro was one of the first NASCAR-sanctioned speedways

  • Federal officers once called Wilkes County the moonshine capital of the world

He co-owns the distillery in North Wilkesboro but worked for IBM for 20 years.

“The one thing that I kept finding that I was kind of missing while I was working at IBM was, I didn't have an outlet for my creativity,” Smith said.

Now, he has that outlet and a partner in Buck Nance, a master distiller.

“We knew Buck was involved in NASCAR back in the 70s and 80s. The thing is, it was hard to find photos because any time he saw somebody coming around with a camera, he'd wander off and then come back later. My guess is he was probably bringing tasty adult beverages to the track and just didn't want any publicity,” Smith said.

Before getting into racing, it all started with moonshine for Nance.

“He started helping his dad at the age of 9, lugging bags of sugar through the woods and I don't remember the exact dates or anything, but somewhere I would expect when Buck was around 13 years old, that's when his dad got caught and had to go away to prison for a year and a day to do his time,” Smith said.

Nance’s father found religion behind bars. When he returned home, he was out of the moonshine business, but Buck Nance was not.

“At the age of 14, he designed and built his very first still, had a little bit of help, I think, from his uncle. And from what I understand, pretty much been doing it ever since,” Smith said.

Moonshining was especially prevalent in Wilkes County, which federal officers once called the moonshine capital of the world.

“And it was sometime in the early to mid-40s that a group of moonshine runners got together and decided that they were going to build this dirt track here in North Wilkesboro to prove who had the fastest car,” Smith said.

North Wilkesboro had the first official NASCAR speedway, and it's that tradition that Smith honors in his craft.

“We're producing the same exact product that was produced back then; there's the same exact recipe. We're using the same exact equipment. We're also using fresh well water,” Smith said.