▁allow ▁the ▁Detroit ▁manufact ures ▁to ▁use ▁their ▁race ▁results ▁with ▁media ▁advert is ements . ▁ ▁Still , ▁the ▁major ▁auto ▁manufact ures ▁continued ▁to ▁invest ▁time ▁and ▁money ▁in ▁NAS C AR . ▁Detroit ▁auto ▁manufact ures ▁saw ▁NAS C AR ▁as ▁a ▁big ▁business ▁opportunity , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁season ▁, ▁G M , ▁Ford , ▁Mercur y , ▁and ▁P ly mouth ▁were ▁all ▁backing ▁one ▁team ▁or ▁another . ▁ ▁Press ▁agents ▁were ▁h ired , ▁and ▁people ▁worked ▁to ▁increase ▁public ity ▁through ▁newsp apers , ▁radio , ▁tv ▁and ▁other ▁media ▁ven ues . ▁ ▁It ▁all ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁halt ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁when ▁a ▁race ▁accident ▁injured ▁not ▁just ▁drivers , ▁but ▁spect ators ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁In cluded ▁in ▁the ▁inj uries ▁was ▁an ▁ 8 ▁year ▁old ▁boy , ▁Al via ▁Hels abe ck . ▁ ▁Driver ▁Billy ▁My ers ▁crash ed ▁his ▁Mercur y ▁through ▁the ▁Mart ins ville ▁Speed way ▁f ence ▁during ▁the ▁Virginia ▁ 5 0 0 , ▁and ▁land ed ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁marked ▁" off ▁limits " ▁to ▁spect ators , ▁and ▁young ▁Hels abe ck ▁lost ▁his ▁life . ▁My ers ▁had ▁been ▁trying ▁to ▁lap ▁Tom ▁P ist one ▁when ▁the ▁two ▁cars ▁tang led ▁on ▁lap ▁ 4 4 1 . ▁ ▁Four ▁other ▁fans ▁in ▁the ▁" No ▁Spect ators ▁All owed " ▁area