During the winter of 1971 the MASCAR (Mid-America Stock Car Racing Association) National Galaxy Championship Series was formed. Its founder and President was wealthy appliance distributor and race car owner Galen C. Doke of Springfield, Missouri. Doke's original idea was  to establish a Midwestern stock car organization but it would eventually evolve into a national short track series attracting top notch competitors from a number of regions across the country. It was the first of its kind for America's full bodied short track racers. MASCAR's inaugural season in 1972 saw over 20 events staged in 8 states from Colorado to Florida. Its first event in March was contested at 200 laps in Jackson, Mississippi and following its successful inaugural campaign top Springfield, Missouri runner Larry Phillips was declared the first MASCAR champion. In 1973 an ambitious and lucrative 25 event MASCAR schedule was slated. But by mid Summer internal problems in the organization developed with Doke leaving and selling his interests in the group to part owner and Vice President Ralph Starr. Things began to unravel as some dates were cancelled but the season would continue and conclude with Phillips repeating as series champion. By the Fall of 1973 litigation suits brought forth by NASCAR, claiming name and trademark infringements, and by Don Hampt of NH&R Racing Enterprises, for unpaid P.R work, led to a major shake up with the group. To avoid further legal hassles MASCAR head honcho Ralph Starr and his brother Raymond would change the group's original name from MASCAR to the All-America Motor Racing Association and schedule events for the Spring of 1974. To add to the picture Hampt, who was marginally associated with MASCAR, along with George Fitch of STARS Inc. (Short Track Auto Racing Systems) would create the STARS National Galaxy Championship Racing Series based in Maryland. Events under the STARS banner would be held in the later part of 1973 and in 1974 staged primarily on southern ovals. By the end of 1974, for unknown reasons, the STARS group dissolved, disappearing from the racing scene. In June of 1974 the Starr brothers last hurrah took place at the USA 300 contested at the Rolla, Missouri Fairgrounds Speedway. Following the highly lucrative and successful running of the event the promoters absconded the competitors payoff funds, bringing down the final curtain for MASCAR and the AAMRA group. Never before had a short track organization presented such an array of national stock car talent before audiences on race arenas across America. The MASCAR and STARS National Galaxy tours had served as the forerunner to the many national short track stock car organizations of the future.