I enjoy reading about the history and development of things. Here is a good article on the beginnings of the automotive performance camshaft in America. It basically starts with Ed Winfield and the Ford Model T. In the beginning, Winfield and others modified existing stock camshafts. My question has always been…Who designed and ground the stock camshafts of the day? We never hear about those individuals.
http://www.dragzine.com/tech-stories/engine/camshaft-101-the-history-and-substance-of-camshafts/