Feb
3
Drag racing - National Hot Rod Association
Filed Under Chevy Cars
THE CHRISTMAS TREE’S AMBER lights flicker. Suddenly, the green light comes on. The air is pierced by the scream of a pair of 7,000-horsepower engines. Two sleek, needle-like cars accelerate side-by-side down a 1,320-foot strip at speeds that exceed those of a fighter jet. Less than five seconds later, the race is over. The engines shut down, and parachutes strain to bring the two contestants to a stop after topping off at more than 320 mph.
That’s drag racing. The NHRA has been sanctioning races such as this for 50 years, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
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It all started thanks to post-World War II America’s boom in automotive pride. A new breed of enthusiast customized his car to make it faster, then attempted to prove his bravery and workmanship by racing against fellow hot-rodders on back roads or dry lake beds. It was very popular–but often very illegal, especially considering most early hot rod clubs lacked rules, governing officials, or consistency.
In March 1951, Los Angeles-based Hot Rod magazine proposed the nation’s thousands of hot rod enthusiasts band together and form an organization. The response was positive. The magazine’s plea led to a major meeting–and the formation of the NHRA, with Wally Parks elected president of the new organization.
The NHRA was chartered to promote safety, sportsmanship, and fellowship among hot rod enthusiasts. The group formed regional clubs and organizations, sponsored educational programs, and sought acceptance from both the press and the public. With an initial fee of only $2, applications for membership began flowing in at the rate of more than 1,000 a month. “Wally Parks started the concept, and we all went with him,” says John Force, the most popular of the current NHRA drivers. “Indy cars and NASCAR were over the moon when I was coming up, but drag racing was something a kid could do with his mom’s car and a helmet.”
Once a clandestine activity, the NHRA worked with local law enforcement agencies and made drag racing a legitimate sport Instead of racing at night on lonely roads, meets were publicized and attendance began to grow. Pomona Drag Strip at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, under the supervision of the Pomona Police, was the first sanctioned track.
