The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) was founded in 1951 by Wally Parks, whose aim it was to take drag racing from the streets and into a safer environment. Staging its first official race in 1953, the NHRA later held its first national competition, known as "the Nationals," in 1955 in Great Bend, Kansas. Over 50 years later, the NHRA has over 35,000 licensed competitors and 140 member tracks around the country.

Hot Rod Magazine was founded in 1948 by Robert E. Petersen, who was in...

The Research Center Drag Racing Photographs Collection contains 10 black-and-white 8x10 inch photographic prints reprinted from the original negatives, circa 1985. The original photographs were taken by Eric Rickman and Bob D’Olivo for Petersen Publishing Company’s Hot Rod Magazine. The prints are organized chronologically by year, and then in alphabetical order by subject.

The collection also contains a small amount of background information on the photographs assembled by Bob...