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- 1933 Willys Drag Racer - When machinist George Montgomery started racing in 1953, all drag racers were amateurs with "real jobs" supporting their hobby. This car helped change all that. Montgomery bought an old Willys in 1958 and built a dragster so successful that promoters started paying him to run at drag strips nationwide. In 1966, Montgomery became one of drag racing's first full-time professional drivers.
- 1933
- Collections - Artifact
1933 Willys Drag Racer
When machinist George Montgomery started racing in 1953, all drag racers were amateurs with "real jobs" supporting their hobby. This car helped change all that. Montgomery bought an old Willys in 1958 and built a dragster so successful that promoters started paying him to run at drag strips nationwide. In 1966, Montgomery became one of drag racing's first full-time professional drivers.
- Ford Mustang Funny Car at NHRA Pre-Season Test Session, January 2000 - This Ford Mustang funny car was photographed while making a pre-season test run in January 2000. NHRA drag racing competitions feature more than 200 classes, but Funny Car is among the most popular. Funny cars use special supercharged engines that burn nitromethane fuel, but their bodies resemble regular production cars.
- January 01, 2000
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Mustang Funny Car at NHRA Pre-Season Test Session, January 2000
This Ford Mustang funny car was photographed while making a pre-season test run in January 2000. NHRA drag racing competitions feature more than 200 classes, but Funny Car is among the most popular. Funny cars use special supercharged engines that burn nitromethane fuel, but their bodies resemble regular production cars.
- Art Arfons and Wally Parks with the Trophy for Top Speed, NHRA Nationals, Detroit Dragway, 1959 - Wally Parks organized some of the first hot rod shows, served as the first editor of <em>Hot Rod</em> magazine, and in 1951 founded the National Hot Rod Association. Illegal street racers gave hot rodding a bad reputation, but Parks's NHRA legitimized drag racing with competition rules, safety regulations, and off-street drag strips. Parks turned hot rod races into family entertainment.
- 1959
- Collections - Artifact
Art Arfons and Wally Parks with the Trophy for Top Speed, NHRA Nationals, Detroit Dragway, 1959
Wally Parks organized some of the first hot rod shows, served as the first editor of Hot Rod magazine, and in 1951 founded the National Hot Rod Association. Illegal street racers gave hot rodding a bad reputation, but Parks's NHRA legitimized drag racing with competition rules, safety regulations, and off-street drag strips. Parks turned hot rod races into family entertainment.
- Official Start of First NHRA Drag Racing Meet, Great Bend, Kansas, 1955 - The National Hot Rod Association, established in 1951 to govern drag racing, held its first national championship meet in 1955. The event took place on an airport runway in Great Bend, Kansas. Drag races run like tournaments. Two cars at a time face off, the winner advances, and the loser is eliminated. The last remaining driver earns the grand prize.
- 1955
- Collections - Artifact
Official Start of First NHRA Drag Racing Meet, Great Bend, Kansas, 1955
The National Hot Rod Association, established in 1951 to govern drag racing, held its first national championship meet in 1955. The event took place on an airport runway in Great Bend, Kansas. Drag races run like tournaments. Two cars at a time face off, the winner advances, and the loser is eliminated. The last remaining driver earns the grand prize.
- Ford Racing 200th Funny Car Win Banner, 2011 - On July 8, 2011, Ford Motor Company celebrated its 200th tournament win in NHRA drag racing's Funny Car class. Mike Neff, driving for John Force Racing, earned the victory at the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, held at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. Signers of this commemorative banner included Neff, Force, and Ford Racing head Jamie Allison.
- 2011
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Racing 200th Funny Car Win Banner, 2011
On July 8, 2011, Ford Motor Company celebrated its 200th tournament win in NHRA drag racing's Funny Car class. Mike Neff, driving for John Force Racing, earned the victory at the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, held at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. Signers of this commemorative banner included Neff, Force, and Ford Racing head Jamie Allison.
- Sign for the SRCA Drag Strip, Great Bend, Kansas, 1955 - The Sunflower Rod and Custom Association -- named for its home state of Kansas, the Sunflower State -- was formed in 1954 and joined the National Hot Rod Association a year later. NHRA established competition rules and safety regulations for drag racing. It sanctioned races at its member drag strips, like SRCA's facility in Great Bend, Kansas.
- 1955
- Collections - Artifact
Sign for the SRCA Drag Strip, Great Bend, Kansas, 1955
The Sunflower Rod and Custom Association -- named for its home state of Kansas, the Sunflower State -- was formed in 1954 and joined the National Hot Rod Association a year later. NHRA established competition rules and safety regulations for drag racing. It sanctioned races at its member drag strips, like SRCA's facility in Great Bend, Kansas.
- National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel Competition Drag Racing Car, Driven by Gary Ormsby in the 1989 and 1990 NHRA Seasons, 1989 - Top Fuel dragsters are the fastest cars approved for NHRA drag racing. Their nitromethane fuel requires less oxygen during combustion, so their engines produce more horsepower than with gasoline. Gary Ormsby drove this car to an NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1989. He used it again in 1990 -- racing at speeds near 300 miles per hour.
- 1989
- Collections - Artifact
National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel Competition Drag Racing Car, Driven by Gary Ormsby in the 1989 and 1990 NHRA Seasons, 1989
Top Fuel dragsters are the fastest cars approved for NHRA drag racing. Their nitromethane fuel requires less oxygen during combustion, so their engines produce more horsepower than with gasoline. Gary Ormsby drove this car to an NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1989. He used it again in 1990 -- racing at speeds near 300 miles per hour.
- Sign for the SRCA Drag Strip, Great Bend, Kansas, 1955 - The Sunflower Rod and Custom Association -- named for its home state of Kansas, the Sunflower State -- was formed in 1954 and joined the National Hot Rod Association a year later. NHRA established competition rules and safety regulations for drag racing. It sanctioned races at its member drag strips, like SRCA's facility in Great Bend, Kansas.
- 1955
- Collections - Artifact
Sign for the SRCA Drag Strip, Great Bend, Kansas, 1955
The Sunflower Rod and Custom Association -- named for its home state of Kansas, the Sunflower State -- was formed in 1954 and joined the National Hot Rod Association a year later. NHRA established competition rules and safety regulations for drag racing. It sanctioned races at its member drag strips, like SRCA's facility in Great Bend, Kansas.
- Connie Kalitta at the NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1963 - Michigan native Connie Kalitta started drag racing in the 1950s and, within a decade, he ranked among the sport's best. He kept a "most wanted" list of drivers he intended to beat, and then crossed off their names when he did so. The habit earned Kalitta the nickname "Bounty Hunter." He won ten NHRA national events between 1967 and 1994.
- 1963
- Collections - Artifact
Connie Kalitta at the NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1963
Michigan native Connie Kalitta started drag racing in the 1950s and, within a decade, he ranked among the sport's best. He kept a "most wanted" list of drivers he intended to beat, and then crossed off their names when he did so. The habit earned Kalitta the nickname "Bounty Hunter." He won ten NHRA national events between 1967 and 1994.
- "National Hot Rod Association Official Drag Rules," 1961 - Wally Parks formed the National Hot Rod Association in 1951 to establish formal safety and competition rules for drag racing. NHRA published annual rule books with updates to the organization's policies and procedures. This 24-page rule book from 1961 reflects a growing but still maturing racing series. More recent NHRA rule books are well over 400 pages long.
- 1961
- Collections - Artifact
"National Hot Rod Association Official Drag Rules," 1961
Wally Parks formed the National Hot Rod Association in 1951 to establish formal safety and competition rules for drag racing. NHRA published annual rule books with updates to the organization's policies and procedures. This 24-page rule book from 1961 reflects a growing but still maturing racing series. More recent NHRA rule books are well over 400 pages long.