National Hot Rod Association

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"NHRA" redirects here. For other uses, see NHRA (disambiguation).
NHRA
Sport governing body


Category Drag racing
Area of jurisdiction United States
Formation date 1951
Headquarters Glendora, CA
President Tom Compton
Chairman Dallas Gardner
Website www.nhra.com/

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada.

The association was founded by Wally Parks in 1951 in the State of California to provide a governing body to organize and promote the sport of drag racing. The first nationwide NHRA sponsored event was held in 1955, in Great Bend, Kansas. (Typical for the era, this race was held on a World War II-constructed training air field.) The "Nationals", which now comprise 24 events each year, are the premier events in drag racing that bring together the best cars and drivers from across North America. The U.S. Nationals are now held at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis in Clermont, Indiana and are officially called the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Winners of national events are awarded a trophy statue in honor of founder Wally Parks. The trophy is commonly referred to by its nickname, a “Wally”.

The NHRA governs several developmental series. These include the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Summit Racing Series, and the O'Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League.

Contents

[edit] Full Throttle Drag Racing Series

The NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series is the NHRA governed series that sanctions all major national events. It is the NHRA's premier series. Winston was the title sponsor of the series from 1970 until 2001, before a new governing rule stated the Master Settlement Agreement restricted R. J. Reynolds to one sponsorship of a sporting event; they chose NASCAR. In 2002, The Coca-Cola Company took over sponsorship of the series, which became known as the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series and has the slogan "Very Real Power."

The series has four main classes: Top Fuel Dragster, Top Fuel Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Top Fuel was the first category, with Funny Cars added in 1966, Pro Stock four years later and Pro Stock Motorcycles in 1987. Both Top Fuel and Funny Cars regularly see top speeds in excess of 330 mph today, and quarter mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. Both these cars are 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol. The Pro Stock record is 211 mph with times often in the 6.5-6.7 second range and the Pro Stock Motorcycles usually run at 190+ mph with times in the low 7- to high 6-second range.

Some of the popular racers to come through the series include "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme and Shirley Muldowney. Those three gained much attention from the 1960s through '70s with their speed and personalities, a combination rarely achieved today through the political correctness of sponsorship in today's drivers. Nonetheless there are still colorful characters today, such as 14-time Funny Car world champion John Force.

On April 24, 2008, the NHRA and Coca-Cola announced a change in branding for the series effective 2009, with the professional classes referred NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, with the new slogan "Go Full Throttle or Go Home".

[edit] NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series

[edit] NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Champions

Year Top Fuel Rail Car Top Fuel Funny Car Pro Stock Pro Stock Motorcycle
1965 Maynard Rupp
1966 Pete Robinson Ed Schartman
1967 Bennie Osborn
1968 Bennie Osborn
1969 Steve Carborne
1970 Ronnie Martin Gene Snow Ronnie Sox
1971 Gerry Glenn Phil Castronovo Mike Fons
1972 Jim Walther Larry Fullerton Bill Jenkins
1973 Jerry Ruth Frank Hall Wayne Gapp
1974 Gary Beck Shirl Greer Bob Glidden
1975 Don Garlits Don Prudhomme Bob Glidden
1976 Richard Tharp Don Prudhomme Larry Lombardo
1977 Shirley Muldowney Don Prudhomme Don Nicholson
1978 Kelly Brown (drag racer) Don Prudhomme Bob Glidden
1979 Rob Bruins Raymond Beadle Bob Glidden
1980 Shirley Muldowney Raymond Beadle Bob Glidden
1981 Jeb Allen Raymond Beadle Lee Shepherd
1982 Shirley Muldowney Frank Hawley Lee Shepherd
1983 Gary Beck Frank Hawley Lee Shepherd
1984 Joe Amato Mark Oswald Lee Shepherd
1985 Don Garlits Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden
1986 Don Garlits Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden
1987 Dick LaHaie Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden Dave Schultz
1988 Joe Amato Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden Dave Schultz
1989 Gary Ormsby Bruce Larson Bob Glidden John Mafaro
1990 Joe Amato John Force Darrell Alderman John Meyers
1991 Joe Amato John Force Darrell Alderman Dave Schultz
1992 Joe Amato Cruz Pedregon Warren Johnson John Meyers
1993 Eddie Hill John Force Warren Johnson Dave Schultz
1994 Scott Kalitta John Force Darrell Alderman Dave Schultz
1995 Scott Kalitta John Force Warren Johnson John Meyers
1996 Kenny Bernstein John Force Jim Yates Dave Schultz
1997 Gary Scelzi John Force Jim Yates Matt Hines
1998 Gary Scelzi John Force Warren Johnson Matt Hines
1999 Tony Schumacher John Force Warren Johnson Matt Hines
2000 Gary Scelzi John Force Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Angelle Sampey
2001 Kenny Bernstein John Force Warren Johnson Angelle Sampey
2002 Larry Dixon John Force Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Angelle Sampey
2003 Larry Dixon Tony Pedregon Greg Anderson Geno Scali
2004 Tony Schumacher John Force Greg Anderson Andrew Hines
2005 Tony Schumacher Gary Scelzi Greg Anderson Andrew Hines
2006 Tony Schumacher John Force Jason Line Andrew Hines
2007 Tony Schumacher Tony Pedregon Jeg Coughlin, Jr. Matt Smith

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hot_Rod_Association"
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