History Old NHRA results???

A local racer won his class at the NHRA Nationals I believe in 1961. Is there a source where I can look up past NHRA results that go back that far?

 

You might try contacting the NHRA Motorsports Museum. Surely they must have some archived records on hand. I believe 1961 was the first year for the NHRA.

 

back issues of Hot Rod magazine have some results. Also there is National Dragster, which might be harder to find back issues of.

I have Oct 61 hot rod, but it has results for the OK meet, not the Nats.

 

Here you go.

http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/memb.../1961-11_HR_1961_NHRA_National_Drags_1-16.pdf

 

Well... did he win his class?

 

If you can gain access to that year Hot Rod Yearbook they always had extensive coverage of the Nationals.

 

Yearbook #1, that would be, eh? I have 2, with the 62 nats.

 

I think the NHRA

NHRA was started in 1951 and raced in 1953. My Dad and his club brought the first NHRA sanctioned race to Canada in the 1950’s. The NHRA had to bring in the timing lights from New York State .

 

......Thanks for that correction. I felt it didn't sound right when I wrote it, but went ahead anyway!

 

Lol. Maybe my Dad and his club got ahead of themselves . The provincial Timing Association wasn’t happy having competition.​

 

Classracer.com frequently has results posted from past events.

 

Try checking an issue from December 1961, The magazines have about a three month lead time from event time to publish time. Check swap meets, Hemmings Motor News, to just name two places. Good luck

 

Can we have the local racer's name and class - might help.

 

Was he local to Virginia in 1961? I didn’t see any class winner from VA in the Hot Rod article linked in post #4.

 

Not results but records:
http://www.printcentralandsigns.com/NHRA/records.html

 

It was Howard Lichliter (sp?) from Staunton, VA. I remember reading about it in Hot Rod Magazine and I thought it was from the '61 Nats but obviously not. Possibly it was the '62 Nats. That was 60 years ago and my memory is not what it used to be! I seem to remember he ran in competition coupe class but here again memory could be off a bit.

 

1962 NHRA NATIONALS
A/Comp Class Champion

 

Yep, that's the guy. He used to run a speed shop in Staunton. Thanks @OldRacer. Maybe my memory isn't quite as bad off as I was beginning to believe! Thanks to all who responded!

 

@sidevalve8ba I think another local gentleman from Staunton, Virginia named Dick Swecker may have had something to do with that car also. He may have been the driver...

 

WOW, Another mystery solved by HAMBers...and with limited info.
It never ceases to amaze me how much knowlege and and the vast resources that show up here.