Event Coverage NASCAR to return to drag racing?

Word is that NASCAR will return to drag racing in 2016. A search of the HAMB shows a lot of threads in the past about the earlier excursion of NASCAR into the forary. Be interesting to see what this incarnation will bring. Would be great if they concentrated on nostalgia drag racing,eh?

http://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/...drag-racing-national-series-planned-for-2016/

 

Interesting for sure. Hopefully they keep the competitors honest on tire pressures!

 

It's April 1st - hmmmmm!

 

I didn't realize Nascar ever did drag race or even consider it. So would it be with typical drag cars? The first thought I had was would they drag race cup cars. Having the name Nascar involved caused that I suppose. I'm curious as to why they would do it, what's the purpose? A new venue? Make money? Attendance going down? Tim

 

Yea....April 1st is the starting date for next years first race.............Yep.....April 1st.

 

Although it is a April Fools joke,Richard Petty did some drag racing but in 1965 he had a accident that a 8 year old boy was killed and that ended his drag racing carrer. HRP

 

You are right HRP, and that was the death knell for NASCAR sanctioned drag racing too as I remember. But I guess, to timwhit's questions, yes to all three of the last ones. Attendance at cup races is diminishing, major auto makers are rolling back their support to some degree and NASCAR payouts to even those that perennially qualify and never do a lap of racing is becoming a drag on the books. So less upfront money, less payout money in drag racing, and more profit for the NASCAR coffers as I see it. Big question is how will they integrate with exisiting drag racing, NHRA, AHRA, etc.

 

I don't believe NASCAR has any interest in reviving drag racing. I have suggested a display of drag cars in the NASCAR Museum in Charlotte to remind fans of their involvement in drag racing in the '50s-'60s but they have never had the first car on display. Good April Fools joke (I think).

 

NASCAR

N-Need
A- A
S- Source
of
C - Cash
from
A - All
R - Racers

I"ll bet Smokey would agree. He LOVED Bill France
Oldmics

 

To my knowledge NASCAR never "did" drag racing. of course I am not the world's renowned NASCAR historian.

my understanding is that a couple of years ago NASCAR was interested in purchasing the NHRA and they may have even done that, which would explain funny cars being built on a template. it would also explain the closing of our local drag strip and the idea of NASCAR putting a strip in at their complex in Wyandot County.

Time will tell everything in this post is pure conjecture.

 

Should they do enter drag racing it will be interesting to see as Beaner sez will all the cars be made from a template. That did it for me watching a Nascar race

 

well porknbeaner they did back in the 60s. Here is a link to that era:
http://dragracingonline.com/special/nascar_1.html
And a poster from Niagara Dragstrip that old timers from NY like me remember:

 

yea once I figured it out the whole funny car thing went right down the tubes for me. The same with roundy round. If they are not racing a car that I cannot buy a street version of I am just not that interested.

LOL like I said I am not a NASCAR historian and I just learned my factoid for the day so I can move onto bigger n better things.

Thanks

 

Yep--
I get some of my best sleep watching NASCAR on tv.

 

Petty's deal wasn't with NASCAR. I believe he did it when NASCAR did something to make the Plymouths uncompetitive in roundy round one year. But I could be wrong.

 

If I remember it right, Richard Petty drag raced with Plymouth backing when he sat out a year of NASCAR because they outlawed the 426 hemi. Fred Lorenzen ,in a Mustang,came out and raced him in some grudge matches. Don't believe NASCAR had anything to do with it. Just the opposite I believe.

 

I was flagman at a NASCAR track in Montgomery, NY. circa 1958. Ed Otto was the NASCAR guy making it all happen. That was the first track I remember to pay appearance money. Garlits came up and set a national ET record. Arfons was there at least once and I think he match-raced Garlits. Wow, that was a long time ago! But good memories.

 

Never had heard of that, but Im definitely am not a NASCAR expert. I wonder if it was a northern NASCAR deal?
I know they tried an Indy type race car at one time as well as about everything else to make a buck.

 

http://dragracingonline.com/special/nascar_1.html
I had no idea. Learn something new every day.

 

***yawn***

 

Fonda in Fonda N.Y. was a N.A.S.C.A.R drag strip it was in the infield the wide "dirt" strip is whats left of it.
A Comp. coupe hitting the Cow Palace ended the drag racing.
Stock cars still run every Saturday night.

 

Keep them away from the drags!!!!!! They would be stopping the final run just before the cars launch because a mouse is on the track at the finish line.

 

Yikes....Nascar at the Drags???....I can just imagine the ''runaway tires'' and ''speeding penalties''at this scene!!!--------I would rather see some vintage racing on dirt tracks like they used to, or some racing on the beaches ...now, ''THAT'' would be some interesting racing again!

 

I went to college in Schenectady, NY in 1960. Urban legend was that Shirley Muldowney cruised the streets looking for races. You raced her, you would win her "favors". I walked during college years so I never got close to finding out veracity of that yarn.

 

Nascar did drag race, I ran my P/S 59 Chevy Biscayne at Deland Fl in 1967 during Speed Weeks at the old airport. It was the greatest drag race Ive ever seen, every major heavy hitter match race car in the country was there including the debut of the 427 67 Fairlane SS cars. It was cold for there, 37 degrees with a heavy fog. A drunk that passed out in the stands over night died of hypothermia. This is no April Fools joke, it happened

 

If I am correct it wasn't NASCAR that tried to buy NHRA, it was Bruton Smith.

 

Yup, at my "home" track when I was growing up . . . Southeastern Dragway in Dallas, GA.

 

During speed week 59 thru 63 or so nascar had drag races on the back straight at daytona. They had a huge spot light to see every thing. E J Potter came with a 57 Plymouth with a huge aircraft power plant. During these years nascar tried to sactaion drag races but not enough money was avaiable for Mr France to keep trying.

 

Maybe they could tag up w/GG's & NSRA for the trifecta. "SUNDAY"!!! Worlds fastest 'of the year' award goes to Charlie Chump & Past Gas Garage. Skull & Bones patina logo optional.

 

Utica-Rome was a N.A.S.C.A.R. drag strip as well, what is left of the drag strip track can be seen coming out of the woods. The oval track was a 1/4 mile asphalt, but went 1/2 mile dirt and cut off the drag strip.
They still run stock cars every Sunday night.