I was just thinking about the NHRA and its inception as to promoting safe hot rod behaviour, safe cars, etc. To me as a kid in the sixties it was a body that governed the drags out at Mission B.C. Now it seems so much more corporate dedicated to the ultra-high dollar racing. But the name just doesn't fit. What does the NHRA have to do with hot rods for the last few decades? They really should give the name back and create a new name like the National (corporate) Drag Racing Association! Thoughts/ comments?
I looked up to the NHRA as a young man running my roadster at their events. Then, the first blow to street classes came in 1967 when tube framed, not street legal cars were included in the rules changes. Not long after that, the street roadster and gas classes were lumped into a competition eliminator bracket. As the events were more and more streamlined to "make a better show for the fans", real hot rods disappeared altogether. Now NHRA = No Hot Rods Allowed. And also, a 1000 feet my ass!
There's still venues for 'real' hot rods, they're just not at a NHRA points event. Let's face it, the days when you could slap something together out of recycled parts and be even semi-competitive disappeared 50 years ago. And they aren't killing drivers like they used to either. And don't blame NHRA in any case; it was the racers that pushed the changes, the sanctioning body merely tried to keep costs under control so the mega-bucks boys didn't end up owning everything while keeping it reasonably safe. Funny cars, pro stock and pro mod all came from the ranks of the 'run what ya brung' match racers, NHRA didn't invent them. Tube frame cars? Again, it was the racers who started getting nervous about big power in spindly '30s-40s frames. Corporate involvement? Blame that one on Prudhomme and McEwen when they brought in Mattel, or if you go even earlier, the now-legendary icons who signed up for factory deals in the mid-late 60s. Once you get on the teat, it's damn hard to quit.
Time marches on ladies, things change..! Has the NHRA changed, yes, for the better, in some ways yes, in some ways, no. It's still the top group to race with, they keep general drag racing safety standards up. Most every drag racing groups (in the USA anyway) rules ARE or are closely written per the NHRA's rule book. Have they alienated most of the little guys in their larger races...yes. Even many of today's Comp Eliminator racers have some big problems with the NHRA. But they've also helped create groups, or help with rules to the other little guy/regional races and helped keep the drivers/spectators safe. As to 1000ft. vs. 1320ft. ...BFD..! Took me a while to get used to 660ft. (1/8 mile) racing too, but it's life, and has been for many, many years, mostly in the mid-west and southern states. Are they perfect...far from it, but who is..! Mike
Pardon me M'am but my meaning to my post was the issue of the name of the organization: What does the NHRA have to do with hot rods? When did the reduction (1320 to 1000 ft) come into play? As you can see I don't follow drag racing as I view it more as a horizontal stock market report.
They are keeping with modern trends. What is considered to be a hot rod now is now what we considered to be a hot rod when we were kids. yes they have changed quite a bit in the last 60 years, but so has the world we live in. I can't afford to even do grudge night at an NHRA track but I have come full circle and now have about as much money as I did when I was a kid. LOL
When I got my drivers license a Hot Rod was mostly a 20 to 30 year old car. So now that would be an 88 to 98 model Mustang or such. And all things mechanical evolve towards an accepted natural best design. Indy cars. Drag cars. Sport racers. Airliners. Can't be helped. You want individuality? Bonneville. Bunch of guys who don't care whats best. They just want to do what they want to do. Within limits.
The nice thing about B-Ville and Land Speed Racing in general is that the powers to be have not made a bunch of rules aimed at leveling the playing field. You can show up in a Vega and I can show up in an Opal GT same basic power plant and we can both race. If I gain a slight advantage because of my choice of body so be it. That is one thing that bothers me the most about modern racing, its not the money so much as it is the fact that the only things that makes one car different than another is the decals. Land speed racing gives everyone a chance at a little originality.
The thousand foot is for Top Fuel and Top Fuel Funny Cars ONLY; everything else is still 1320 feet. It came about after the death of Scott Kalitta at Englishtown in June 2008. It really made little sense to me, because he was probably unconscious with the initial explosion and not in control, prior to the runoff at the end of the track, and the resulting crash. But, it was seen LIVE on TV, You Tube, and everyone in the stands; oh the humanity . "Something" had to be done, and this was NHRA's decision, that the speeds relative to track length were just too great, and their answer was to "shorten" the tracks length for the fuel cars. Even now, at 1000 foot, they're going faster than they were at that time in 2008. Make them race 1/8 mile, 660 feet? NO !!!!! There are a lot of "too short" tracks, and a lot that are plenty long. The real answer is limits to engine size, single magnetos, single pumps, and nitro %; similar to NASCAR limits. JMO. As far as the "Hot Rod" in NHRA, that's just a "leftover from a bygone era". The way things are going with the NHRA, they won't be around in the next 10-20 years anyway; too much $$$$$ payed out at the top management level, and they don't look after ALL the racers; maybe it should be the N$RA? Not many people can be competitive in this day and age. It's all just a "show" now, playing from one theater to another; same cars, same actors (drivers), same announcers, same hype. Wally is break dancing in his grave. Same thing is going on with NASCAR, and with not enough people in the stands to keep it viable, because it's the same old show time after time after time. And, the imports are prevalent now too; who wants to see that? Who would have thought "our" sport of racing would be taken over by "Honda"? Import bodies in NHRA Fuel Funny Car now too. I have't been to a National event in 20+ years. Virtually all tracks have nostalgia type events, and almost anything goes in Bracket Racing, as long as a car techs for it's class. Who wants to put a roll cage in their "hot rod"; some of those cars are hard enough to get in and out of as is, and honestly, the safety is marginal at best in most hot rods. They are not driven every day, like the hot rods of old were. We have a couple/few of members here who race, and at least one who's totaled car became a track only car, for all intents and purposes. A street car can't really be a race car and vise versa; sure, once in a while, but not every day/weekend. A good example is the "Street Outlaws" program on Discovery Channel, is all just for show; those cars are't street driven as day to day cars. And, look at how many engine/transmission explosions they have "racing". They are not street cars at all; they are race cars they "claim" to drive on the street. Can't have it all ways. Daily driver car-street car-hot rod car-race car; everyone should at least one of each. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
1000'. If they had changed it a week before Scott's accident would anyone have complained? If it keeps them alive I don't miss 320 feet. Speed and lack of real estate is a no brainer.
Yep, LSR is the last bastion of wide-open, anything goes racing (within safety regs). And while I sometimes miss the 'flavor' of the early NHRA (Three-wheelers! Sidewinders! Fuel altereds! Multiple motors!), class participation, safety, and physics caught up with all of the weird combos. And as far as driving your 'hot rod' to the track and winning, that was rapidly disappearing in the late '50s. Racers want to WIN, and maintaining some sort of 'traditional purity' is the last thing on their minds.
I don't know much about the history of the NHRA but when did they drop the "Altered" class, those sliced and diced, chopped and "so-ugly-they-are-beautiful" custom jobs? That seems to be the class that would bring fans to the track.
Butch you need to look up hot rod magazines drag week event. True real deal street cars that haul ass. No poserstreet outlaw crap. Several hamb members compete in the event.
I was reading an reprinted article by Dave Wallace in the "Hot Rod Reader" entitled Wally Parks that was originally published by Petersen's " History of Drag Racing" . Wally Parks is quoted as saying, "NHRA was formed as a semi-social car club organization; racing was not its aim or ambition". Well that didn't last long did it? And apparently is the NHRA is a California based non-profit organization!
Maybe you're not aware of it, but NHRA 'sold' the pro classes to a media company a few years ago. They retained some control (rule making/safety for sure) but many of the decisions on how it's presented to the public are no longer theirs.
They need to make it a show again. Add a nostalgia nitro funny car and front engine dragster class. A gasser class would be cool. A four speed class for new factory hot rods would be fun to watch. Also a jr fuel class with no index. And last but not least a fuel coupe and altered class. The entertainment is missing from nhra. Benny the bomb and the kite cycle for the times when the track needs clean up.
Is NHRA and IHRA related? Over here in Australia we had IHRA come in stuff up Sportsman racing big time. They are only interested in the big boys but have had to begrudgingly make some room for the 'real racers' otherwise no one will turn up. Our 'local' track doesn't have many test and tune days now unless it's for the top end of town and then you have to pay depending how many turn up. Yes, that's my car in the avatar. Slow, but have a ball every time I'm in the saddle.
I would think if it were too fast you wouldn't have as much time to enjoy the ride. Your car looks to be very cool, stripped down, and made for fun.
We all know there are exceptions to every rule. But, Drag Week's not an every day, weekly, monthly thing; once a year for a week, and after you guys are done, at least the ones that managed to survive it, have spent a ton of money, and will be spending more on car maintenance because of the ordeal. I think Drag Week's a cool thing, but no, I don't really follow it, and I not longer subscribe to any car magazines. There was a time when your hot rod WAS your daily car. Not that way anymore; and YOU know exactly what can happen. The more you drive your hot rod, the more you take your chances, and I think more so than with a plain Jane daily driver. How many times have you had some driver/drivers try to get up close and personal, to see your car, egg you on, or just give you a nod or thumbs up? Puts you in a more dangerous situation; puts them and their friends/family in a more dangerous situation. It's normal human behavior just the same. I'm NOT critizing ANY car, hot rod, race car, whatever, or owner. The OP's question was about why the name NHRA, when there are't any "hot rods" competing. How many times have you heard John Force refer to his Funny Car, or the girls dragsters as "hot rods"? HE does it ALL the time, but they are't really hot rods are they? I have't heard anyone else in/at NHRA events call race cars hot rods. Many genres of motor vehicles; cars, trucks, street rods, hot rods, race cars, all kinds of crossovers, big, small, economy, luxury, etc, etc, etc. The NHRA is't what it used to be, nothing is, everything evolves. I have my 56 Sedan Delivery, and would never drive it on a daily basis. In fact, it has't left the garage in THREE years, and I hate that. I used to take it out a few times a year, and only for a short period of time. It'll probably sit for another three years now; my wife was in an at fault accident that cost our insurance carrier $$$$$. They cancelled us at the next "billing". Now, I can't get the Delivery insured. I am building a Bracket Car, drag car number four. In 1970 I realized I could't build my street car to the extent of it being a race car. So, I built a Pro Bracket 56 Chevrolet Model 150 Utility Sedan, followed by a FED for Pro Bracket, and then a RED for Super Pro/Super Comp. When I got tired of the weekly NHRA rule changes, I sold the RED and got back into Classic Chevrolet's. 1988-1992, I was in the Handler's Racing Association, the all volunteer, non-profit group that has operated Bremerton Raceway since 1959. I only quit because my job changed, and I had to take weekend call every three weeks (CAT Scan Tech). My daughter being born in 1992 also had a little to do with it. Except for one year, Bremerton Raceway has always been an NHRA track; the one year it was't was because of changes with NHRA's insurance underwriter's expectations that we could't meet at the time; it was because cars returning from the strip could no longer go through an unguarded spectator area. Orville Moe of Spokane Raceways, and of AHRA (his ONLY AHRA track still operating at the time) helped Bremerton Raceway out with his organizations insurer. Bremerton Raceway was still at that time, a completely portable drag strip, run on an FAA condemned runway at Bremerton National Airport. We had to set everything up for each event, and take everything down after. Tower on wheels, 600 feet of ribbon guardrail, the tree and timing equipment, PA equipment, sani-cans, and a food vendor truck. Now, the tower stays in place, concrete barriers that stay, all the wiring is underground, still have the sani-cans, and water is brought in on a trailer. We still have nostalgia events with fast street cars and street rods/hot rods, but it's only one event each year. We still have Street Bracket at each event that's more or less all street driven cars, and they have to pass tech just like thew other Brackets, and I know of a few Sportsman and Pro Bracket cars that get driven in occasionally. No Drag Week type events. Oh, my fourth drag car is an "old mans car", a plain Jane 1968 Chevrolet Biscayne that's all original with 85K miles; pulled the six and Powerglide and sold them to another HAMBER for cheap. There's .060 454 going in the car, 10.5 CR, forged/balanced rotating assembly, full hydraulic roller cam setup, and a few other goodies. A TH400 with a 4500 stall converter, and a 12 bolt with 4.10 Positraction (all new innards and axles). Disc brake conversion on the front. It's a Sportsman Bracket car that will be trailered to the track and back. I'll drive it on the street occasionally IF I can get this insurance thing worked out; our daily drivers are insured, but they won't take on the Delivery, and probably won't take on the Biscayne. Even the specialty insurers won't (???). The Biscayne is a look-a-like to the Washington State Patrol cars they used in 1968-70; white with a blue vinyl interior; I have a red roof light and siren for it, but that might be too tacky I am Butch/56sedeandelivery.
I watch the NHRA but I watch it as a casual viewer. Its sort of like watching a travelling circus. Same act every other week. Spec cars with no innovation allowed doesn't make for exciting watching. Land speed racing is about the last bastion of if you can dream it and build it you can race it. Way ahead of the NHRA this is what you can build, take it or leave it.
Remember when the NHRA decal used to have the tag line " Ingenuity In Action " ? Later found out that wasn't the case. I 've never like running with a sanctioning body whether it was drag cars or circle track cars. They only seem to have been established to give the officials and board of directors a steady income.
What I miss with the current NHRA show is the lack of innovation and diversity in the classes. Funny cars are all the same, Top fuel are all the same, Pro stock is boring as all get out. Leased engines, multiple cars owned by one guy, chassis made identical by one or two guys. Think of the progress made in the early years. altered wheel base, two engines side by side or in front of another. a Chevrolet in front of a Chrysler, engines mounted sideways with chain drive. Just compare modern teams all sanitized with big trailers and a crew of 25 with the Warren-Coburn car built in a garage and transported on a trailer behind a pick up. Its just an opinion
the NHRA operation, events, etc cost huge sums of money. without sponsors cars would not run. so, they need the public to buy tickets, paraphernalia and sponsors products. TV coverage helps pay the bills. NASCAR in same situation. a big show is necessary to keep people tuning in. look at the high performance factory cars being built today, and still have some type of pollution control. all about sales/money. who ever thought a cool factory pick-up could fetch $70,000. a changing world, just do what you can to keep true automotive history alive
Over 10 years running sportsman and pro category in NHRA Won national events at both levels. Spent a small fortune of owners money. The number of racers making a living from racing in NHRA was almost non existent . It was a money loser to win round 1 in top fuel. Everyone did it for the love of Drag racing or their ego.. Never saw Wally parks walk thru the pits and thank a racer. I hear pro stock is gone after next year. Now we race at b-ville - they last place you can be creative.. The guys in comp racing are a dying breed. They're days are numbered I fear.
I tuned prostock in the '70s for a while. We made money from sponsors, the purse at the track was just a token deal. I have a friend that raced top fuel into the '80s. He looks back it and laughs, he said pro racing was not fun it was work. He says that every year they would convince you that all you had to do was dump another 20k in your car and you would be winning. The problem was that the guys with the best sponsors were dumping more than 20K in the car and they were the ones winning.
hot rod ˈhät ˌräd/ noun 1. a motor vehicle that has been specially modified to give it extra power and speed. verb 1. drive a hot rod. 2. modify (a vehicle or other device) to make it faster or more powerful. Are Dragsters, Funny Cars, and Pro Stock cars "motor vehicles that have been specially modified to give them extra power and speed"? Yep... If you want to take offense to a motorsports name lets talk about "Stock Car" racing
The NHRA is lame and in its death throes, but that doesn't mean ALL drag racing is dead or dying. It may be a regional thing, but across the south we have a legacy of run whatcha brung classes that pay out really good money. The ProMods and stuff came from that, the "10.5" or "small tire" races are crazy to watch, and of course now there's all the "no-prep" racing to simulate racing on the street in a somewhat safer way. It's really the soul of the old NHRA events, with a basic set of rules as the driving limitation, lots of diversity, and people having FUN again. I don't see anything fun about the NHRA classes. It's very fast but it's not fun to watch and it doesn't look like the competitors are enjoying themselves. Same as Nascar.
Im not a big nhra fan but they do provide the insurance tracks need to stay open. They also provide through membership a good amount of insurance due to a injury at there tracks. I have ihra and nhra memberships just for the medical coverage.
Our sponsor deal in 2000 with nitro fish for top fuel funny car Was $25000 if we qualified which we did at every race we raced and $8000 from NHRA for first round. Qualifying round normal cost from $4000 to $7000 if everything worked well or worse We had good parts and good help. The cost of moving the rig around the country and flying people ate up a lot. You were always in your pocket every race.. You did it for the love of the sport not NHRA.
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