Storytellers, the popular drag racing videos telling of days gone by, returns with another episode; this one told by Bill Bader Jr.
In this video, Bader the second-generation drag strip promoter extraordinaire, tells of the time he and his track pyrotechnics specialist got the idea to use a Cremora bomb (yes, the coffee creamer) to enhance the show. What transpired was a moment of fear and awesomeness. We'll let Bill tell the story, but man, what a mushroom cloud it delivered!
Memorial Day used to be reserved for Moose's place, State Capitol Dragway outside of Baton Rouge, La., where the legends of drag racing would gather for the NHRA Cajun Nationals.
In this visit back to the good old days, you'll see the legends Shirley Muldowney, Don Prudhomme, Raymond Beadle, Lee Shepherd, or in this event an up and coming Top Fuel driver named Mark Oswald.
Where one was the other usually wasn't far away. And, for one of drag racing's most storied public relations tandems, this tendency hasn't changed much.
There were no manuals, nor were there any mentors when Steve Earwood and Dave Densmore took over the NHRA's Press and Publicity Department back in 1975.
Together, they painted the sport of drag racing throughout the media landscape in mainstream media, whether it was network broadcast, print or radio.
This is the famous fuel Funny Car boycott event. You'll see the full rounds of eliminations from Top Fuel and Pro Stock. Even though this event stinks for the AA/FC fans, there are plenty of legends to watch in this 30-minute video. You'll see the legendary Bob Glidden and Lee Shepherd rivarly, that's a given. You'll see cameo appearances by Frank Iaconio, Pat Musi and Andy Mannarino. Top Fuel has Jeb Allen and Gary Beck, but you'll also see Richard Tharp, David Pace and Jody Smart.
Travel back in time to an era when John Force was trying to find his place in a drag racing world. This gem was filmed in Spokane, Wash., at the ADRA World Finals in the latter years of the old American Hot Rod Association. It was part of the syndicated Pro Drag Superstars series.
Go back to the last days of the cackle and dry hops.
We've unearthed a rare video of the American Hot Rod Association's Grand American Series. Long before there was Route 66 Raceway there was U.S. 30 Drag Strip in Gary, Indiana.
You will see the legends of the sport before they were legends. It's a reminder of how pure drag racing used to be.
The Top Fuel field is loaded with Don Garlits, Chris Karamesines, Jerry Ruth, Johnny Abbott, Dick LaHaie, and Frank Bradley.
The 1975 season brought forth more than its share of oddities. It also featured some awesome competition. It was so eloquently presented in this ABC Wide World of Sports broadcast hosted by the legendary Chris Economacki.
Starting with Top Fuel, Big Daddy Don Garlits set the stage for what would be a season of dominance in Pomona. If you showed up this season, more times than not you were racing for second place.
Over in the Funny Car division, there was the transition in the Funny Car divisions, as new body styles were coming in, and the utter dominance of Don Prudhomme.
Pro Stock was the oddest of them all with five-year-old Mustangs as the norm, and even a four-door Maverick. They were working the NHRA's system of weight breaks for the most favorable matchups.
A couple of months later, the face of championship drag racing would change forever with Winston/RJ Reynolds coming aboard as the first series sponsor.
by Bobby Bennett, Les Mayhew Wed, 2023-04-26 19:20
Joe Comella won last season’s Dodge Hemi Challenge, and although he should have been overjoyed, the perfectionist in him just didn’t let him go into overload elation.
This year, ditto.
From Thursday’s Q-2 session, Comella established himself as the driver to beat with an 8.421 elapsed at 158.80 miles per hour. And in Friday’s final round during the Dodge HEMI Challenge, he saved his best for last with an 8.407, 159.19 to beat a red-lighting Eldon Baum Jr.
The IHRA sanctioned their first and last drag race in Charlotte during the 1974. While this video, originally broadcast on Speedvision, which is now Speed TV, showed good footage from the event, the horrific deaths of three people on Saturday of the event was not mentioned. The event was the first eighth-mile sanctioned national event on record and was contested on the pit road at what is now Lowe's Motor Speedway.
You'll see some of the big names of the era with Ron Colson, Al Segrini, Wayne Gapp, Raymond Beadle, Dale Funk and Roy Hill.
With the VCR as cutting edge technology even back in 1980, it was not rare for drag racing fans to record their favorite national events. The 1980 NHRA Gatornationals had plenty to love about the traditional east coast season opener.
You'll see the legends of the sport from Don "The Snake" Prudhomme to Big Daddy and Shirley doing battle on the quarter-mile in Gainesville, Fla. There's lots to love about this broadcast including racers pushing their machines over the edge, to one significant crash.
There's even a Pro Stock final which set in motion one of the greatest rivalries ever.
Memorial Day used to be reserved for Moose's place, State Capitol Dragway outside of Baton Rouge, La., where the legends of drag racing would gather for the NHRA Cajun Nationals.
Where one was the other usually wasn't far away. And, for one of drag racing's most storied public relations tandems, this tendency hasn't changed much.
We've unearthed a rare video of the American Hot Rod Association's Grand American Series. Long before there was Route 66 Raceway there was U.S. 30 Drag Strip in Gary, Indiana.
The 1975 season brought forth more than its share of oddities. It also featured some awesome competition. It was so eloquently presented in this ABC Wide World of Sports broadcast hosted by the legendary Chris Economacki.
With the VCR as cutting edge technology even back in 1980, it was not rare for drag racing fans to record their favorite national events. The 1980 NHRA Gatornationals had plenty to love about the traditional east coast season opener.
