National Hot Rod Association
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| National Hot Rod Association NHRA |
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| Sport | Drag racing |
| Area of jurisdiction | North America |
| Formation date | 1951 |
| Headquarters | Glendora, CA |
| President | Tom Compton |
| Chairman | Dallas Gardner |
| Official website | |
| www.nhra.com/ | |
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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. With over 80,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA is considered one of the largest motorsports sanctioning bodies in the world.
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.
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[edit] Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series is made up of 24 races from February to November and it is second only to NASCAR in terms of most popular forms of racing in America by several objective criteria (ESPN/TNS Sport Fan Poll, Cable TV Ratings, Internet traffic). 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, 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 300 mph today, and quarter-mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. Both these cars burn fuel consisting of 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, John "Brute" Force, 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 and his daughter, 2007 Rookie of the Year Ashley Force, who has made appearances on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show and was voted AOL's Hottest Athlete.
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." In concert with the re-branding of the series, Coca-Cola extended their deal with NHRA by two years, from 2011 to 2013.
All NHRA Full Throttle Series races are broadcast in high definition in the U.S. on ESPN2. Currently, veteran broadcaster Paul Page anchors the coverage alongside former racer Mike Dunn. Pit and trackside reporters include Gary Gerould, Dave Rieff and John Kernan.
On July 2, 2008, following the death of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, the NHRA announced that race distances for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes would temporarily be reduced to 1000 ft from the usual 1/4 mile (1320 ft).[1] The measure is intended to be temporary while other options for improving safety are explored.
[edit] Safety
The NHRA utilizes several different safety devices in the cars run in the events held within the schedule. First, and foremost, is the five point safety harness that all vehicles must have, which holds the driver secure in the seat, and is equipped with a quick release latch which can be released in less than a second should the driver need to leave the car due to fire or explosions.
Second are the fire suits, or "Simpson Suits", that all drivers must wear. These suits are full body coveralls and made with seven layers of Nomex fabric, which makes them resistant to fire. The term Simpson Suit refers to the main manufacturer of the suit, Simpson Performance Products.
Third is the use of the HANS device, a requirement for any driver in any category. This device limits the movement of the head and neck in the event of an impact and has been a mandatory device within the NHRA since 2004. The device was an option that started in 1996 after Top Fuel driver Blaine Johnson was killed during qualifying at the MAC Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Since the death of 2003 Rookie of the Year Darrell Russell at the Craftsman Nationals, the device has been a mandatory part of the safety gear that must be worn at all times.
Fourth is the titanium shield that must be placed behind the head of all Top Fuel drivers. This is to prevent any debris from entering the cockpit and becoming a missile hazard to the driver, although only the Top Fuel division has this as a mandatory device. Several team owners in the Funny Car division have adopted it as well.
Fifth is the on board fire extinguishing system that all cars must be equipped with. These systems are directed onto the engine itself and are activated instantly when the engine catches fire, reducing the chance for the car to completely catch fire and endanger the driver. This has been in place on all cars since 1983, when an engine explosion and fire came very close to killing then-Funny Car driver Mike Dunn.
Sixth is the roof escape hatch that is in place on all Funny Cars since the founding of the division in the early 1970's. This device allows Funny Car drivers a safe means of exit during an engine fire rather than falling out of the car between the frame and fiberglass body, and possibly running the risk of being run over by the rear tires.
Seventh are the long bars at the end of all cars, also known as "wheelie bars". These long struts prevent the car from flipping over during the launch phase. Prior to the 2006 season, the only division that did not use wheelie bars was the Top Fuel Division, but the constant threat of blowovers caused the NHRA to make wheelie bars mandatory on Top Fuel cars as well.
Finally are the rear tires of the car, which are called slicks due to the fact that there is no tread on them. These tires are made from a much harder compound than in previous years so that the tire is resistant to disintegration. This also came about after the death of Russell. The tires are not allowed to be inflated under 7 psi. for any race at any time.
One simple safety requirement that several overlook is the fireproof blanket covers over the engines in the Funny Car division, which is in place during all races to localize debris should an engine explode during a run.
In the wake of Eric Medlen's 2007 death, the roll bars in a Funny Car must be padded. They are padded with thick insulation and coated with seven layers of Nomex to prevent the padding from catching fire during an engine explosion.
Another often overlooked safety device is the large sand pit at the end of the track past an area of the track known as "the shutdown area". This 40 foot long sand pit, also known as a "sand trap", has been placed to either slow or completely stop a car to keep it from running off track. In the wake of Scott Kalitta's death in 2008, the sand traps have been made longer and deeper, going from three feet deep to six feet deep and from 40 feet long to 80 feet long.
Some of the newest safety features deal with the tracks themselves. In the wake of Kalitta's death, there are now heavily padded retaining walls at the end of the sand traps. These walls are able to withstand the impact of a vehicle traveling at well over the usual speed of any division within the NHRA's professional category, the fastest (Top Fuel) being 334 mph. These retaining walls take the place of the old rubber polymer safety nets that were once held up with concrete posts.
Prior to the late 1980's, fans could station themselves up to the guardrails so they could be closer to the action. However, in the wake of several rather dramatic accidents on track, where spectators have been injured or killed, fans are no longer allowed within 75 feet of the guardrail and there are now ten foot high fences in place to keep on-track debris from finding its way into the stands.
Perhaps one of the biggest safety requirements in place is the rule that states nitrous oxide in any form or in any type of delivery is not tolerated. Mixing nitrous oxide with nitromethane can sometimes result in massive explosions, and in the Pro Stock division, it is considered an unfair advantage. The last suspension due to nitrous oxide was in 1997, when Pro Stock driver Jerry Eckman was infedinitely suspended for using nitrous oxide during a race.
The final safety requirement came after a near fatal crash at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, when 14-time Funny Car Champion John Force's car experienced a severe case of tire shake coupled, with the release of his parachutes, ripped his car cleanly in two directly behind the engine. This rule now states that chrome moly tubing can no longer be used when building the framework for any Top Fuel or Funny Car.
[edit] Safety Safari
Within the safety requirements, there is also a full crew of safety personel, called the Safety Safari, whose job is to attend to any fires, clean up the track of debris after an accident on the track, and attend to the drivers prior to the arrival of any medical personnel. The Safety Safari has been in place since the late 1960's, after a rash of on track accidents caused several promising drivers to retire early, since that time, the chance of fatal injuries although remote, still happen, however, they are not as often. There is also a full staff of EMTs on hand at any event on the schedule at any given time, these EMTs are usually from the city, or county the track is located in, and are compensated by the NHRA for their time, and efforts.
The original 'Drag Safari' began their tour across America in 1954. Included were four original members- Bud Coons, Bud Evans, Eric Rickman and Chic Cannon.
[edit] Champions
[edit] Pro classes
Before 1974, the season champion was determined by winner of the World Finals event champion.
| Year | 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 | Don Prudhomme | Bob Glidden | |
| 1979 | Rob Bruins | Raymond Beadle | Bob Glidden | |
| 1980 | Shirley Muldowney | Raymond Beadle | Bob Glidden | |
| 1981 | Ryan Fasano | 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 |
| 2008 | Tony Schumacher | Cruz Pedregon | Jeg Coughlin, Jr. | Eddie Krawiec |
[edit] Sportman classes
Sportsman classes use fuels like gasoline or alcohol.
| Year | Alcohol Funny Car |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Brad Anderson |
| 1987 | Pat Austin |
| 1988 | Brad Anderson |
| 1989 | Pat Austin |
| 1990 | Pat Austin |
| 1991 | Pat Austin |
[edit] See also
- American Hot Rod Association
- International Hot Rod Association
- National Electric Drag Racing Association
- United States Hot Rod Association
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Official NHRA Drag Racing Podcasts
- Drag Race Central The Latest NHRA News and Analysis
