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. 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 Powerade Drag Racing Series is the NHRA governed series that sanctions all major national events. It is the NHRA’s premier series. Winston was the title sponsor of the series from 1970 until 2003, 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 2004, The Coca-Cola Company took over sponsorship of the series, which is now known as the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series and has the slogan “Very Real Power.” The series has four main classes: Top Fuel Dragster, Top Fuel 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 330 mph today, and quarter mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. Both these cars are 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 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.