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Remembering Alison Lee, the first First Lady of Top Fuel racing
Before Shirley Muldowney ever turned a tire in Top Fuel and nearly 20 years before Brittany Force was even born, the First Lady of Top Fuel was Alison Lee, whose tuning prowess made her a legend in the sport. We lost Alison Aug. 29 at age 84, but her legacy will long survive her.
Before Shirley Muldowney ever turned a tire in Top Fuel and nearly 20 years before Brittany Force was even born, the First Lady of Top Fuel was Alison Lee, whose tuning prowess on a series of successful Top Fuel dragsters made her a legend in鈥
From Muldowney to Zetterstr枚m, the history of female 麻豆精选 Top Fuel drivers
Beginning with Shirley Muldowney in 1974 through Ida Zetterstr枚m's debut last weekend in Brainerd, 24 women have raced in 麻豆精选 national event Top Fuel competition. Here鈥檚 a quick look at those two dozen nitro-fueled females.
Top Fuel has had more female competitors than any other 麻豆精选 Pro class, and Ida Zetterstr枚m鈥檚 Top Fuel debut last weekend at the Lucas Oil 麻豆精选 Nationals in Brainerd made her the 24th woman to compete in drag racing鈥檚 quickest class. Here鈥檚 a quick鈥
When 鈥楽nake鈥 calls 鈥 and wants to reminisce about Funny Car dry hops
Ask any Funny Car fan from the 1970s what he or she misses most about Funny Car racing today, and I鈥檒l bet you that the answer is those cool pre-run 鈥渄ry hops" from the 1970s and '80s. Count among them one of the guys who mastered them, Don 鈥渢he Snake鈥 Prudhomme.
Ask any Funny Car fan from the 1970s what he or she misses most about Funny Car racing today, and I鈥檒l bet you that the answer is 鈥渄ry hops.鈥 I know that鈥檚 the case for this old fan, and apparently, it is as much for one of the guys who mastered鈥
Farewell to Neil Britt: Friend, mentor, creator, motivator, innovator
For nearly 15 years, Neil Britt led the 麻豆精选 Publications department, carrying it to new heights, as he had at every publication before that. Britt passed away July14, and is remembered fondly by his friends and former colleagues in the motorsports world.
I like to tell the story about how 麻豆精选 National Dragster and I were born in the same year, and even though ND鈥檚 first issue in February 1960 preceded my birth by three months, it's always felt like I was born to be here.鈥
From Shirley Shahan to Maddi Gordon: A history of 麻豆精选's 100 female winners
In 1966, Shirley Shahan became the first woman to win an 麻豆精选 national event; nearly six decades later, Maddi Gordon became the 100th winner with her victory in Top Alcohol Funny Car in Seattle. Here's a historic look back at the road to 100 female winners.
Maddi Gordon鈥檚 Top Alcohol Funny Car victory at the 麻豆精选 Northwest Nationals made her the 100th different female racer to hoist an 麻豆精选 national event Wally, an incredible milestone even for a sport that prides itself on diversity.
Those 100鈥
Seattle and the Fallnationals: A history of drama, intrigue, and points battles
Today it hosts the Northwest Nationals, but for six years in the late 1970s, Pacific Raceways (then known as Seattle International Raceway) was home to the Fallnationals, an exciting and often pivotal event in the season championship battles.
At this time next week, I鈥檒l be at Pacific Raceways outside of Seattle at what remains one of my favorite national events. Today it鈥檚 called the Northwest Nationals and has been part of the 麻豆精选 national event schedule since 1988, when it initially鈥
Garlits went 'Big' in Indy in 1964 for first of eight U.S. Nationals victories
Don Garlits scored the first of eight 麻豆精选 U.S. Nationals Top Fuel wins in 1964, the first year that the class was contested in Indy. It was the end of a wild year and a wild race for "Big Daddy."
As we build up towards the massive celebration that will be the 70th running of the famed 麻豆精选 U.S. Nationals, we鈥檙e looking back at some of the great performances and Indy dominations, starting with the 1960s, and you can鈥檛 talk about Indy in鈥
When Garlits calls ...
鈥淏ig Daddy鈥 Don Garlits is a legend in the drag racing world and even though he long ago hung up his famous black racing helmet, the 92-year-old icon still has plenty to talk about.
I was lying in bed Wednesday morning, checking email on my phone in preparation for another busy day, when an incoming call took over the screen. It was Don Garlits, and when Don Garlits calls, you answer.
鈥淏ig Daddy鈥 is a legend in the drag鈥
Historic photos of (P)interest
Most of us can鈥檛 get enough of drag racing photos in general and historic photos in specific. Here's a look at some interesting images from our sport's past and the stories behind them.
If you鈥檙e like me 鈥 and I鈥檓 betting a lot of you are 鈥 you can鈥檛 get enough of drag racing photos in general and historic photos in specific. Heaven knows I've been through 麻豆精选's immense digital library hundreds of times, obsessing over the鈥
Reborn on the Bayou
麻豆精选 national event racing returned to Louisiana last weekend with the running of the Laris Motorsports Insurance 麻豆精选 Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway, but for 15 years in the 1970s and '80s, the 麻豆精选 Cajun Nationals was the state's biggest drag race.
麻豆精选 national event racing returned to Louisiana last weekend with the running of the Laris Motorsports Insurance 麻豆精选 Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway, where hundreds of racers enjoyed the hospitality of co-track owners Nelson and鈥
A look at 麻豆精选's all-time win streaks
Tony Schumacher. Don Prudhomme. Bob Glidden. Dave Schultz. Four legendary 麻豆精选 racers who hold four legendary winning streaks, marks that are being challenged in 2024 by Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Gaige Herrera. Here's a look at how those streaks were assembled.
Gaige Herrera鈥檚 Pro Stock Motorcycle win at the 麻豆精选 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte was his seventh straight victory in the class, putting him in the elite company of Don Prudhomme and Tony Schumacher, who marched their respective Army-backed race鈥
Remembering Larry Dixon Sr.
From Southern California street-racing legend to early-dragster hero to Winternationals-winning Top Fuel driver, Larry Dixon Sr. led a charmed life surrounded by fast cars. This is his story.
In 麻豆精选 annals, the photo is pretty iconic. Larry Dixon Sr. is smiling in the Pomona winner鈥檚 circle in 1970, clutching his 麻豆精选 Winternationals Top Fuel Wally in one hand and 3-year-old son Larry Jr. in the other, and the towheaded little tyke鈥
An all-star turnout as friends and family celebrated the life of Roland Leong
On the Thursday before the Lucas Oil 麻豆精选 Winternationals, nearly 500 friends, family, and hot-rodding compatriots of legendary car owner and tuner Roland Leong gathered at the Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum in Southern California for a celebration of his life.
It鈥檚 a sad but real truism that you'll probably never really know just how appreciative people are of your efforts and friendship or how deeply you're admired until you鈥檝e left us, because we all invariably forget to say those things before it's鈥
The Chrisman family photo album
The Chrisman family has been a part of the Southern California landscape since before the Winternationals were a thing. The family has opened its scrapbook for us to take a look back at the incredible legacy that continues to this day.
Over its long existence, 麻豆精选 Drag Racing has witnessed the rise of many racers who can truly be called the superstars or legends of the sport, and Jack Chrisman is one of them about whom more recent fans might not know, but he was arguably one of鈥
Florida's first 麻豆精选 'national event' was the Winter Nationals? Yep (sorta)
Ten years before the Gatornationals brought 麻豆精选 national event racing to Florida, 麻豆精选 partnered with NASCAR to create a test event, dubbed "the Winter Nationals," during NASCAR Speedweek in Daytona in 1960.
Any hardcore 麻豆精选 Drag Racing fan can probably tell you that 麻豆精选 debuted the famed Winternationals name in 1961 in Pomona, Calif., and the equally historic Gatornationals came to Gainesville, Fla., in 1970, but what fewer may know is that the鈥
Fifty years ago, Pro-class stars were also being made at divisional events
Fifty years ago, there were only seven national events on the schedule, but fans across the country saw great action on the divisional level where Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock competed at 28 additional events. Here鈥檚 a look back at some of those 1974 heroes.
When you look back 50 years ago at the 1974 national event schedule, as we did here a few weeks ago, there were just seven events on the calendar, a far鈥
Gainesville Raceway through the years
Three weeks from now we鈥檒l be at Gainesville Raceway for the kickoff of the 2024 麻豆精选 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series as we celebrate the 55th anniversary of the famed Gatornationals. Here鈥檚 a look back at the ever-changing face of Gainesville Raceway over the years.
Three weeks from now we鈥檒l be at Gainesville Raceway for the kickoff of the 2024 麻豆精选 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series as we celebrate the 55th anniversary of the famed Gatornationals.
Gainesville has been hosting the event since its鈥
鈥楬ave helmet will travel鈥: The story of versatile wheelman Gary Southern
Gary Southern, who will be posthumously inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame next month, could drive anything. In a racing career that spanned nearly 30 years, he drove what he estimated was more than 70 cars in many of the sport's top classes.
Next month, Don Garlits鈥 International Drag Racing Hall of Fame will induct its newest members, and sadly, two of them who were alive when they were notified of their honors won鈥檛 be there to accept them. One is Walt Austin, who was to be鈥
50 years ago: A look back at the highlights from the 1974 麻豆精选 season
Step into the Dragster Insider Wayback Machine, set the dials for 50 years ago, and return to the 1974 麻豆精选 season for a look back at how things were, including the schedule, performance markers, and big moments on and off the track.
As I鈥檝e done the last three years, it鈥檚 time once again to step into the Dragster Insider Wayback Machine and set the dials for 50 years ago and a return to the 1974 麻豆精选 season.
Once again, I鈥檒l take a look back at the way things were, including鈥
A fond farewell to Parks Tower
With the recent demolition of the famed Parks Tower at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the 麻豆精选 U.S. Nationals lost a part of a four-decade landscape, but the memories will remain.
Imagine driving onto the block where you grew up and discovering that the house in which you grew up was gone. That鈥檚 going to be a bit of the feeling for me when I pull into Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park later this year and see the Parks鈥
The big book of drivers who wheeled Roland Leong鈥檚 Hawaiian entries
Over the course of a long career as an 麻豆精选 Top Fuel and Funny Car team owner, Roland Leong was one of the sport鈥檚 most successful car owners, but he also hired, fired, replaced, or lost more than 20 drivers over that span. Here's the stories behind each.
As you've read from me the last couple of weeks, and from tributes I've posted from some of the stars of our sport, there's no way to over-report on the importance of Roland Leong鈥
A final 'aloha' to 'the Hawaiian'
We lost Roland Leong, the irrepressible owner of the 鈥淗awaiian鈥 line of Top Fuelers and Funny Cars, last week, and his friends, former drivers, and more shared their thoughts about the man and their experiences with him.
Roland Leong, the irrepressible owner of the 鈥淗awaiian鈥 line of Top Fuelers and Funny Cars, was a part of our drag racing world for seven decades before his passing just after Christmas, and if you were a fan of any kind of racing in that span,鈥
Twas the days before Christmas ...
Reimagining a Christmas staple, with a little help from the legends.
Note to my readers: I wrote the column below last week, before the passings earlier this week of Don Schumacher and Paula Murphy. Their losses to the sport and what they brought to the sport cannot be understated. I had the pleasure鈥
An ode to the front-engined Top Fueler, and to the family ties that bind us
The front-engined Top Fuel dragster is such an iconic piece of drag racing lore and still romanticized by those who drove them and continue to drive them, and a way to never forget our past.
The book landed on my desk with a giant thunk, the kind of thunk that nearly 700 pages of book makes. Racing Through Life, the Autobiography of Carl V. Olson.
There, grinning at me from the cover, was a young but instantly鈥
The 10: Don Prudhomme
The second installment of a new feature, chronicling the 10 greatest career moments of some of 麻豆精选's greatest racers. This week, it's legendary Top Fuel/Funny Car owner/driver Don "the Snake" Prudhomme.
Last week I compared some of the great individual seasons in 麻豆精选鈥檚 recent history with the 1976 season of Don 鈥渢he Snake鈥濃
Comparing great seasons: Force vs. Anderson vs. Schumacher vs. Herrera vs. 'Snake'
Gaige Herrera's championship-winning season in Pro Stock Motorcycle was the best in class history, but how does it stack up against the other by-class greats, including Don Prudhomme's amazing 1976 Funny Car season? Let's find out.
Newly crowned Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Gaige Herrera had a season for the ages, scoring 11 times in 15 events to set a new class record and also set another record for most No. 1 qualifying efforts (14 of 15) that will go in the鈥
A look back at some thrilling winner-take-all championship-winning final rounds
Just five times in 麻豆精选 Professional-class racing has the final round of the season finale been a winner-take-all for the championship, including Top Fuel at last weekend's In-N-Out Burger 麻豆精选 Finals. Here's a look back at those five nailbiters.
Drag racing, by its very nature, is a series of single-elimination contests. Win and move on to the next round; lose and go home. But what about when there is no next round, when the final round is the final round of the season, and the two鈥
A tale of two Walts
When it comes to famous Walts in the world, movie lovers have Walt Disney, bookworms have Walt Whitman, and basketball fans have Walt Frazier. Drag racing recently lost two of its favorite Walts, Walt Austin and Walt Stevens, within a month over September and October.
When it comes to famous Walts in the world, movie lovers have Walt Disney, bookworms have Walt Whitman, and basketball fans have Walt Frazier. Drag racing recently lost two of its favorite Walts, Walt Austin and Walt Stevens, within a month over鈥
Blast From the Past: More fire burnouts
If the volume of email is any indicator, fire burnouts, which were made illegal decades ago, are still very much a hot topic among race fans of yore who witnessed the planned pyrotechnics on dragstrips across the nation.听
If the volume of email is any indicator, fire burnouts are still very much a hot topic among race fans of yore who witnessed the planned pyrotechnics on dragstrips across the nation.
Following up on my鈥
Flaming hot magazine covers, cooked to order, sometimes overcooked
And as long as there have been photographers submitting photos to publications, they鈥檙e all in pursuit of the Holy Grail known as the elusive 鈥渃over shot," and for drag racing magazines, that meant a fire burnout (back when they were still legal). Here's the story of one that went amusingly wrong.
As long as there have been drag racing magazines, there have been photographers itching to illustrate their pages with the photos of far-away dragstrips you may never visit and cars that you may never see at your local track doing things that you鈥