听
听
听
Wheelie neat! A look at seven decades of wild, wheelstanding crowdpleasers
The wheelstander exhibition vehicle wasn't born so much as it evolved from some experimental cars that just couldn't keep the front tires on the ground. Since 1964, they've been wowing crowds with their two-wheeled antics. Here's a look at some of those wild machines.
As kids, I think we were all enthralled with wheelies. Who could pop a wheelie on their Schwinn Stingray and ride it the length of the block? Then, as a teenager, I remember seeing wannabes with wheelie bars on their street cars (leading to the鈥
Altered States, Part 2: Breakage, tears, and fears, but ultimately a success story
Part 2 of the adventure follows our hero through some pretty severe trials and tribulations in pursuit of a competition license. It ain't as easy as it seems ...
鈥淎ltered States"
(or How I Spent My Summer Vacation)
Part 2: Sweating It Out at Quaker City
Quaker City Dragway loomed ahead on the highway, beckoning us to come forward and try our luck. My official 麻豆精选鈥
Altered States: Fear and loathing (and a lot of thrills) on the quarter-mile
It was the summer of 1984, and the challenge was laid down: Could a wannabe-race-car-driver transform from journalist into quarter-mile hero? First of two parts.
I鈥檝e been working at 麻豆精选 for a long time 鈥 I celebrated 40 years in May 鈥 and it鈥檚 funny that after all of the things I鈥檝e seen and done and written about (including this column), to鈥
Ed 'the Outlaw' Jones: Living life on two wheels for more than 45 years
Wheelstanders have been part of the 麻豆精选 landscape since the mid-1960s, and no driver has more experience or longevity than Ed "the Outlaw鈥 Jones, who first started scraping bumpers in 1976 and continues to this day, more than 45 years later.
In the pantheon of drag racing exhibition vehicles, no class has been officially accepted by the 麻豆精选 longer than the wheelstander, and no driver has more experience or longevity than Ed "the Outlaw鈥 Jones, who first started scraping bumpers in 1976鈥
40 Thoughts on 40 Years
National Dragster Editor Phil Burgess celebrated his 40th year with the 麻豆精选 on May 24, and he takes a look back at the changes to the sport that have occurred over the last four decades and shares memories of the people and places he's come to love.
I made what I thought was an innocent little post on Facebook earlier this week with a 鈥淗ow It Started/How It鈥檚 Going鈥-style meme photo, acknowledging my 40th anniversary in the employ of the 麻豆精选, from May 24, 1982, until present (and counting鈥
You never know with nitro: A look back at seven great Funny Car upset wins
Nowhere does weird stuff happen more than in nitro Funny Car, where the combination of high horsepower and a short wheelbase can derail a favorite鈥檚 run to the winner鈥檚 circle. With that in mind, here鈥檚 a look back at some memorable upset wins.
Nitro drag racing is such a fickle sport, one where the slightest tuning miscalculation can send a potential race winner to the trailer for the rest of the day. And even if the tune-up is spot-on and the driver does everything correctly, the鈥
Everyone loves an underdog: Here's a list of five great Top Fuel upsets
Upsets are a part of nitro drag racing, and we almost had a couple of them at the Circle K 麻豆精选 Four-Wide Nationals. With that in mind, here's a list of five big Top Fuel upsets in 麻豆精选 history.
Everyone loves an underdog, and last weekend鈥檚 Circle K 麻豆精选 Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte almost provided us with a couple of those Every Underdog Has its Day kind of stories, as Mike McIntire Jr. in Funny Car and Cameron Ferr茅鈥
30 years ago: The 1992 麻豆精选 season was a year full of historic firsts
The 1992 season as a whole was filled with big news, history-making moments, and craziness, so we thought we'd take a 30-year hop back in time to remember that amazing season.
For the last week or so, we鈥檝e been saluting the history of Houston Raceway Park on 麻豆精选.com, having created a list of 10 memorable moments from the past 33 years, some of which read like mini Dragster Insider columns. On Tuesday, I wrote about鈥
Female Pro Stock pioneer Shay Nichols: A life well lived (and then some)
Female Pro Stock pioneer Shay Nichols Hoffman lived a fast and exciting life long after she left the class: Fishing boat captain, world-class angler, helicopter pilot, commercial scuba diver, prison chaplain, author, and more.
Among the many great joys I get in crafting this column beyond getting to share the stories of our sport鈥檚 legends and trailblazers is the chance to speak with them. Despite my best sleuthing (and I鈥檓 pretty good at that), sometimes it鈥檚 hard to鈥
Magnificent Seven: A history of female racers in 麻豆精选 Pro Stock competition
In its 52-year, 902-race lifespan, only seven female drivers have raced in 麻豆精选 Pro Stock competition. From Shirley Shahan and Shay Nichols in 1971 through barrier-breakers Lucinda McFarlin and Erica Enders to current rookie Camrie Caruso, here's a look at that magnificent seven.
Thirteen years before Pro Stock superstar Erica Enders turned a tire in the class and six years before current rookie hotshot Camrie Caruso was even born, Lucinda McFarlin made 麻豆精选 Pro Stock history as the first female racer in the class to win a鈥
鈥淥n the Gas鈥: The drag racing life and times of Danny Ongais
Long before Danny Ongais became a household name as a revered IndyCar driver, he belonged to the world of drag racing, where he first sated his need for speed. In this week's Dragster Insider, friends and fellow racers remember the guy nicknamed 鈥淥n the Gas.鈥
Long before Danny 鈥淥n the Gas鈥 Ongais became a household name across the country and around the world on television and radio as a revered IndyCar driver, he belonged to us, to the world of drag racing, where he sated his need for鈥
Remembering Barry Setzer
Barry Setzer, who for two years in the early 1970s was the owner of the quickest and fastest Funny Car on the planet, passed away Jan. 31 at age 79.
As an impressionable, almost-teenage drag racing fam in the early 1970s whose primary contact with the sport was through the many monthly magazines, Barry Setzer was a bit of an enigma. His name was everywhere in 1972 and 鈥73, plastered on the鈥
The magic of Pomona
麻豆精选 has been racing down the Pomona dsragstrip since the early 1950s and will once again kick off its season next week with the Lucas Oil 麻豆精选 Winternationals. Here's a look back at some memorable images over the past 70 years.
Pomona. For 麻豆精选 racers and race fans around the world, the name means one of two things: either the exciting start to another season of 麻豆精选 racing or the dramatic conclusion of a year of racing. From 1961 through to today 鈥 skipping last year鈥檚鈥
By The Numbers: Pro Stock readies for 900th event 'birthday' in Pomona
Pro Stock made its debut at the 1970 Winternationals and will celebrate its 900th competition event at this year鈥檚 Lucas Oil 麻豆精选 Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com. Here's a look at some statistics from the first 899 events.
The popular Pro Stock class made its debut on Jan. 30, 1970 at the season-opening Winternationals and will celebrate its 900th competition event at this year鈥檚 麻豆精选 Camping World Drag Racing Series season-opening Lucas Oil 麻豆精选 Winternationals鈥
That was then, this is now: A look back at the 麻豆精选 season 50 years ago
The 2022 麻豆精选 season is already being hyped by racers and fans alike as a can鈥檛-miss campaign, but let鈥檚 turn back the clock exactly 50 years and take a look back at the highlight-filled 1972 season.
The 2022 麻豆精选 season is already being hyped by racers and fans alike as a can鈥檛-miss campaign, with new cars, sponsors, teams, and partnerships boosting car counts and intrigue to impressive levels. Because it鈥檚 what we do here at the Insider, let鈥檚鈥
90 for 90: Happy Birthday, Don Garlits
There鈥檚 never been another drag racer quite like Don Garlits, and there鈥檚 probably never going to ever be anyone like 鈥淏ig Daddy.鈥 The icon of our sport turned 90 years old Jan. 14, and we鈥檙e celebrating him with a massive 90-image photo gallery spanning his career.
Remembering the "other" Dick Venables and the "other" James Warren
Anyone who knows anything about drag racing knows the names of Dickie Venables and James Warren. But today we're going to acquaint you with the racing Dick Venables and James Warren that maybe you didn鈥檛 know, both of whom we lost in the last week of December.听
Anyone who knows anything about drag racing 鈥 and especially readers of this column 鈥 knows the names of Dickie Venables and James Warren. Venables is well known as a three-time (and counting) Funny Car world championship crew chief with Matt Hagan鈥
Decembers to remember
Every December is a time to stop to reflect on the past 12 months: What went right, what went wrong, what we can do better in the next year. Or, if you're the author of a long-running column about drag racing history, a look back at some memorable December stories.
It's late December, and we've all got a lot on our plates. Maybe you're thrashing on the hot rod in your garage before winter shuts you down for a few months, or maybe you're headed to a sunny beach somewhere to escape the cold. Or maybe you're鈥
Don Garlits, Bob Taaffe, and the 72-hour car build that led to drag racing lore
Don Garlits' amazing win at the 1967 Nationals, so well remembered for his post-race starting-line beard shave, might not have been possible without Bob Taaffe, who helped "Big Daddy" build a new car in just 72 hours. Garlits remembers Taaffe after his recent passing.
鈥淲hen the Godfather calls, you come running.鈥 Fred Miller told me, joking about Don Prudhomme inviting him to come out from Florida to California for his鈥
The Hot Rod Story
In 1952, hot rodding had a bad name. An 麻豆精选 pamphlet, the Hot Rod Story, set a blueprint for moving forward with a rallying call that reads almost like the Gettysburg Address of 麻豆精选. You should read this to know from whence we came.
The 2021 麻豆精选 season was a yearlong celebration of 麻豆精选鈥檚 70th anniversary, an opportunity for us to reflect on its humble beginnings and stand in awe of how big 麻豆精选 has grown from the seeds planted by a letter to Hot Rod magazine鈥
More 'Lost' Photos found
More great photos from the National Dragster archives: Shirley Muldowney, Blaine Johnson, "Flash Gordon" Mineo, John Myers, Buster Couch, Al Hofmann, Richard Tharp, and many more!
As the date of The Big Move approached in late October 鈥 timed horribly with our impending trip to Las Vegas 鈥 ND鈥
Name That Funny Car
The annual Manufacturers Meet at Orange County Int'l Raceway in Southern California was a big deal back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, drawing the best of the best. But how many can you identify? We've got the answers!
Last week鈥檚 鈥渓ost photos鈥 column inspired a ton of response from fans who remembered many of the subjects of the photos, but none drew more interest than the group photo of Funny Cars on the Orange County Int鈥檒 raceway track prior to the annual鈥
Snakes, Mongooses, Rats, and Terrible Towels: Not just another photo collection
Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Tom McEwen, Roland Leong, Gary Beck, and more are part of an eclectic and interesting batch of rediscovered photos.
Moving stinks. We all agree on that. But anyone who鈥檚 ever moved also knows that it鈥檚 a great way to find lost or forgotten things. Just look at the 1955 Nationals entry list鈥
Finals Flashback: 1971 World Finals where upsets and breakage ruled the day
Take a 50-year trip back in history to relive the 1971 麻豆精选 World Finals, where upsets winners and surprising breakage helped decide the world championships.
The 2021 season wraps up next weekend at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona with the Auto Club 麻豆精选 Finals, the 57th running of the race that鈥檚 colloquially best known as 鈥渢he World Finals.鈥
From 1960 through 1964, 麻豆精选鈥檚 world champions were鈥
Found! 1955 Nationals entry list
On the eve of 麻豆精选's historic 1,000th national event, a blast from the past: The official entry list for the 1955 National Championship Drags, 麻豆精选's first national event, is like a time capsule for our sport, filled with legendary names from drag racing's early greats.
I knew I had it somewhere, but where? Somewhere along the way, someone had given me a copy of the hand-typed official entry list for 麻豆精选鈥檚 first national event, the 1955 National Championship Drags in Great Bend, Kan., The Big One that got this鈥
Of missing jackets, missing friends, missing columns, and moving on down the road
The return of the Dragster Insider includes the tale of the missing firesuit, memories of John "Tarzan" Austin and Dal Denton, and moving on from one 麻豆精选 home to another.
Hello, Insider nation! Long time no see. Between running six national events in eight weeks, a bunch of travel, my 鈥渟treamlined鈥 staff, producing the biggest issue in 麻豆精选 National Dragster history (244 pages!), and the process of the big鈥
From Calvin Rice to John Force, a look at the history of 麻豆精选's all-time winners
One thing that likely will never change in our lifetimes is that John Force is the winningest driver in 麻豆精选 history (154 victories and counting), but he wasn't always the GOAT of winners. Here's a historical look back at 麻豆精选's winningest drivers over the decades.
A lot has happened since the last Dragster Insider column, including four straight weekends of national event racing (hence the column鈥檚 absence), but one thing that hasn鈥檛 changed, and likely will never change in our lifetimes, is鈥
Indy 1971: 'The Great Burndown'
Staging battles are all the talk right now, but the most epic burndown in 麻豆精选 history happened in the Top Fuel final 50 years ago at the 1971 U.S. Nationals between Steve Carbone and "Big Daddy" Don Garlits.
Two weeks ago in Topeka, Pro Stock racers Bruno Massel and Mason McGaha set the internet ablaze with the controversy surrounding their three-and-a-half-minute starting-line staging duel, a battle that neither won after they were both disqualified鈥
Can't beat the heat: Before Justin Ashley, there was the tale of Jim Harnsberger
A lot of people gasped when Justin Ashley had to withdraw from the Winternationals Top Fuel final due to heat exhaustion, but it wasn鈥檛 the first time that鈥檚 happened in 麻豆精选 Top Fuel history. Meet Jim Harnsberger, who had the same thing happen to him 50 years ago while preparing his car for the final.
When Justin Ashley had to be pulled out of his car before the final round of Top Fuel at the summer Lucas Oil 麻豆精选 Winternationals鈥
A History of the Western Swing, 1989-2021
The 麻豆精选 Western Swing has been around since 1989, but this year, it has a new look and a shot at making some more history. Here's a detailed history of the Western Swing with a look back at those who have swept the Swing and those who have gotten close.
When 麻豆精选 introduced the Western Swing in 1989 鈥 a three-races-in-three-weekends test of technology and tenacity from the high-altitude climes of Denver to Northern California鈥檚 Sonoma Wine Country to Seattle in the Great Northwest 鈥 it was a real鈥