National Hot Rod Association - NHRA - 2011
2011 will be a year to remember as NHRA celebrates its 60th anniversary
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
From "the Swamp Rat" to "the Bud King," from "the Snake" to "the Mongoose,"
from the first fans lining airport runways to those who today pack historic
venues like Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, NHRA’s rich and storied past will
take center stage in 2011 as the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning
body celebrates its 60th anniversary.
What began with a simple signature by Wally Parks in March of 1951 has
evolved over the last six decades into the fastest, most powerful and
fan-friendly motorsport in the world. And NHRA will be marking the 60th
anniversary of Parks’ formation of NHRA with a year-long celebration that
will pay homage to the evolution of the hot rod, the impact of the sport’s
legendary racers, and the lifeblood provided by the many millions of loyal
and passionate NHRA fans.
“Wally created NHRA for the hot rod enthusiasts and the 2011 season, our
60th Anniversary, will be a year-long celebration in their honor,” said NHRA
President Tom Compton. “Fans, accustomed to the up-close and personal
experience through our open-pit environment, will have a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to meet the stars and see the cars from throughout the 60-year
history of the sport.”
In addition to presenting John Force and Larry Dixon and the nitro-fueled
thunder of their modern-day machines at each of the 22 events on the 2011
schedule, NHRA officials also promise to showcase the sport’s rich history
with vintage car shows, Cacklefests, tribute-car races and meet-and-greets
with the legends of drag racing.
The virtual tour through the first 60 years of NHRA drag racing will extend
beyond the track to the desktops, laptops, and handheld devices of NHRA fans
via the NHRA Facebook page. Throughout the 2011 season, NHRA will enlist the
expertise of the fans of the NHRA Facebook page to help determine the
greatest moments from the first 60 years of NHRA drag racing.
The 60th Anniversary celebration will get off to a 7,000-horsepower start
with the “Snake Pit” car show featuring Don Prudhomme’s legendary collection
of race cars at the season-opening Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals Feb.
24-27 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Among the highlights will be the 1967
Dodge D700 Hot Wheels Ramp Truck, the 1970 Plymouth ’Cuda and the 1972
Mongoose Duster; also featured in the “Snake Pit” car show will be many hot
rods from the “Road Kings” car club.
After Pomona, the NHRA Full Throttle Series will head to Gainesville Raceway
where East Coast fans will get their first chance to join in the year-long
celebration with the “Official 60th Anniversary Kick-Off Party” at the Tire
Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals March 10-13. Among the highlights of the
“Kick-off Party” will be a planned match race between Darrell Gwynn and “Big
Daddy” Don Garlits and a car show featuring several of the vintage cars from
the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing.
The celebration will continue throughout the year as the NHRA Full Throttle
Drag Racing Series winds its way from Atlanta to Seattle, from Englishtown
to Phoenix, from Charlotte to Las Vegas, and everywhere in between. NHRA
drag racing fans from across the country will be treated to special events
designed to give them the chance to touch and feel and, in many cases,
personally interact with the men, women and vehicles that have made the NHRA
Full Throttle Drag Racing Series the great sport that it is today.
Race fans can frequent NHRA.com or simply ‘like’ the NHRA Facebook page to
receive updated news regarding details of the many 60th-themed ticket
promotions being offered, and specific activities planned, at each of the 22
events on the 2011 schedule.
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