Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most commonly 1⁄4 mi, with a shorter distance becoming increasingly popular, as it has become the standard for Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars, where some major bracket races and other sanctioning bodies have adopted it as the standard. The 1⁄8 mi is also popular in some circles. Electronic timing and speed sensing systems have been used to record race results since the 1960s.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsports sanctioning body in the world.
A dragstrip is a facility for conducting automobile and motorcycle acceleration events such as drag racing. Although a quarter mile is the best known measure for a drag track, many tracks are eighth mile (201 m) tracks, and the premiere classes will run 1,000 foot (304.8 m) races. The race is begun from a standing start which allows three factors to affect the outcome of the race: reaction time, power/weight ratio, and traction.
Memphis International Raceway is an auto racing park located near the Loosahatchie River in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, just approximately ten miles south of Millington, and a few miles north of the city of Memphis. The facility opened in 1987 with a drag strip and 1.8-mile (2.9 km) road course. It includes a 3/4-mile tri-oval short track, built in 1998, which once hosted the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, as well as an ASA Late Model Series race. The 4,400-foot (1,340 m) drag strip hosts events such as International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) World Finals and Nitro Jam, Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA), HOT ROD Power Tour, Super Chevy Show, Fun Ford Series and Mega Mopar Action Series.
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is the second largest drag racing sanctioning body after the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
Mansfield Motor Speedway was a 0.44 mile dirt track located in Mansfield, Ohio, United States.
Nostalgia drag racing is a form of drag racing using cars from the 1950s, 1960s and lately the 1970s.
Willowbank Raceway is a drag racing facility located off the Cunningham Highway, Willowbank, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 30 – 45 minutes drive west of Brisbane. It is part of the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct, which includes a kart racing track; Ipswich Sprint Racing Circuit, a short circuit dirt racetrack; Ipswich Motor Sport Complex and bitumen racetrack Queensland Raceway. Since the closing of Surfers Paradise International Raceway following the 1987 Winternationals, the popular event, one of the largest drag racing festivals in the southern hemisphere, moved to the circuit in 1988. Between the end of Calder Park Raceway's top level drag racing career and the opening of Western Sydney International Dragway, it also hosted the Australian Drag Racing Nationals.
Alaska Raceway Park is a motorsports complex conducting races from Mother's Day to Labor Day. It is located in Butte, which is near the Knik River, and Knik Glacier at Mile 10.4 of the Old Glenn Highway, about 41.5 miles northeast of Anchorage, Alaska, US. Nearby 6,398-foot Pioneer Peak looms over the finish line, providing a scenic racing venue recognized worldwide among race fans. The track sits at an elevation of 63 feet above sea level, offering excellent air pressure for racing.
Don Nicholson was an American drag racer from Missouri. He raced in the 1960s and 1970s when there were few national events. The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) estimates he won 90 percent of his match races. As of 2002, he held the record for the most number of categories in which he reached a final round : Funny Car, Pro Stock, Super Stock, Competition Eliminator, Stock, and Street. He was nicknamed "Dyno Don" after he was one of the first drivers to use a chassis dynamometer on his cars in the late 1950s, a skill that he learned while working as a line mechanic at a Chevrolet car dealer.
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, originally known as Madison Township Raceway Park, is an American auto racing facility located in Old Bridge Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States,.
Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP) is a 1/4 mile dragstrip in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, just outside of Petersburg. It opened in 1994 and originally hosted the NHRA's Virginia NHRA Nationals. It has a seating capacity of 23,000 spectators. After a brief time with IHRA beginning in 2010, the track returned to NHRA in 2012.
Empire Dragway, formerly known as New York International Raceway Park, is a quarter-mile drag strip just outside Leicester, New York. It is centrally located between Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse and was originally proposed as a full motorsports complex. Initially, there were ambitious plans to build a motorsports facility that would host oval racing, a full road course (which was to utilize the dragstrip as the front straight, as well as the dragstrip itself. Ultimately, the plans to build it were too expensive to complete once the dragstrip was finished. The track was first owned by Peter Geib and Ron Mangone and Abe Hamza. Mr Hamza was a concert promoter and Mr. Mangone was a successful contractor. Corwin Boddy designed the property area and Mr Mangone's company built the track. It was originally called Empire Dragway, then became Dragway 36, followed by Motorcity Raceway, NYIRP and ultimately reverted to the name "Empire Dragway". The track first opened on August 29, 1971. For a few years, it hosted what was to become a popular annual event in the '70s: The "Gold Cup". Over the years that followed, many promoters leased the facility to hold drag racing and also other events. The track faced major financial difficulties from the start and was eventually taken over by Livingston County for unpaid taxes in the mid-80s. The track fell into disrepair and suffered some other damage due to being inoperative for nearly two years without proper maintenance. It was originally called Empire Dragway, then became Dragway 36, followed by Motorcity Raceway, NYIRP and ultimately reverted to the name "Empire Dragway". The track first opened on August 29, 1971. For a few years, it hosted what was to become a popular annual event in the '70s: The "Gold Cup"...The track still boasts the longest shutdown area on the East Coast, at 3,000 feet. The longest running consecutive seasons occurred while it was owned and operated by Bob and Donna Metcalfe, who acquired it in 1986. It had an abbreviated opening season beginning in August of that year. Their first full season in 1987 had sanctioning from NHRA. In anticipation of hosting future National Events, a change of sanctioning bodies was made to IHRA in 1989 and held its first IHRA Empire Nationals the following year. Many schedule changes and facility improvements were made under Metcalfe's ownership. It once ran "test and tune" and bracket racing for trophies on Wednesday nights. Friday night the track was open to everyone for test and tune. Once a month the track held a "MOMS" events usually on a Friday night. "MOMS" stood for Mustang on Mustang Shootout, and had been running pro-tree & heads-up racing at NYIRP since 1994. Typically fifty to one hundred plus "pony cars" regularly showed up to race at each of these events. On Saturdays, the track still runs its full bracket points program for paid purses. The track's original name--"Empire Dragway", was resurrected following the 2008 season. At the end of the 2013 season, a Livingston County successful businessman, Jerry Scaccia and wife Clara, purchased the facility and intended to operate it on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights; The track has undergone many major improvements since the change in ownership—long needed basic maintenance, repaving, a new competitor entrance was constructed which made easier access for racers, much needed new drainage, rebuilt timing tower, updated timing system, improved lighting and installation of concrete barriers running the full length of the strip on both sides, with other minor changes as well. The Scaccia's first season began 4/19/2014; the inaugural full season ended 10/25/2014. The Scaccia's still own and operate the facility and continue to make further updates and improvements.
Summit Racing Equipment is an automotive parts company with four retail stores located in Tallmadge, Ohio; Sparks, Nevada; McDonough, Georgia; and Arlington, Texas. Summit Racing Equipment is also involved in motorsports as a sponsor.
Palm Beach International Raceway was a motorsports facility located west of Jupiter, Florida. The facility had a quarter-mile drag strip, a 2-mile road course, 7/10-mile kart track as well as mud racing tracks. The road course at Palm Beach International Raceway was a 2-mile, 10-turn circuit constructed of hot-mix asphalt and set on an aggregate base. It was 40-feet wide with a 1/3-mile section measuring 80-feet.
National Trail Raceway is a quarter-mile dragstrip located between Hebron and Kirkersville, Ohio, USA, off of U.S. Route 40. The race track is located about 30 minutes east of Columbus, Ohio. It is known to local residents as 'National Trails'.
New England Dragway is a 1⁄4 mile NHRA dragway in Epping, New Hampshire, Rockingham County, United States. The track hosts the New England Nationals event as part of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. The track also hosts a regional event as part of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
Curtis Smith is a second-generation American semi-retired drag racer. He is currently the All Time Winningest IHRA Stock Eliminator driver and the 1996 IHRA Stock World Champion. Smith was the first IHRA Sportsman driver to win 3 national events in a row in 1985.
The NHRA Summernationals were an annual drag racing event run by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
The 2020 NHRA Drag Racing Series was announced on May 14, 2019.
