Download or read book American Drag Racing written by Robert Genat and published by Motorbooks. This book was released on 2001 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Top fuelers, funny cars, super stocks, pro stocks and fuel altereds star in this look back at the evolution of drag racing from 1955 to present. Modern color photos are accompanied by the stories of those who drove the cars at dragstrips across America.
Download or read book Drag Racing in the 1960s written by Doug Boyce and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2021-03-15 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1960s were a fascinating decade on the race scene. Relive the memories today through this wonderful new book. Drag racing has a long and storied history. Many have said that the first drag race happened shortly after the second car was made. While that may or may not be true, racing prior to World War II was mostly centered around dry-lake activities and top-speed runs. After the war, drag racing became organized with the formation of the NHRA, and during the 1950s, many tracks were built across America to accommodate the racers. Technology in the 1950s centered on the manufacturers updating old flathead designs into newer overhead-valve designs, and the horsepower race really started to heat up. In many forms of racing, the 1960s brought technological evolution. The decade began with big engines in even bigger stock chassis and ended with purpose-built race-only chassis, fiberglass bodies, fuel injection, nitro methane, and blowers. Quarter-mile times that were in the 13-second range in the beginning of the decade were in the 7-second range by the end. New classes were formed, dedicated cars were built for them, and many racers themselves became recognized names in the sports landscape. In Drag Racing in the 60s: The Evolution in Race Car Technology, veteran author Doug Boyce takes you on a ride through the entire decade from a technological point of view rather than a results-based one. Covered are all the classes, including Super Stocks, Altered Wheelbase cars (which led to Funny Cars), Top Fuelers, Gassers, and more.
Download or read book The Book on African American Drag Racers written by Robert Blackwell and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2015-04-03 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drag racing is so much fun to watch, the showmanship, the speed, the competition, the burnouts, the wheel stands and the most important thing is the accessibility. Drag racing is the only sport where you can buy a pass and go into the pits and talk to the drivers and actually watch the mechanics prepare the racecars. "The Book on African American Drag Racers" is not a comprehensive or a complete book on African Americans in the sport of drag racing. Why? Because every day, somewhere in America, there is a young man or woman who will discover this great sport and seek to try their hand at making a name for themselves, in the sport. I believe drag racing began when the first cars were produced by Ford Motor Company and two competitive guys wanted to know, whose Ford was the fastest. NHRA Top Fuel Champion, Antron Brown believes drag racing is so open for all races because it's "nothing but a foot race with vehicles." I believe drag racing is so popular in the African American community because there is such a great love for cars. Also drag racing, unlike NASCAR, CART, INDY, USAC, and ARCA, you don't have to have a special race car only, you can have any type of car as your race car. Drag racing is also a sport easy to learn. Over the past decade drag racing sanctioning bodies have done a great job growing their sport with the Junior Dragster programs. These programs allow kids to race their low horse powered reasonably priced cars and get them involved in the sport early. Some of those junior dragster racers are now competing in the professional ranks of the sport. As a matter of fact, Erica Enders-Stevens the new Pro Stock champ began in the Jr. Dragster class. This book was written to help young people learn about the contributions and history of African Americans in the sport of drag racing.
Download or read book Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits written by Tom Boyd and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2020-08-15 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Relive the golden age of drag racing through this exhaustive volume covering the best drag racing model kits of the era. Model expert Tim Boyd, author of Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits, turned his attention to the fantastic drag racing model kits available from the late 1950s through today. Some racing model kits were actually 3-in-1 kits, where the builder assembled the drag-race version of the car in lieu of the street or custom version. Boyd starts by covering the options, collectability, variety, availability, and value of these wonderful kits, and then concentrates on the highly detailed drag racing-only kits that became available starting in the mid-1960s through today. He also shows the differences between original kits, older reproduction kits, and new reproduction kits that many enthusiasts find at swap meets and online sources today. Many of these great kits were from the 1960s, an era when building model kits was a widely popular, serious hobby, similar to video games today. Not only was it fun to build the kits but it was also a great way to learn about all the different race classes and categories because there wasn’t regular TV or online coverage during that era. The artwork on those kits was fantastic, and many collectors today seek original kits largely because of it. The classes of racing covered are Gassers, Rail Dragsters, Stocks and Super Stocks, Funny Cars, Pro Stocks, Exhibition Racers, and more. Drag racing cars designed by model companies that never actually existed are also covered. Nostalgia drags are some of the most popular events around the country today. People can’t get enough of these old race cars that were built in an era when variety, innovation and home building ruled the day. This book is great for modelers in general, model-kit collectors, and drag-racing fans young and old alike.
Download or read book High Performance written by Robert C. Post and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Providing a firsthand history of the sport, this book takes a detailed look at all aspects of drag racing: the sport, the business, and tracks the innovations that permitted racers to disprove the "laws of physics". 147 halftones.
Download or read book Drag Racing s Rebels written by Doug Boyce and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2023-11-15 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn the entire fascinating story of the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) in this wonderfully illustrated color history. When the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) was formed in 1951 by Wally Parks, the reasoning for the formation was to "create order from chaos" by instituting safety rules and performance standards that helped legitimize the sport of drag racing. Some organization was certainly necessary. A postwar boom in automotive enthusiasm was reaching new heights, and Hot Rod magazine and the NHRA were right in the thick of it. The NHRA hosted its first drag racing event in 1953, and in 1955, the organization staged its first national event, which was simply called "The Nationals." The AHRA formed in 1956 as an alternative to the NHRA, where the drivers voted on the rules (rather than sanctioning bodies and tracks), and their influence on the sport was felt almost immediately. When the NHRA denied the use of nitromethane in 1957, the AHRA approved it. When the NHRA banned aircraft-powered dragsters in 1961, the AHRA welcomed them. When the NHRA said no to the emerging Funny Car in 1965, the AHRA said yes. When fans and racers screamed for a heads-up Super Stock category in 1968, the AHRA delivered. The AHRA was called a rebel association. Some say that it was more of an association that got things done—to the delight of fans and racers. The AHRA was on equal ground with the NHRA by the 1970s, drawing enormous crowds and racer entries.
In this fascinating history, veteran author Doug Boyce tells the story of the AHRA, the rise, the competition, the events, and the eventual downfall of the organization. After AHRA President Jim Tice passed away in 1982, internal fighting for control of the association resulted in its doom. Get the whole story here, and add this wonderful volume to your drag racing library.
Download or read book Don The Snake Prudhomme My Life Beyond the 1320 written by Elana Scherr and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2020-10-16 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Don "The Snake" Prudhomme reveals for the first time ever his incredible life and career on and off of the drag strip.
Imagine spending a year with Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, having coffee together and talking about his life, his racing, his friends, and his family. He’d tell you about how he rose from being a high school drop-out who was painting cars to a respected Top Fuel dragster driver and successful businessman. You’d hear how he toured the country with Tommy Ivo and "The Hawaiian" Roland Leong, racing all the legends from "Big Daddy" Don Garlits to "The Golden Greek" [Chris] Karamesines. He'd say how he met Tom McEwen and recall how they became the Snake and the Mongoose, leading to a career in Funny Cars that netted him four championships in a row. He'd talk about the thrill of first wins and owning his own teams but also the struggles of bad seasons, crashes and fires, broken parts, and broken contracts. Along the way, he’d speak about the people in his life, such as engine-builder Keith Black and NHRA president Wally Parks, and those who were killed in the wild and unpredictable sport of nitro racing. It wouldn’t be only racing, though. Prudhomme would share lessons he learned about business and life from such varied sources as a neighbor in Granada Hills to Ford GT40 driver Dan Gurney. He also would talk about the importance of family: how his wife, Lynn, and daughter, Donna, changed his world and how finding out about his African-American roots opened his eyes to a culture and inheritance he’d always wanted. This is the experience you’ll get in Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320.
Download or read book City of Speed written by Joe Scalzo and published by . This book was released on with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Dry Lakes and Drag Strips written by Dean Batchelor and published by Motorbooks International. This book was released on 2002 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Illustrated with evocative period photos, this paperback reprint of The American Hot Rod (0-87938-982-6) traces the evolution of the cars built and modified specifically for street, track and salt flats racing from the 1920s through the early 1970s. Chapters cover topics like dry lakes racing, prewar Fords, Detroit engines, road racing specials, supercharging and alternative fuels, Bonneville and drag racing.
Download or read book Drag Racing written by Nicki Clausen-Grace and published by Britannica Digital Learning. This book was released on 2013-03-01 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes drag racing and why it is only legal in a closed track. Provides information about the history of the sport, characteristics of the vehicles, important events, and famous drivers.
Download or read book American Sports Car Racing in the 1950s written by Michael T. Lynch and published by Motorbooks International. This book was released on 1998 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traces the history of stock car racing and looks at major drivers, teams, and racetracks.
Download or read book Super Stock written by Larry Davis and published by Cartech. This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Super Stock takes a look at what was the most popular class of drag racing - factory Super Stock. It traces the evolution of the cars, the engines, the rules, the personalities, and many of the teams, from its beginnings in the mid-1950s through to the 1960s and the era of the Super Stock 409s, Ramchargers, 421 Pontiacs, and 406 Fords. This was a time when Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors competed on a weekly basis at local drag strips throughout the country, and the saying ...win on Sunday, sell on Monday... had real significance in the marketplace. This is also the period that saw emergence of the term musclecar and the production of a whole class of American automobiles - which are now the most sought after by collectors, restorers, and performance enthusiasts.
Download or read book Tales from the Drag Strip written by Don Garlits and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-06-01 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the moment that young men began modifying and personalizing their automobiles back in the 1940s and ’50s, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits was squarely in the thick of this intoxicating pursuit. Tales from the Drag Strip with “Big Daddy” Don Garlits is a first-person account of the many memorable experiences this drag racing icon has lived through in his half-century of nitromethane-fueled exploits. The many races, racers, race fans, and race tracks that have touched his colorful career are recounted as only Big Daddy can, painting a vivid picture of his life at speed and the triumphs and tragedies that came along the way. Insightful, ironic, humorous, and touching—but all true—Big Daddy’s remembrances are the next best thing to reliving the glory days of America’s quickest and fastest motorsports through the eyes of an American institution.
Download or read book Quarter mile Chaos written by Steve Reyes and published by Cartech. This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Quarter-Mile Chaos" looks at the treacherous side of drag racing's golden age. Almost 200 rare and stunning photographs from the late 1960s and early to mid 1970s capture terrifying fires, explosions, and crashes, all by-products of the quest to go faster. "Quarter-Mile Chaos" is full of up close and personal documentation of the perilous task of reaching the 1,320-foot mark first. Armed with just a couple cameras and some film, veteran drag racing photographer Steve Reyes shot some of the most dramatic and eye-catching pictures of these quarter-mile warriors. Reyes roamed the nation's hazardous strips in search of the perfect action photo. The result is some of the most breathtaking drag racing imagery ever recorded depicting out-of-control demolition and devastation during drag racing's most entertaining era.
Download or read book American Auto Racing written by J.A. Martin and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2014-07-15 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As soon as there were automobiles, there was racing. The first recorded race, an over road event from Paris to Rouen, France, was organized by the French newspaper Le Petit Journal in 1894. Seeing an opportunity for a similar event, Hermann H. Kohlsaat--publisher of the Chicago Times-Herald--sponsored what was hailed as the "Race of the Century," a 54-mile race from Chicago's Jackson Park to Evanston, Illinois, and back. Frank Duryea won in a time of 10 hours and 23 minutes, of which 7 hours and 53 minutes were actually spent on the road. Race cars and competition have progressed continuously since that time, and today's 200 mph races bear little resemblance to the event Duryea won. This work traces American auto racing through the 20th century, covering its significant milestones, developments and personalities. Subjects included are: Bill Elliott, dirt track racing, board track racing, Henry Ford, Grand Prix races, Dale Earnhardt, the Vanderbilt Cup, Bill France, Gordon Bennett, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Mercer, the Stutz, Duesenberg, Frank Lockhart, drag racing, the Trans Am, Paul Newman, vintage racing, land speed records, Al Unser, Wilbur Shaw, the Corvette, the Cobra, Richard Petty, NASCAR, Can Am, Mickey Thompson, Roger Penske, Mario Andretti, Jeff Gordon, and Formula One. Through interviews with participants and track records, this text shows where, when and how racing changed. It describes the growth of each different form of auto racing as well as the people and technologies that made it ever faster.
Download or read book Motorsports and American Culture written by Mark D. Howell and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-04-10 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soon after the first automobiles were introduced in the United States, auto racing became a reality. Since that time, motorsports have expanded to include drag racing, open wheel racing, rallying, demolition derbies, stock car racing, and more. Motorsports have grown to such an extent that NASCAR is now the second most watched professional sport in America, behind only football. But motorsports are about much more than going fast and finishing first. These events also reflect our culture, our society, our values, and our history. In Motorsports and American Culture: From Demolition Derbies to NASCAR, Mark D. Howell and John D. Miller bring together essays that examine the relevancy of motorsports to American culture and history, from the late nineteenth century to the present. Addressing a wide spectrum of motorsports—such as stock car racing, demolition derbies, land speed record pursuits, and even staged train wrecks—the essays highlight the social and cultural implications of contemporary and historical moments in these sports. Topics covered include gender roles in motorsports, hot rods and the creation of fan and participant identities, the appeal of demolition derbies, the globalization of motorsports, the role of moonshine in stock car history, the economic relationship between NASCAR and its corporate sponsors, and more. Offering the most thorough study of motorsports to date from a diverse pool of disciplines and subjects, Motorsports and American Culture will appeal to motorsports and automobile enthusiasts, as well as those interested in American history, popular culture, sports history, and gender studies.
Download or read book British Drag Racing written by Nicholas Pettitt and published by Veloce Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2011-05 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A detailed look at the first ten years of drag racing in Britain from 1960-1969, complemented by 100 color pictures. It includes the visits by American dragsters, and the running of drag races on RAF airstrips by a growing band of enthusiasts with home-built machines. 1966 saw the opening of Santa Pod Raceway, Britain's first permanent drag strip; this book takes a look at the first four seasons racing there, and the development of the facility as entries and performances increased.
