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 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 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 San Diego Drag Racing and the Bean Bandits written by Emmanuel Burgin and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2017-12-11 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: San Diego enjoys a long and storied race car and drag racing history, and the Bean Bandits are a huge part of that heritage. Yet their story remains buried in plain sight. Told here in photographs garnered from private, personal, and historical collections, the 1950s pioneering exploits of Bean Bandits leader Joaquin Arnett and his contributions to that racing history come to life. The San Diego native led his Bean Bandits to over 300 wins and several land speed records while competing against other local clubs, like the Prowlers, Oilers, Roadsters, and Roadrunners. Eventually, the Bean Bandits' streamliners set records on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Arnett won the first National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Championship in 1953, was named to the International Car Racing Hall of Fame in 1992, and was awarded an NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. Arnett and his Bean Bandits' car also graced the cover of Hot Rod magazine's special drag strip issue in 1953.
Download or read book Fuel and Guts written by Dave McClelland, Tom Madigan and published by . This book was released on with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Quarter Mile Corvettes 1953 1975 written by Steve Holmes and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2024-04-15 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Re-live Corvette’s early years at the drag strip! Famously known as “America’s sports car,” the Chevrolet Corvette came to market in 1953. That same year, the newly established National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) hosted its first event. The Corvette was never intended for quarter-mile drag racing, and it appeared to be completely at odds with the sport. Early equipment included an underpowered Blue Flame 6-cylinder motor and automatic transmission. But somehow, the two have become forever entwined. The Corvette brought an element of class and style to drag racing. On the showroom and on the street, it has always been unique. It is truly American. Likewise, the uniqueness that sets it apart from everything else also meant that it had no natural competition on the drag strip. However, that fact didn’t dampen enthusiasm. Indeed, the NHRA and other governing bodies introduced Sports Car divisions in the late 1950s, catering to both stock and modified vehicles. Naturally, these classes were packed with Corvettes. Racing historian Steve Holmes breaks new ground by unearthing the complete early history of the Corvette in drag racing. Quarter-Mile Corvettes focuses on the period from 1955 to 1975, which spans the first 20 years of Corvette V-8 production. Fittingly, this was also the era considered by many to be the greatest in drag racing’s history, and Corvettes encapsulated the vibrancy of the period in a way that will never be repeated. Certainly, Chevrolet never intended for the Corvette to become a quarter-mile terror, but today, its nameplate has become one of the longest running in all of drag racing.
Download or read book Driving Ambitions written by H. F. Moorhouse and published by Manchester University Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Moorhouse (sociology, U.of Glasgow) interprets the post-war American passion for hot rods and drag racing as an extreme example of the country's attitude toward automobiles. Of interest to social scientists and to teenagers who want to see what they missed. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Download or read book El Mirage written by Mike de Lesseps and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A photographic essay of an SCTA sponsored dry lakes meet at El Mirage on one weekend in 1995. Superb photos capture the atmosphere of dry lakebed speed racing in an unrivaled collection of photographs. Every time you pick up this book you will feel as though you were there that weekend.
Download or read book Lost Drag Strips II written by Scotty Gosson and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2016-04-15 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fresh on the heels of the best-selling book Lost Drag Strips comes a new look at other long-lost and forgotten drag racing facilities from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. In the first volume, the author examined the birth of drag racing and its subsequent popularity that invaded every city and community across America. Unfortunately, after the initial explosion of popularity, it waned, and various drag strips closed for a myriad of reasons. Financial pressure for the real estate they occupied, suburban sprawl, and waning participation were all reasons for the change in fortunes for the small, and even not-so-small, racetracks. The first volume was great, but readers demanded more! Lost Drag Strips II picks up where the first volume left off, covering even more tracks with archival photos of racing in the tracks' heyday, the cars that ran there, and coverage of the tracks as they exist today. This volume also includes some of the tracks that survived, those that fought off the economic demons and the urban sprawl and continue to run today. Tracks in this volume include: Fort Wainwright/Racing Lions Motorsports Park, Avenue G Drag Strip, Fremont/Baylands Drag Strip, San Fernando Drag Strip, Fontana Drag City, Inyokern Drag Strip, Kahuku Air Strip, Las Vegas Speedrome, Continental Divide Raceways, SRCA Drag Strip, Southwest Raceway, Willow Run Raceway, Minnesota Dragways, KCTA Drag Strip, Detroit Dragway, Niagara Airport Dragstrip, New York National Speedway, York US 30 Drag-O-Way, South Mountain Raceway, La Place Dragway, Yellow River Drag Strip, Thunderbolt Dragway, and more.
Download or read book The All American Hot Rod written by Michael Dregni 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 Northern California Drag Racing written by Steve Reyes and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2022-05-02 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Organized drag racing began in Northern California in 1949 thanks to World War II veterans with a need for speed. Towns like Redding, Lodi, Fresno, Bakersfield, and Fremont would host their own drag events featuring homebuilt jalopies. Anyone with a driver's license and a paid entry fee could participate, and as the cars got more sophisticated and faster, more and more spectators came to watch the local speed demons. By the 1960s, a metamorphosis began with the introduction of the slingshot-style dragsters. For the next 12 years, the slingshot dragster was the king of the quarter mile, and it made stars of Gary Ormsby, Frank Bradley, Dennis Baca, and James Warren. Meanwhile, in 1965, a funny new race car challenged The King as it gained popularity in Northern California. Leading this funny car charge was a Pennsylvania transplant named Russell James Liberman. However, the golden years of Northern California drag racing came to an end in the mid-1970s. Today, only 5 out of 17 drag strips are still open. Photographer Steve Reyes journeyed into the world of Northern California drag racing in 1963 as a 15-year-old kid. Upon seeing an advertisement from the Oakland Tribune that read, Come see the nitro powered 200mph slingshot dragsters, Reyes and his father made the 23-mile trek to the Fremont drag strip. With the noise of high-powered engines filling the air, Reyes was hooked and made it his duty to capture this one-of-a-kind world on film.
Download or read book The American Speed Shop written by Bob McClurg and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2021-02-15 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of hot rodding and performance cars has been well chronicled through the years. Books and magazines have covered the cars, builders, pioneers, engineers, early racers, muscle cars, street racers, etc. Most take a nostalgic and fun look at the cars that many have loved their entire lives. Some even cover the lifestyle, the hobby as it involves people, and the effort, time, and commitment people put into it. It is more than just a hobby to most, and to many, a certain wave of nostalgia comes over them when remembering what the car scene was like "back in the day." The local speed shop is an important element of the nostalgic feeling that people have when fondly remembering their hot rodding youth. Speed shops were not just parts stores, they were a communal gathering place for car guys wanting to talk smart, bench race, and catch up on the local scene, as well as to solicit the expert advice from the owner or staff behind the counter. Here, longtime hot rodder and industry veteran Bob McClurg brings you the story of the era and the culture of speed shops as told through individual shop's histories and compelling vintage photography. He covers the birth of the industry, racing versus hot rodding, mail-order, and advertising wars. You learn about the performance boom of the 1960s and 1970s, lost speed shops as well as survivors, and a overview of the giant mail-order speed shops of today.
Download or read book How to Drag Race written by Kevin McKenna and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2008 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether you're bracket racing your daily driver, tuning the new suspension setup on your weekend bracket racer, or competing in one of many pro classes, drag racing is the participation motorsport of choice. McKenna uses over 300 color photos to show you what to expect your first time out, how to set your street or racecar up for consistency and speed, and driving technique for enthusiasts at all levels. He talks tires, safety equipment, driving aids like line-locks and delay boxes, choosing a class, and advanced racer math. Special sections detail how to maximize your current setup and strategy bracket racing success.
Download or read book Ultimate Hot Rod Dictionary A Bombs to Zoomies written by Jeff Breitenstein and published by . This book was released on with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every hot rodding magazine ever published (not to mention numerous books and countless web sites) has taken stabs at creating comprehensive glossaries of automotive enthusiasts terms and phrases. Finally Motorbooks has done it right with the publication of The Ultimate Hot Rod Dictionary. The title says it all. This book is 243 pages thick and includes more than 1,600 words and phrases, with definitions, phrase origins and examples of usage. In addition, the dictionary includes more than 225 line-art illustrations."If you never thought you'd find yourself reading a dictionary, this informative and fun book may surprise you. - Rod and Custom, October, 2004Perplexed about Peg Leggers? Curious about Crazy Stacks? Every enthusiast group inevitably spawns its own slang, but few are as rich as that which has evolved around the world of hot rods and customs. Once a unique American sub-language, the gearhead vernacular has long since gone global. Containing some 1,700 entries, this first-ever dictionary of the colorful language and phraseology that has developed in the world of hot rodding and customizing features not just terms used to describe the technologies and designs, but also those pertaining to the culture itself. In the end it's not just a dictionary with something for everyone from newbies to vets, but a book that reveals how the customizers have, in fact, customized their lingo. Includes specially commissioned line-art illustrations and cross-references for related or like terms.
Download or read book Drag Racing written by K. C. Kelley and published by Marshall Cavendish. This book was released on 2009 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Provides comprehensive information on the history, the famous faces, the design, and the performance of the amazing machines behind Drag Racing"--Provided by publisher.
Download or read book Hot Rodding in Ventura County written by Tony Baker and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2013 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stretching from Ventura to Santa Maria, California, a vibrant and colorful community of hot rod clubs bloomed throughout the middle of the 20th century. Hot Rodding in Ventura County takes a look at the people, places, and, above all, the cars that made up this historic period in automotive culture. Take a look into the golden years of hot rodding through vintage images of the first national championship drag races; visit long-lost drag strips such as Goleta, Saugus, and Santa Maria; and gain access to hot rodding's paramount clubs like the Motor Monarchs, the Kustomeers, and the Pharaohs.
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.
