National Hot Rod Association

Wally Parks, editor of Hot Rod magazine and a dry lakes racer himself, began the National Hot Rod Association to promote "safety, sportsmanship, and fellowship" among hot rodders. The association gained about 25,000 members in its first year; within six years, it had more than 57,000 members.^[2]

Hot Rod magazine and NHRA worked together to convince the general public and especially the police that there was a difference between hot-rodders and reckless street racers, sometimes known as "shot rodders". They encouraged the involvement of adults, such as auto shop teachers and garage owners. The NHRA's efforts to defend the image of the hot-rodder included a series of short films such as The Cool Hot Rod (1953) in which a delinquent teen learns that "a reckless kid in an old junker is not a hot-rodder at all. He's a square."^[2]

NHRA initiated the 1954 "Drag Safari", a nationwide tour to encourage organized drag racing with an emphasis on safety. Sponsored by Mobil Oil, the Safari crew would meet with law enforcement and local city officials at each stop to explain their program, involve local car clubs, set up sites, and run drag races.^[3] Drag Safari would lead to the 1955 US Nationals for drag racing.^[2]

Due to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the NHRA cancelled its 2020 and 2021 editions of the Drag Racing Series at the Virginia Motorsports Park. Regular scheduling resumed in 2022, with the events taking place in May of that year.^[4]

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is the top division of the NHRA. It consists of four professional classes:

• Top Fuel Dragster
• Funny Car
• Pro Stock
• Pro Stock Motorcycle

• List of NHRA champions

There are more than a dozen Sportsman Classes. The classes contested at NHRA Divisional races include Snowmobile, Motorcycle Classes, Super Street, Super Gas, Stock Eliminator, Super Stock, Competition Eliminator, Super Comp, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, and Top Alcohol Dragster. All classes except Snowmobile and some Sportsman motorcycle classes are regularly contested at NHRA national events.

NHRA promotes mainly the Professional classes at national events; however, the majority of its participants are Sportsman Racers. Sportsman-class racers must be dues-paying members of NHRA before they are allowed to enter and participate in any NHRA event.

Included in these sportsman events are the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Summit Racing Equipment Racing Series and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League.

The NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing Series originally consisted of seven divisions: Northeast, Southeast, North Central, South Central, West Central, Northwest, and Pacific. Starting in 2012, the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes competed in four regions: East, North Central, Central and West.^[5]

Darrell Gwynn

Bill Walsh

Bill Walsh

Bill Walsh

Denny Lucas

Mike Troxel

Tom Conway

Blaine Johnson

Blaine Johnson

Blaine Johnson

Blaine Johnson

Tom Conway

Jay Payne

Bobby Taylor

Rick Santos

Rick Santos

Rick Santos

Rick Santos

Rick Santos

Arthur Gallant

Alan Bradshaw

Mitch Myers

Steve Torrence

Bill Reichert

Bill Reichert

Bill Reichert

Bill Reichert

Bill Reichert

Duane Shields

Jim Whiteley

Jim Whiteley

Chris Demke

Joey Severance

Joey Severance

Joey Severance

Joey Severance

Megan Meyer

Megan Meyer

Rachel Meyer

Joey Severance

Julie Nataas

Frank Manzo

Bob Gottschalk

Fred Mandoline

Brad Anderson

Brad Anderson

Frank Manzo

Pat Austin

Pat Austin

Brad Anderson

Pat Austin

Pat Austin

Bob Newberry

Randy Anderson

Randy Anderson

Joe Pendland

Tony Bartone

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Cy Chesterman

Bob Newberry

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo

Steve Harker

Jonnie Lindberg

Jonnie Lindberg

Shane Westerfield

Sean Bellemeur

Sean Bellemeur

Doug Gordon

Sean Bellemeur

Doug Gordon

Doug Gordon

Jeff Cunningham

Norwin Palmer

Coleman Roddy

Coleman Roddy

Bill Maropulos

Vinny Barone

Bill Maropulos

Garley Daniels

Bob Kaiser

David Rampy

David Nickens

Steve Johns

Bill Maropulos

Jeff Krug

Sal Biondo

Bo Nickens

Andy Manna Jr.

Bob Andrews

Andy Manna Jr.

Jerry Arnold

Don Stratton

Mike Saye

Dean Carter

Dean Carter

Jeff Taylor

Bo Butner

Frank Aragona Jr.

Dan Fletcher

Bruno Massel

Al Ackerman

Lou Ficco

Bruno Massel

Alan Ellis

David Rampy

Craig Bourgeois

Doug Doll Jr.

David Rampy

Frank Aragona Jr.

Frank Aragona Jr.

Craig Bourgeois

Bruno Massel

Ryan Priddy

Charlie Taylor

Keith Lynch

Keith Lynch

Chuck Gallagher

Dave Boertman

Delmer Wood

Jim Boburka

Jeff Taylor

Jim Boburka

Greg Stanfield

Jeff Taylor

Greg Stanfield

Greg Stanfield

Greg Stanfield

Mike Saye

Peter Biondo

Jimmy DeFrank

Dan Fletcher

Jimmy DeFrank

Peter Biondo

Dan Fletcher

Anthony Bertozzi

Peter Biondo

Larry Stewart

Hugh Meeks

Peter Biondo

Darren Smith

Ricky Decker

Jimmy DeFrank

Ryan McClanahan

Jackie Alley

Jimmy DeFrank

Byron Worner

Peter Biondo

Justin Lamb

Jimmy DeFrank

Justin Lamb

Justin Lamb

Vic Penrod

Bryan Worner

Greg Stanfield

Peter D`Agnolo

Jeff Taylor

Tex Miller

Jim Hughes

Alan Peters

Tim Ekstrand

Al Corda

Jim Waldo

Sammy Pizzolato

Jim Hughes

Don Keen

John Calvert

Chad Guilford

Jason Line

Harvey Emmons III

Chuck Rayburn

Scotty Richardson

Al Corda

Jeff Hefler

Don Little

Edmond Richardson

Kevin Helms

Kevin Helms

Kevin Helms

Lee Zane

Peter Biondo

Randy Wilkes

Michael Iacono

Lee Zane

Edmond Richardson

Brad Burton

Joseph Santangelo

Brad Burton

Justin Lamb

Austin Williams

Kevin Helms

Jeff Strickland

Justin Lamb

Brian McClanahan

Allison Doll

Jody Lang

Jerry Emmons

Jimmy Hidalgo Jr

Sportsman racers with multiple championships

Sportsman racers who have won multiple world championships, with the date of their most recent championship.

Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD)

• 5: Rick Santos (2001), Bill Reichert (2010), Joey Severance (2022)
• 4: Blaine Johnson (1993)
• 3: Bill Walsh (1986)
• 2: Jim Whiteley (2013), Megan Meyer (2020)

Alcohol Funny Car (AFC)

• 17: Frank Manzo (2013)
• 4: Pat Austin (1991)
• 3: Brad Anderson (1989), Sean Bellemeur (2021), Doug Gordon (2023)
• 2: Randy Anderson (1994), Bob Newberry (2005), Jonnie Lindberg (2016)

Competition Eliminator (CE)

• 3: Bill Maropulos (1987), David Rampy (2017), Frank Aragona Jr. (2019), Bruno Massel (2021)
• 2: Coleman Roddy (1984), Andy Manna, Jr (1999), Dean Carter (2004)

Super Stock (SS)

• 5: Peter Biondo (2014)
• 4: Jimmy DeFrank (2012), Greg Stanfield (2021)
• 3: Justin Lamb (2018)
• 2: Keith Lynch (1983), Jim Boburka (1989), Jeff Taylor (1991), Dan Fletcher (2001)

Stock

• 4: Kevin Helms (2015)
• 2: Jim Hughes (1989), Al Corda (1997), Lee Zane (2008), Edmond Richardson (2009), Brad Burton (2012), Justin Lamb (2017)

Track

Driver

Elapsed Time (seconds)

September 13, 2019

Maple Grove Raceway

Brittany Force

3.623

August 18, 2017

Brainerd International Raceway

Robert Hight

3.793

March 14, 2022

Gainesville Raceway

Erica Enders

6.450

October 14, 2023

Texas Motorplex

Gaige Herrera

6.627

March 14, 2021

Gainesville Raceway

Jose Gonzalez

5.621

September 6, 2020

Indianapolis Raceway Park

Megan Meyer

5.090

March 17, 2019

Gainesville Raceway

Sean Bellemeur

5.352

NOTE: Top Fuel and Funny Car records are measured in the 1,000 foot (304.8 meter) increment

NHRA has over 100 member tracks across the United States. It currently leases In N Out Pomona Dragstrip , Gainesville Raceway and Lucas Oil Raceway. It previously owned National Trail Raceway and Atlanta Dragway

The NHRA mandates numerous safety devices and procedures in all competition events.

A five-point safety harness is required for all vehicles. It holds the driver securely in the seat and is equipped with a quick-release latch which can be released in less than a second should the driver need to leave the car due to fire or explosions.

Fire suits are required for all drivers in the alcohol and nitromethane fuel classes and the faster gasoline classes. These suits are full body coveralls and made with seven layers of Nomex fabric, which makes them resistant to fire. The required suit includes Nomex gloves, foot socks, and head sock.

Another NASCAR transplant, which was brought into use after the death of Fireball Roberts, was the fuel cell. This bladder is placed into the fuel tanks of non-nitromethane-fueled vehicles to prevent fuel leaks and explosions.

Third is the use of the HANS device. This device limits the movement of the head and neck in the event of an impact.

Fourth is the titanium shield that must be placed behind the head of all Dragsters and Funny Cars down to the Alcohol ranks. This is to prevent any debris from entering the cockpit and becoming a missile hazard to the driver after the death of Top Fuel racer Darrell Russell.

Fifth is the on-board fire extinguishing system that is required. These systems are directed onto the engine itself and are activated instantly when the engine catches fire, reducing the chance for the car to completely catch fire and endanger the driver. The driver also has a manual activation control available. This has been in place on all cars since 1983, when an engine explosion and fire came very close to killing then-Funny Car driver Mike Dunn. All enclosed body cars must have a five-inch circular opening that will accept the nozzle of a fire extinguisher triggered by safety personnel. All vehicles must have a clearly marked fuel pump cut-off switch on a rear panel, accessible to safety crews.

Sixth is the roof escape hatch that is in place on all Funny Cars since the founding of the division in the early 1970s. This device allows Funny Car drivers a safe means of exit during an engine fire rather than falling out of the car between the frame and fiberglass body, and possibly running the risk of being run over by the rear tires.

Seventh are the long bars at the rear end of all cars, also known as "wheelie bars". These long struts prevent the car from flipping over during the launch phase.

To prevent debris, oil, fuel, or coolant from falling on the racing surface, "diapers" under the engine (with a supporting platform) are used to retain liquids and broken parts in the event of a catastrophic engine failure. "Oil-downs" result in substantial fines and the loss of previously earned Championship points (for annual awards). Many cars using the centrifugally-activated "slipper" clutch are now using a retention tube to collect the substantial amount of clutch dust that is produced during each race. The aforementioned recent practices, along with the longstanding requirement for a Kevlar-style retainer blanket over the supercharger, considerably reduce the potential for injury and fire, in addition to assuring a cleaner and safer racing surface, resulting in a dramatic reduction in race delays for track clean-up.

The rear tires of the car, which are called slicks due to the fact that there is no tread on them, are specified with safety considerations in mind. These tires are made from a much harder compound than in previous years so that the tire is resistant to disintegration. This also came about after the death of Russell. The tires are not allowed to be inflated under 7 pounds per square inch (48 kPa) for any race at any time.

All cars capable of attaining 150 miles per hour require braking parachutes. A safety requirement on all Drag cars running 9.99 and quicker in the 1/4 mile is the fireproof engine blanket that surrounds the engine block and contains debris in case of an engine explosion. NHRA rules call for a monetary, points, and time penalty if the car leaks oil during the run. During qualifying, the offending team loses its elapsed time and speed from the run; during a race, the penalty is loss of lane choice unless both teams in the ensuing race committed the violation.

In the wake of Eric Medlen's 2007 death, the roll bars in a Funny Car underwent modifications to further improve safety. They are padded with thick insulation and coated with several layers of Nomex to prevent the padding from catching fire during an engine explosion.

Another facility safety feature is the large sand pit at the end of the track past an area of the track known as the "shutdown area", also known as a "sand trap". This 40-foot-long (12 m) sand pit has been placed to slow or stop a car. In the wake of Scott Kalitta's death at Englishtown, NJ in 2008, the sand traps have been made longer and deeper, going from three feet deep to six feet deep and from 40 feet (12 m) long to 80 feet (24 m) long. Anchors for any arresting netting must be buried underground with no obstructing posts.

Some of the newest safety features deal with the tracks themselves. In the wake of Kalitta's death, there are now heavily padded retaining walls at the end of the sand traps. These walls are able to withstand the impact of a vehicle traveling at well over the usual speed of any division within the NHRA's professional categories. These retaining walls take the place of the old rubber polymer safety nets that were once held up with concrete posts.

Another safety modification was a direct result of Kalitta's death. The NHRA began installing a sensor that constantly checks the car's engine, and should the car backfire at any time during the race, or if the burst panel is blown out by an engine explosion, the fuel pump shuts off and the parachutes are deployed automatically. Although several drivers in the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions have stated their dislike for the new sensor, they do admit that it should cut down on any fatal crashes similar to Kalitta's. This device was developed by Force, Kenny Bernstein, and Tony Schumacher, along with NHRA racing development, and NHRA track safety. It was implemented at the start of the 2009 season. The sensor is used only in the Funny Car and Top Fuel divisions. Pro Stock doesn't use nitromethane or superchargers in their engines and this presents a much-reduced risk of the massive explosions that can be seen in the nitromethane-fueled cars—and often at their peak speeds.

Prior to the late 1980s, fans could station themselves up to the guardrails so they could be closer to the action. However, in the wake of several rather dramatic accidents on track, where spectators have been injured or killed, fans are no longer allowed within 75 feet (23 m) of the guardrail.

One of the newest safety requirements came after a near-fatal crash at Texas MotorplexinEnnis, Texas, when John Force's car experienced a severe case of tire shake which, coupled with the release of his parachutes, ripped his car cleanly in two directly behind the engine. This frame failure exposed him to severe injury with no body or frame in front of his feet, as the severely damaged vehicle ground to a halt. The rules now prevent the use of hardened chrome moly tubing in the framework construction of any Top Fuel or Funny Car.

The track length for nitromethane-powered vehicles (funny cars and fuel dragsters) has been reduced to 1,000 feet (305 meters), to reduce the likelihood and severity of blower and engine explosions and fires at or above 200 miles per hour. All other classes continue to race a full 1320-foot quarter mile (402 meters) which has been the original distance established by the NHRA in the 1950s.

The 2010 season brought a new safety device to Top Fuel classes. Should the driver be rendered unable to perform the normal shutdown sequence at the conclusion of a run, a pair of redundant transmitters, placed 400 feet (120 m) and 600 feet (180 m) past the finish line, will signal an on-board receiver to automatically shut off ignition power and fuel to the engine and deploy the parachutes. The transmitters are designed and placed so as to avoid inadvertent triggering of the automated shutoffs.^[11] These transmitters and the receivers that are placed on all cars were designed by NHRA's Track Safety Committee and constructed by Electrimotion,^[12] and are a direct result of Kalitta's death.

Within the safety requirements, there is also a full crew of safety personnel, called the Safety Safari, whose job is to attend to any fires, clean up the track of debris after an accident on the track, and attend to the drivers prior to the arrival of any medical personnel. The Safety Safari has been in place since the late 1960s, after a rash of on-track accidents caused several promising drivers to retire early. Since that time the chance of fatal injuries has been decreased but not eliminated. There is also a full staff of EMTs on hand at any event on the schedule at any given time. These EMTs are usually from the city or county the track is located in, and are compensated by the NHRA for their time and efforts. Aeromedical services are also on hand at the track for airlifting severely injured persons to local hospitals or trauma centers if necessary.^{[citation needed]}

The original "Drag Safari" began their tour across America in 1954. Included were four original members: Bud Coons, Bud Evans, Eric Rickman and Chic Cannon.

Although there are several safety procedures in place to prevent fatal accidents, no amount of safety can completely prevent fatalities on the track. These are notable incidents that took place at NHRA national events or in pre or post race testing after national events.

Auto Club Raceway at Pomona

1971

Brainerd International Raceway

1983

Indianapolis Raceway Park

1996

Indianapolis Raceway Park

1996

Gateway International Raceway

2004

Gainesville Raceway

2007

Englishtown, NJ

2008

Englishtown, NJ

2010

Pacific Raceways

2010

• Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
• International Hot Rod Association
• National Electric Drag Racing Association
• United States Hot Rod Association
• Santa Ana Drags
• Pro Street

remove redundant links to "2011" points list.

• Official website
• Official NHRA Drag Racing Podcasts^{[permanent dead link]}
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