Drag racing history question

[Mike]

The video above is about 1972 when AHRA raced at Tulsa opposite the US Nationals. The video states NHRA paid way below what they should have, so Garlits helped organize the Tulsa race.

Are there any records of how many TF/FC/PS showed up at each race? For anyone around then, especially at Indy, were many in the crowd aware of the Tulsa race at the same time? Any grumbling?

Are any important details omitted from the video that would provide additional context? Thanks.

 

[TSK]

I went to the 1972 and 1973 National Challenges. If I'm not mistaken, each class had 32 qualified cars.

 

[Just Paul]

The video above is about 1972 when AHRA raced at Tulsa opposite the US Nationals. The video states NHRA paid way below what they should have, so Garlits helped organize the Tulsa race.

Are there any records of how many TF/FC/PS showed up at each race? For anyone around then, especially at Indy, were many in the crowd aware of the Tulsa race at the same time? Any grumbling?

Are any important details omitted from the video that would provide additional context? Thanks.

I'd have to go back and re-read, but Garlits talks about it in one of his books. It's been awhile since I read it (I still have it) but I'm pretty sure they mistakenly (in hindsight) ran the Tulsa Finals on Sunday instead of Monday. That allowed racers to go to Indy and qualify on Thursday and Friday, Haul ass to Tulsa and Qualify Saturday, race Sunday, haul ass back to Indy for Monday and run both races. Other than the money, it didn't quite have the effect they wanted because of that.

 

[Butch]

Wondering if things like that has anything to do with the NHRA once you're parked, you're there till the end. But again in today's corporate influence and Semi truck car haulers it's not as easy to jockey around a rig like a Duely and Chaparral.

 

[J. S.]

There has been a lot written about Garlits' National Challenge over the years. Way to much to go into here. I would think googling around would show a number of articles about this race, and also the one that went real badly in Long Island a few years later.

I also think the "Top Fuel Handbook" by Chris Martin has at least the Top Fuel stats for the race.

 

[DG]

There is a lot of history on www.DragRaceCentral,com
Click the URL and pick the year on the left:

IHRA | Drag Race Central presented by Summitracing.com

IHRA racing results, news, photos and highlights from Drag Race Central presented by Summitracing.com

www.dragracecentral.com

 

[GumbyWVU]

Great video. So, along the lines of the historical context, who now owns the rights to AHRA and their content? Anyone??

Also, maybe Alan can answer this, but I was always curious why the NHRA didn't "absorb" the stats for drivers from their AHRA and/or IHRA competitions? Like when the NBA did so for the old ABA and the like.

 

[Mike]

NBA and ABA merged into one league, this never happened with drag racing

 

[mick]

not really topic related, but was watcing the streaming nhra channel last night and caught the
show '7 second love affair'. not sure why i've never seen it. it is incredible.
there are 2 parts and i think both are on youtube.