There’s little argument that drag racing has, since the very beginning, been fundamentally about one racer trying to outperform the other in a side-by-side race. This has largely been accomplished by finding ways to push the performance capabilities of a vehicle higher than the next guy, and that’s been the foundation of a while different form of competition that has at times overshadowed the actual racing part of drag racing throughout history: the pursuit of records and performance barriers.
The history books contain countless moments and singular acomplishments that forever remain frozen in time. “Big Daddy” Don Garlits’ legendary win at the 1967 Nationals in which he famously shaved his beard in the winners circle, Shirley Muldowney’s first Top Fuel title in 1977, or the Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen’s emotional Indy win just a year later in 1978. Few moments like these live on, while others fade into the past.
But records: Those have staying power.
The first to break 200. The first in the sevens, the sixes, and the fives. Don Prudhomme’s crushing 5.63 at the 1982 U.S. Nationals. The first five-second Pro Mod. These are moments that are never forgotten, long after the names of those who won the races are forgotten.
Few would argue that the 1960’s and 70’s represented the best years of our sport in most respects, but but no era has been more prosperous for drag racing than the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, which not-so-ironically coincided with the breaking of major performance milestones — quite possibly the final major milestones we’ll ever see — in all three NHRA professional categories. The Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars were chasing the four-second, 300 MPH barriers, and Pro Stock was on the cusp of six seconds and 200 MPH. It was an exciting period in the sport, and it had fans across the world on the edge of their seats, hoping to witness history.
Those barriers came and went, and in the two decades that have followed, we’ve seen both less emphasis placed on records pursuits, and fewer people following drag racing. And that’s hardly a coincidence.
This hasn’t applied to just drag racing, either. Many longtime fans will recall that billet Elliot holds the all-time qualifying speed record of 210 MPH and chance at the 1987 Daytona 500. But few remember who actually won that race. (Answer: also Bill Elliot).
Fortunately, the grass roots world of doorslammer racing has kept the spirit of performance alive, and albeit on a smaller scale, the chance to see history made still mesmerizes drag racing fans.
One might say the numbers are more exciting, have more appeal, than the racing itself. What do you think?