In the mid to late 1950’s, drag racing was squarely in its infancy stages. Wally Parks had founded the NHRA at the turn of the decade in 1951, bringing some much-needed organization to what since the invention of the automobile had just been a whole lot of hot rodders racing on the streets, dirt roads, parking lots, and anywhere else they could line their pride and joy up alongside another and manage to evade the law. During this time period, legitimate race tracks were few and far between and the machines hadn’t quite become specialized racing mounts just yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F14DgSsDdpA

This little clip, set to the tune of a couple of great time period-esque tunes, displays some of the earliest organized drag racing in the San Antonio, Texas area from the 1950’s, and is some of the better footage from that time we’ve seen. The film begins somewhat documentary style, following members of the Rebels Car Club from their pre-race adjustments to the track, where, naturally, they race both their race car and their tow vehicle. The Rebels, who at the time were part of the Alamo Timing Association and the NHRA, conducted these events for the public.

The racing seen here takes place at both the Martindale and Randolph Air Force Base runways located in San Antonio, and that fact sums up as well as any other how much our world has changed in the last 50-plus years. Can you imagine the United States Air Force approving public drag racing on one of their runways today? Kick back and enjoy this old school flick from back when the world was a simpler place and drag racing was just a bunch of kids having fun.