With corporate-backed, multi-million dollar operations comprised of rolling science labs and highly engineered racing machines ruling the front lines, professional drag racing isn’t exactly a humble sport, but it hasn’t always been that way, and if not for the humble beginnings, there’s no telling where we’d be today.

In the early 1950’s, before the era of purpose-built slingshot dragsters, gassers, altereds, and the like, hot rodders were rolling all kinds of rudimentary yet very unique contraptions out of their speed shops and barns, all in a competitive effort to outrun the next guy. In most cases, they weren’t any rules, no chassis guidelines, very little considered in the way of safety, and only old air fields to race on. It was as humble as humble gets, and as far a cry as those cars were from where we are today, it’s hard not to wish we could return to those simpler days — whether you’re old enough to have lived it or not.

As the 1960’s rolled around, thanks to the vision of figures like NHRA founder Wally Parks, drag racing became a little more organized, with classes, rules, and legitimate tracks on which to compete. Dragzine reader Richard Cardella sent over a small collection of incredible photos from these early years (most of them taken in 1961) that he photographed himself and has kept stored for more than fifty years. Little could Cardella have know that more than half a century later, all of those negatives could be shared with the world with a few clicks of these little gadgets known as a computer mouse.

This collection of images showcases just some of the variety that embodied drag racing in those days, from more purpose-built cars to altereds with wheels and tires off a truck and nothing but a roll bar (if that) between the driver and instant death. These images are just plain cool, and our thanks to Richard for sharing them with us.