NHRA Nationals Hits 50It was pretty crude by today's standards, but when the National Hot Rod Association held America's first national drag race in Great Bend, Kansas, in 1955, it was an enormous undertaking and an historical moment, beginning drag racing's ascension from a disreputable hot rod pastime to a recognized motorsport on the level of Indy racing and Formula One. This year marks the 50th running of the oldest ongoing drag race in history, the NHRA Nationals. Now called the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, this historically significant race rolls into Indianapolis Raceway Park on Labor Day Weekend in September. This will be the race everybody wants to win, and more than 1,000 competitors are expected to show up in Indy for this event. In honor of a half-century of hot rod racing, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals will showcase 50 of the most significant cars in NHRA history, from today's mega-buck pro dragsters to the early hot rods that were the beginning of this whole thing.
Cyber Roddin'Wake up, kids. It's time for another field trip through cyberspace. This trio of Internet attractions offers something for every hot rodder's taste. Right?
This relatively small Web site is dedicated to the racing career of "TV Tommy" Ivo. Ivo was a popular actor as a boy and young man, appearing in hundreds of movies and TV shows, which provided him with a taste of fame and a nickname he never shook. As an adult, he shifted his attention to drag racing and raced Top Fuelers and Funny Cars, most of them powered by Buick engines. The site features a magazine clipping profile of Ivo, a short biography by journalist Rick Voegelin, and a photo gallery of some of his better-known drag cars, including his most famous ride of all, Showboat, powered by four Buick engines.
Join the Clubwww.clubhotrod.com
With 100 drag racing photos, 127 buildup shots, more than 500 car show pix, and 2,700 photos of club member cars, the Gallery section of the Club Hot Rod site is worth the visit. Of course there's more to the site than that: classifieds and a forum and discussion site dedicated to hot rods, classic cars, and street rods. The forums are divided into numerous message board categories-including manufacturers' info, stuff for sale, clubs, drag racing, engines, and many others. Check it out as another place to glean some useful tech info from fellow rodders and to share your own advice and opinions.
Featured Artist: Jeff Norwellwww.jeffnorwell.com