1981 Winston World Finals Pro Stock Round 1

Flashback to the 1981 Winston World Finals. Here is first round of the last NHRA Pro Stock race before the 500 cubic inch era. You'll see Lee Shepherd, Harry Scribner, Gene Fasching, Andy Mannarino, John Hagen, Pat Musi, Gary Hansen, Bob Ingles, Don Coonce, David Hutchens, Pete Smith, Frank Iaconio, Mark Yuill, Terry Sherrill, Roy Hill, and Bob Glidden in side by side action!

drag racing from Santa Pod Dragway in England

Yours truly is thinking of recapping some classic drag racing from Europe, that took place during the 1990s, the early ‘90s at Santa Pod Dragway in Bedfordshire, England.  As to when that will happen, I have not decided as of yet, but, it will be posted here in some way, shape or form.  Stay tuned.

1991 NHRA California Nationals

From Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California, ESPN Speedworld covers the 1991 California Nationals with Dave McLelland and Steve Evans calling all the action.  Watch out for “Pontiac Jack”, Jack Ostrander, and a massive engine explosion and subsequent crash he suffered during qualifying.  Scary, scary stuff, and Ostrander was taken to the hospital for treatment, thankfully surviving the accident.  He left the hospital on the night of the accident, recovered from his burns, and raced again.

1991 NHRA Le Grandnational

The 1991 Le Grandnational, as the NHRA moves north of the border into Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with The Nashville Network and Diamond P Sports providing the coverage as Steve Evans, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, and Brock Yates, have the race call. 

1991 NHRA Springnationals

The 1991 NHRA Springnationals from National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio.  Dave McLelland and Steve Evans call the action for ESPN Speedworld. 

What’s next? Anything Else?

Yours truly is not at all sure where the future of this blog is going to go.  I have exhausted a lot of ideas about drag racing and do hope to find more to fill posts on The Quarter Mile.  For now though, it seems I have run out of ideas.  We may have pulled the parachute on this one, for the time being.  If there is more inspiration that comes from drag racing, I will surely let you all know about it.  Take care, for now.

1991 NHRA Winston Invitational

From Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina, the annual NHRA non points dash for cash, the Winston Invitational.  Diamond P Sports and The Nashville Network cover the action with Brock Yates, Steve Evans, and “Big Daddy” Don Garlits on the play by play.

Don Garlits, 87, Sets Another Speed Record in Electric Dragster

189.38 miles per hour, is a new speed record for an electric dragster, set by none other than the man himself, at the age of 87, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits.  Swamp Rat 38 is his newest race car.

https://www.onallcylinders.com/2019/07/22/don-garlits-87-sets-another-speed-record-in-electric-dragster/?fbclid=IwAR3A_hdp_ldZRWDchg9vLVs5Jn6xIvqFIW5Ox1JE6loa4pNSOvsRFjdsd_U

NHRA’s Greatest Races: 1982 U.S. Nationals

Another episode of NHRA’s Greatest Races.  This one features the 1982 running of the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Indiana.  Host Bill Stephens sets the scene, drag racing commentator and historian Bob Frey adds to the story, and in the commentary box, we have the dynamic Diamond P Sports duo of Dave McLelland, and Steve Evans.

1989 NHRA Supernationals

The second event of the 1989 NHRA season, the Supernationals at Houston Raceway Park in Houston, Texas.  ESPN Speedworld provides the coverage, with Dave McLelland and Steve Evans calling the racing action.

1989 NHRA Gatornationals

The 1989 NHRA Gatornationals from Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, the fourth race of the season.  ESPN SpeedWorld has the action, with Dave McLelland and Steve Evans on play by play. 

1988 IHRA Fall Nationals

From Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee, it's the penultimate race of the 1988 IHRA season, the Fall Nationals.  John Lundberg, Bret Kepner, and Pat Patterson, call the action for ESPN Speedworld.

1991 NHRA Arizona Nationals

Round two of the 1991 NHRA Winston Drag Racing season, the Motorcraft Ford Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona.  Diamond P Sports, The Nashville Network, and American Sports Cavalcade, provide final round eliminations action from the race anchored by Brock Yates, Steve Evans, and “Big Daddy” Don Garlits.

1990 NHRA Mid South Nationals

The 1990 NHRA Mid South Nationals from Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tennessee, the home of the Delta blues.  Brock Yates and Steve Evans, two greats of motorsports broadcasting, along with one of the great champions of the sport, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, call the action for American Sports Cavalcade on The Nashville Network. 

1991 IHRA Speed Pro/Loctite Spring Nationals

From Bristol Dragway in the high altitude of the Blue Ridge mountains in Bristol, Tennessee, the 1991 IHRA Speed Pro/Loctite Spring Nationals.  ESPN Speedworld has the coverage.  Bob Varsha and Ted Jones call the racing action, while Bret Kepner does so, down in the pits and the staging lanes.

1990 NHRA Supernationals

From Houston Raceway Park in Houston, Texas, here is the 1990 NHRA Supernationals.
Race number three of the 1990 NHRA Winston Drag Racing championship season.  ESPN Speedworld covers the action, and Dave McLelland and Steve Evans providing the play by play.  Sorry to say that the quality of the video isn’t the best.  Keep an eye out at the beginning of the telecast, for three major incidents, as Top Fuel pilots Jimmy Nix, and Connie Kalitta suffer devastating crashes, and emerge from them.  Kalitta had severe injuries and would be taken to the hospital.  His son, Scott Kalitta, also, grenades an engine in his nitro funny car.

NHRA's Greatest Races 1979 World Finals

Check out another episode of NHRA's Greatest Races.  This one is the 1979 World Finals at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California.  We join host Bill Stephens, and also, Dave McLelland and Steve Evans, calling the action. 

1988 NHRA Cajun Nationals

The fifth race of the 1988 NHRA drag racing season, the Cajun Nationals, from State Capitol Dragway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  ESPN Speedworld has the coverage, anchored by Dave McLelland and Steve Evans. 

1990 IHRA Snap On Tools U.S. Open Nationals

From Darlington International Dragway in Darlington, South Carolina, it's the finale of the 1990 IHRA season, the Snap On Tools U.S. Open Nationals.  For ESPN Speedworld, Bob Varsha, Ted Jones, and Bret Kepner, call all the action of the season finale, highlighting Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Modified.

1990 IHRA Summit Shootouts

It is the “All-Star Game” of IHRA drag racing.  The season finale of the 1990 IHRA season, looking primarily at Pro Stock and Pro Modified classes, but also including the nitro cars, Top Fuel, and Funny Car.  Not only that, but there is also action in Top Alcohol Funny Car, and Stock Eliminator. The racing action takes place at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee, on ESPN Speedworld.  Bob Marsha, Ted Jones, and Bret Kepner, call all the action.

What comes next?

Yours truly has run out of ideas for this blog at the moment as far as classic drag races from the past to cover.  Hoping to find more inspiration for events that have not been covered much less even found just yet.  It is hard to say how much more inspiration will come, if any.  A search will continue for classic drag racing video footage across the many decades of the history of the sport.  Stay tuned, should there be anything that arises.  The thunder of drag racing is an amazing thing, and well, yours truly is hopeful to find more ideas to illustrate it right here on this blog, but the fuel tank has currently run dry in the ideas department.  Good thing ideas are not as expensive as barrels of nitro to power the dragsters that are so much a part of what this blog has been all about every Friday since 2016.  Hopeful of finding more ideas.  Stay tuned.

1995 IHRA Parts Pro Super Nationals

The second event of the 1995 International Hot Rod Association season, the Parts Pro Super Nationals at Alabama International Dragway in Steele, Alabama.  Bob Varsha, Ted Jones, and Bret Kepner, call the racing action on ESPN Speedworld.

1990 Springnationals

The 1990 running of the NHRA Springnationals from National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio.  Dave McLelland and Steve Evans call the action for ESPN Speedworld. 

1988 NHRA Seafair Nationals

The second annual NHRA Performance Corner Seafair Nationals at Seattle International Raceway in Seattle, Washington in 1988.  Dave McLelland, and Steve Evans call the racing action, for ESPN SpeedWorld. 

1980 NHRA U.S. Nationals

The 1980 NHRA U.S. Nationals from Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Indiana.  Dave McLelland and Steve Evans, call the action for Diamond P Sports.

1988 IHRA Spring Nationals

From 1988: the IHRA Spring Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee.  Let’s join ESPN Speedworld, and commentators Jon Lundberg, Bret Kepner, and Pat Patterson, for all the action.

1975 NHRA US Nationals

Re-posting the 1975 running of the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park, with Chris Economaki providing commentary on ABC's Wide World of Sports.

1976 NHRA World Finals

The 1976 running of the NHRA World Finals at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California, with commentators Dave McLelland and Frank Farino providing the play by play.

1987 NHRA Keystone Nationals

From Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania, the 1987 edition of the NHRA Keystone Nationals. Dave McLelland and Steve Evans call all the action.  Check it out.

NHRA's Greatest Races: 1984 Gatornationals

Host Bill Stephens takes you on a journey back in time to the 1984 NHRA Gatornationals, and for '84, let's join our pals Dave McLelland and Steve Evans for coverage of this race.  Note the revolutionary designs, and coming speed records, from legends "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Joe Amato, and Kenny Bernstein. 

1972 NHRA Supernationals

Home video someone took of the 1972 NHRA Supernationals held in Ontario, California, recorded on 8mm film, from YouTube user Doug Gordon.  The following, is Gordon's description of the video.

An 8mm movie shot at the 1972 Supernationals in Ontario, CA. Titled and edited using literal cut-and-paste methods. Covers T/F and Funny Car qualifying and eliminations and the first 5-second run at a sanctioned event.

1981 NHRA Springnationals

The 1981 NHRA Spring Nationals from National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio. 

1984 IHRA Spring Nationals

From Bristol International Dragway (Thunder Valley Dragway), in Bristol, Tennessee, it is the 1984 IHRA Spring Nationals. The program is presented by Mizlou Sports.  Mike Hogewood hosts the coverage along with former pro Funny Car driver, Dick Rosberg.  Ralph Hamilton calls the action in the pits.

1984 NHRA Winternationals

The opening event of the 1984 NHRA season, the Winternationals at the L.A. County Fairplex in Pomona, California.  The TV coverage for this event, leaves a lot to be desired, however, according to the description of the uploader of this particular video.

1987 NHRA Fall Nationals (Nitro Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster, & Competition Eliminator + Top Fuel, Top Alcohol Funny Car, & Pro Stock)

From the 1987 Fall Nationals at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona, here is the coverage of nitro funny car as well as two of the sportsman categories, Top Alcohol Dragster, and Competition Eliminator.

The second broadcast from Phoenix, showcasing  Top Fuel, Top Alcohol Funny Car, and Pro Stock.  For both broadcasts, we have Steve Evans and Paul Page, calling the action. 

1980 NHRA Winternationals

The opening race of the 1980 NHRA season, the Winternationals at the L.A. County Fairplex in Pomona, California.  Calling the action is the Dean of American auto racing journalism, Chris Economaki.

NHRA Today final episode

The final episode of NHRA Today, a show dedicated to the world of drag racing, hosted by the late, great, Steve Evans and featuring other personalities of drag racing at the time, that ran from 1991-1999.  Evans is joined by Dave McLelland, Frank Hawley, Bob Frey, and Jason Baffrey for this curtain closer of the show at the John Force charity event.  Enjoy.