A Brief Look at the History of Drag Racing

Stephen Day is the president of LGI Transport, LLC. He also is CEO of Logistics Group International, a logistics company based in Houston, Texas. Stephen Patrick Day’s interests include fast cars, fast boats, and NHRA Drag Racing.

National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a body responsible for organizing drag races for competitors at drag strips all across the country. Drag racing started in the California deserts in the 1930s. The phenomenon began to spread in the 1940s, and the first organized drag racing event happened in 1949 at the Goleta Air Base, California. Drag racing continued to evolve, and the NHRA was founded in 1951. The organization began to serve as a regulator and event organizer.

In the 1960s, the sport of drag racing improved. Instead of the traditional man standing in the middle of the cars to start races, the sport began to use an electronic lighting system. Ford and Chrysler also got more involved in the sport as they battled to make cars suited for drag racing. A serious accident involving a driver named Don Garlit happened in the 1970s. Consequently, he invented a new type of drag racing car with its engine at the back.

From here on, drag racing’s modern shape began to form. The sport got bigger, attracting more sponsors. The NHRA marked its 50th anniversary in 2001. In 2020, the organization began a multi-year agreement with FOX Sports to broadcast its events. In the same year, the NHRA collaborated with Camping World for the fastest motorsports event globally, the NHRA Camping World Drag Race Series.