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Drag racing and its impact on the motorsports world


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#1 Joe Fan

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Posted 06 September 2001 - 01:32

Some recent threads on drag racing got me to wondering (which sometimes isn't a real productive thing.;)). I wonder how much drag racing has impacted the motorsports world. I'd say that it has had more of an impact than one would believe. I am sure that there have been some innovations that have made its way into the mainstream motorsports world of F1, IndyCar and NASCAR. But I am not real sure as to what these would be, slicks possibly?

I do know that Richard Petty drag raced sometime during the 1960's, anybody out there got a pic of his car?

And from my own personal endeavors, I know that Masten Gregory's interest in motorsports started out drag racing on the streets. I am sure that quite a few other American drivers interests in racing started out hod rodding and drag racing on the streets too. Side note, I recently was able to talk to one of Masten's drag racing buddies the other day. And he told me some good stories. There is a street in Kansas City that they used to drag race on that was a desolate area away from all the police. This street (Troost) was uphill and they used to race up the hill and someone would stand at the top of the hill to watch for the cops and serve as a start/finish line. He vividly remembers Masten asking him all the time in his drawl, "Jerry, you wanna go to Twoost and wace?

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#2 FordPrefect

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Posted 06 September 2001 - 10:15

Petty's drag car, pretty primitive by todays standards but
here it is.

I still think Chrysler could have spent a bit more on the hood scoop :rolleyes:

#3 William Dale Jr

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Posted 07 September 2001 - 10:35

Just so I have this straight in my mind, was Petty's drag racing backed by Chrysler or was it just something run out of the Petty Enterprises shop while Chrysler forced them to sit out of NASCAR?

#4 Joe Fan

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Posted 07 September 2001 - 20:15

William, I think Petty's car was backed by Chrysler.

Thanks for posting that pic Ford Prefect!:up:

#5 Rainer Nyberg

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Posted 07 September 2001 - 20:24

Danny Ongais was a successful dragracer before turing his attention to curves and bends as well.

He competed in NHRA drag racing for 10+ years.

In 1965 Danny became the first driver to exceed 200mph on a European track. He took his last US National Funny Car title in 1969. He also has the honour of beeing granted the NHRA Drag Racing Licence #1 in 1964.

Danny would later become an icon in Indycars. His friend Ted Field usually backed him with Interscope sponsorship.

He was also seen in Formula One and Group 5/IMSA Porsches.

#6 biercemountain

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Posted 07 September 2001 - 23:05

Speaking of drag racing, does anybody have an idea of what a current F1 car would do in the quarter mile?