GLENDORA, Calif. (Jan. 5, 2010) – Take a step down memory lane as NHRA, in cooperation with long-time announcer, television commentator and author, Bill Stephens, relives the great history of NHRA’s most memorable events in a 13-week series entitled “NHRA’s Greatest Races” presented by ProCare Rx. NHRA’s Greatest Races airs each Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in all time zones for 13 consecutive weeks. The first show aired on Sunday, Jan. 3.
“This is a project I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Stephens. “Back in the 1970s and 1980s, I was that guy sitting on his couch every weekend watching tape-delayed telecasts of NHRA national events.”
NHRA’s Greatest Races has been produced to preserve and present the great history and tradition of the NHRA and its greatest heroes of the time period, focusing on the people, personalities and their performances. The 30-minute shows will highlight key stories from NHRA national event television coverage from 1972 to 1999, featuring the original race call and commentary of the legendary broadcast team of Dave McClelland and the late Steve Evans. The original footage has been selected from NHRA’s extensive video library, much of which hasn’t been broadcast for decades.
The shows also feature recent interviews with many of the drivers spotlighted in the races, who reflect on their memorable performances, along with historical commentary and personal observations from long-time NHRA announcer Bob Frey.
The series is sponsored by ProCare Rx and produced by Stephens’ production company, Ultimate Garage Productions, Inc. Each episode will be on DVD and available exclusively online at http://www.nhradvd.com/.
The schedule includes the 1982 NHRA SpringNationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio where the NHRA’s first all-female Top Fuel final round was contested between three-time world champion Shirley Muldowney and Lucille Lee; the 1978 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, featuring the dramatic Funny Car final round between Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen shortly after McEwen’s teenage son passed away from leukemia; and the 1984 NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., where Joe Amato unveiled an enormous rear wing on his Top Fuel dragster which revolutionized the performance capabilities of that category.
NHRA’s Greatest Races will reach two audiences. The long-time fans of the sport who want to relive the great history of the NHRA’s most memorable events which haven’t been seen for many years, and the new generation of fans who never got to see the legends of the sport race each other.
“I think anyone who watches this series and is a true drag racing fan will get goosebumps seeing the old footage and so many legendary stars racing head-to-head at the peak of their careers,” said Stephens.
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