“It’s a great start but we really feel like it’s just the tip of the iceberg,” said Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president of sales and marketing. “As awareness for the 60 Greatest Moments campaign continues to grow, and as the debate ramps up among our passionate and engaged fans with every step we get closer to determining the greatest moment, we would anticipate that the interest and participation-level of our fans will get that much more intense.”
- Wally Parks founds NHRA (1951)
- First NHRA sanctioned event (1953)
- Founding of NHRA Safety Safari (1954)
- 1955 Indy Top Eliminator: Calvin Rice wins the first U.S. Nationals
- National DRAGSTER founded (1960)
- U.S. Nationals moves to permanent home at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indy (1961)
- Christmas tree introduced (1963)
- End of nitro ban returns fuel to sport (1964)
- “Big Daddy” Don Garlits cracks 200 mph barrier (1964)
- Shirley Shahan first woman to win NHRA event (1966)
- 1967 Indy Top Fuel: Big Daddy shaves
- Wally trophy introduced (1969)
- Funny Car class introduced (1969)
- Mattel sponsorship opens door to corporate involvement (1970)
- 1970 Indy Top Fuel final: The Crash
- Garlits wins in debut of rear-engine dragster (1971)
- 1971 Indy Top Fuel final: The Burndown
- Jim Dunn wins in rear-engine Funny Car (1972)
- Mike Snively makes first five-second Top Fuel pass (1972)
- Winston partnership (1975)
- Garlits’ 5.63 at 250.69 at World Finals considered by many greatest run ever (1975)
- Don “The Snake” Prudhomme records first Funny Car five-second run (1975)
- Shirley Muldowney first women to win in Top Fuel (1976, Columbus)
- Prudhomme wins seven of eight national events (1976)
- Muldowney first female world champ (1977)
- Bob Glidden unbeaten for calendar year (1978-79)
- 1978 Indy Funny Car final: Mongoose bites Snake
- Allen wins dramatic 1981 Top Fuel crown by two mph
- 1982 Springnationals Top Fuel final all-female final
- Don Prudhomme first 250-mph Funny Car pass (1982)
- Connie Kalitta vs. Shirley Muldowney (1982 U.S. Nationals)
- Prudhomme makes arguably greatest Funny Car run of all time (1982, Indy)
- Big Daddy makes his return to Indy (1984, Indy)
- Building of Texas Motorplex, first stadium dragstrip (1986)
- Glidden first to reach 50 career wins (1986)
- Don Garlits’ big blowover (1986, Englishtown)
- Entire national event schedule on television for first time (1986)
- Gene Snow records first NHRA four-second run (1988)
- Joe Amato edges Gary Ormsby in closest Top Fuel finish (1990)
- Pat Austin first double winner (1991 Topeka)
- Kenny Bernstein breaks 300-mph barrier (1992, Gatornationals)
- First Hot Rod Reunion organized (1992)
- Jr. Drag Racing League founded (1992)
- 4-second, 300-mph Funny Car barriers broken on same weekend (1993)
- Kurt Johnson (6.988) records first Pro Stock six-second run (1994)
- Kenny Bernstein first to win championships in Top Fuel and Funny Car (1996)
- John Force first NHRA driver named Driver of the Year (1996)
- Warren Johnson (200.13 mph) records first Pro Stock 200-mph run (1997)
- NHRA Museum opened (1998)
- Coke partnership (2001)
- Bernsteins first father-son share winner's circle (Las Vegas 2001)
- Lucas Oil becomes NHRA Sportsman Series sponsor (2002)
- John Force’s 100th victory (2002 Houston-2)
- Andrew Hines (6.991) records first Pro Stock Motorcycle six-second run (2005)
- Tony Schumacher wins title with “The Run” (2006, NHRA Finals)
- Ashley Force Hood wins first career race in Atlanta (2008)
- Schumacher breaks all Top Fuel season records (2008)
- Countdown introduced (2007)
- Four-Wide national event at zMAX Dragway (2010)
- John Force comeback, wins 15th championship (2010)
