The Program, highlighting NHRA’s 60th anniversary, has been exclusive to NHRA’s Facebook Page and generated more than 6.7M impressions, 25K fan interactions
GLENDORA, Calif. (Aug. 9, 2011) – There have been so many great and memorable moments in NHRA’s 60-year history, it’d be awfully difficult to pick just one as the greatest of the great, but that’s exactly the challenge NHRA presented to the more than a quarter of a million fans of its Facebook page.
And one of the most engaged and socially connected fan bases in all of sports has not disappointed – the season-long program, executed exclusively on NHRA’s Facebook page, has generated more than 6.7 million impressions and 28,000 fan-interactions – setting the table for what will surely be an even more highly engaging and intensely debated final couple of months of NHRA’s historic 60th anniversary season.
Sixteen Moments, including Bob Glidden’s Calendar-Year Winning Streak in 1976, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits blowover in Englishtown in 1986, Kenny Bernstein’s 300-mph-breaking run in Gainesville in 1992, Tony Schumacher’s “The Run” in 2006, and John Force’s comeback to win his record 15th championship after the devastating accident in Dallas are already safely in the Top 20.
Meanwhile, some other memorable moments, like Tom “Mongoose” McEwen’s unforgettable and emotional Mac Tools U.S. Nationals win against rival Don “The Snake” Prudhomme after his son’s death in 1978, are on the outside looking in. That moment, based on the weighted ‘likes’ system used to calculate the fan voting, is currently the 28th ranked moment on the list with four moments, including Prudhomme’s 5.63 at the 1982 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals that many believe was one of the greatest runs ever, still remaining to be unveiled between now and Aug. 17.
Voting will remain open – allowing fans to go back and ‘like’ any of the original 60 Greatest Moments – through midnight ET on Saturday, Aug. 20.
Fans can visit the 60 Greatest Moments Web page for complete program details as well as to link to up-to-the-minute rankings of the Moments that have been posted (blue) – as well as the Moments that have not yet been posted (black). Fans can go there not just to view rankings and/or link back to previously posted moments, but also to view historical photos and videos that retrace every step in NHRA rich and storied history. The page also includes links to view a preview of / purchase NHRA’s “60 Greatest Moments” DVD.
Once the Top 20 have been settled, NHRA will unveil a dedicated tab on its Facebook page that will include the Top 20 Moments and instructions for fans to select their five favorites. That vote will open Monday, Aug. 22 and close Monday, Sept. 5, at which point the Top 10 Moments will be announced.
Then, beginning on Sept. 6, the dedicated voting tab on the NHRA Facebook page will reflect the Top 10 Moments as determined by the fan vote. This time, fans will only be allowed to select one moment, the moment they believe is the Greatest Moment in NHRA History.
At the conclusion of each of the first five races in the Countdown to the Championship playoff, the Moment with the least votes will be eliminated, leaving five Moments still in play entering the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals, Nov. 10-13.
Voting will close on Wednesday, Nov. 9 and the fans’ selection for the Greatest Moment in NHRA History will be unveiled during the Auto Club NHRA Finals, Sunday, Nov. 13.
Here is a current list of the Top 22 Moments as of Aug. 9: Green = Safely in the Top 20; Light Green = In Strong Position; Yellow = Last Two In; Red = First Two Out. (Note: The Moments in green, the ones that are assured of advancing, have been placed in chronological order; all other moments in order based on their ranking):
- Founding of NHRA (1951)
- “Big Daddy” Don Garlits makes NHRA's First 200-mph Run (1964)
- Snake-Mongoose Mattel Hot Wheels Sponsorship (1970)
- “Big Daddy” Don Garlits wins in debut of Rear-Engine Dragster (Pomona, 1971)
- Glidden's Calendar Year Winning Streak (1975)
- Muldowney is first Women to Win in Top Fuel (1976)
- Snake wins 7 of 8 Nat'l Events (1976)
- Muldowney is NHRA's First Female World Champ (1977)
- Muldowney def. C. Kalitta for first Indy win (1982)
- Big Daddy's Big Blowover (1986)
- KB makes NHRA's first 300-mph Run (1992)
- Force is first NHRA Driver to win Driver of the Year (1996)
- Force is first to win 100 career races (2002)
- Schumacher's "The Run" (2006)
- Ashley Force Hood is first Female Funny Car Winner (2008)
- Force Completes Comeback, Wins 15th Championship (2010)
- WJ makes first 200-mph Pro Stock Run (1997)
- Snake makes NHRA's first 250-mph Funny Car Pass (1982)
- Glidden is NHRA's First 50-Time Winner (1986)
- Snively makes first 5-second TF pass, but loses on holeshot (1972)
- Introduction of Christmas Tree (1963)
- First Six-Second Pro Stock Motorcycle Run (2003)
The 4 remaining moments / date it will be posted on NHRA’s Facebook page:
- Snake Steals Show with 5.63, 'One of the Greatest Runs Ever' (1982) / Wed. Aug. 10
- Return of Big Daddy (1984) / Friday, Aug. 12
- The First Nationals (1955) / Monday, Aug. 15
- US Nationals Moved to Permanent Home in Indy (1961) / Wed., Aug. 17
NHRA on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NHRA
NHRA 60 Greatest Moments Web page: http://www.NHRA.com/NHRA60
NHRA 60 Greatest Moments Highlight Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a-PDZZJX7ck
NHRA 60 Greatest Moments DVD: http://www.nhra.com/nhra60/DVD.html
