{"product_id":"drag-racings-rebels-match-race-mayhem-2-book-set","title":"Drag Racing's Rebels \u0026 Match Race Mayhem (2 Book Set)","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen the \u003cstrong\u003eNational Hot Rod Association (NHRA)\u003c\/strong\u003e was formed in 1951 by \u003cstrong\u003eWally Parks\u003c\/strong\u003e, the reasoning for the formation was to “create order from chaos” by instituting safety rules and performance standards that helped legitimize the sport of drag racing. Some organization was certainly necessary. A postwar boom in automotive enthusiasm was reaching new heights, and \u003cstrong\u003eHot Rod magazine\u003c\/strong\u003e and the NHRA were right in the thick of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe NHRA hosted its first drag racing event in 1953, and in 1955, the organization staged its first national event, which was simply called \u003cstrong\u003e“The Nationals.”\u003c\/strong\u003e The \u003cstrong\u003eAHRA\u003c\/strong\u003e formed in 1956 as an alternative to the NHRA, where the drivers voted on the rules (rather than sanctioning bodies and tracks), and their influence on the sport was felt almost immediately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the NHRA denied the use of \u003cstrong\u003enitromethane\u003c\/strong\u003e in 1957, the AHRA approved it. When the NHRA banned aircraft-powered dragsters in 1961, the AHRA welcomed them. When the NHRA said no to the emerging \u003cstrong\u003eFunny Car\u003c\/strong\u003e in 1965, the AHRA said yes. When fans and racers screamed for a heads-up \u003cstrong\u003eSuper Stock\u003c\/strong\u003e category in 1968, the AHRA delivered. The AHRA was called a rebel association. Some say that it was more of an association that got things done—to the delight of fans and racers. The AHRA was on equal ground with the NHRA by the 1970s, drawing enormous crowds and racer entries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this fascinating history, veteran author \u003cstrong\u003eDoug Boyce\u003c\/strong\u003e tells the story of the AHRA: the rise, the competition, the events, and the eventual downfall of the organization. After AHRA President \u003cstrong\u003eJim Tice\u003c\/strong\u003e passed away in 1982, internal fighting for control of the association resulted in its doom. Get the whole story here, and add this wonderful volume to your drag racing library\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDrag racing is a very regulated sport. In the history of the \u003cstrong\u003eNHRA, IHRA\u003c\/strong\u003e, and other sanctioning bodies, many classes existed in an effort to make sure the cars racing against each other are as equal as possible. It is a noble, if not futile, pursuit. You have two cars facing off that have very similar statistics in terms of weight, transmission type, fuel type, estimated horsepower, and all other sorts of measurables. The byproduct is that often the races that were “fair” were not the races that the fans wanted to see.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the golden age of drag racing, fans didn’t care as much about class racing as much as they wanted to see scores settled, rivalries battled, and interesting match-ups. There were the manufacturer rivalries, Ford versus Chevy, Chevy versus Mopar, Mopar versus Ford, as well as numerous driver rivalries. Match races were also a great way to feature wildly popular cars that no longer had a class in which to compete, yet the fans still wanted to see them. So popular and intense were these races that many track promoters didn’t bother to promote class racing at all. Instead, they used the match races as headliners, similar to the marquee at your local arena or a billboard in Las Vegas, all resulting in putting more fans in the stands. And the drivers loved it too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeteran drag race author \u003cstrong\u003eDoug Boyce\u003c\/strong\u003e tells the tale of the history of match racing through the cars, the drivers, the events, the classes, the rivalries, and everything else that was fun about match racing during the golden era. It’s all here, complemented by wonderful vintage photography provided by fans and professionals in attendance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eNo racing book has ever focused on this significant element of racing events during the golden era\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eMatch racing drew the biggest names, the most popular cars, and the most intense rivalries\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eExcellent vintage photography balances the text to tell the story of what many consider to be the best days of drag racing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Midlife Classic Cars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47427174531352,"sku":"KIT9781613257661\/B05288#POD","price":70.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0057\/9813\/3831\/files\/kit9781613257661b05288pod.jpg?v=1772253979","url":"https:\/\/www.midlifeclassiccars.com\/ar\/products\/drag-racings-rebels-match-race-mayhem-2-book-set","provider":"MidlifeClassicCars.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}