Drag Racing's Quarter-Mile Warriors II & Drag Racing in the 1960s 2 Book Set

Drag racing fans have a fondness for the drag cars that competed during the sport’s golden era (from the late 1950s through the 1970s). The cars were simpler to understand and, in many classes, were similar to cars that people saw on the street. A Pro Stock car in the early 1970s resembled a street car with big slicks and a massive engine. Today’s Pro Stock cars look more like fighter jets than street cars. The newer cars just aren’t as relatable as those from the past.

With the evolution of technology and the sanctioning bodies constantly changes class rules, drag cars often don’t last very long before they are no longer competitive or a sanctioning body has outlawed the tech that the car features. So, what happens to all of these old race cars? Some sit in a shed, some are dismantled and parted out, and some still race in small events or vintage events across the country.

In Drag Racing’s Quarter-Mile Warriors: Volume II, prolific veteran drag racing author Dog Boyce chronicles even more of the most popular cars from the sport’s golden era. Rail cars, Funny Cars, Altereds, Junior Stocks, and Super Stocks are all covered here―more than 80 of them in a “then and now” format. A blend of vintage and modern photos tell the story of the racing lives of these cars.

Drag racing has a long and storied history. Many have said that the first drag race happened shortly after the second car was made. While that may or may not be true, racing prior to World War II was mostly centered around dry-lake activities and top-speed runs. After the war, drag racing became organized with the formation of the NHRA, and during the 1950s, many tracks were built across
America to accommodate the racers. Technology in the 1950s centered on the manufacturers updating old flathead designs into newer overhead-valve designs, and the horsepower race really started to heat up.

 In many forms of racing, the 1960s brought technological evolution. The decade began with big engines in even bigger stock chassis and ended with purpose-built race-only chassis, fiberglass bodies, fuel injection, nitro methane, and blowers. Quarter-mile times that were in the 13-second range in the beginning of the decade were in the 7-second range by the end. New classes were formed, dedicated cars were built for them, and many racers themselves became recognized names in the sports landscape.

 In Drag Racing in the 60s: The Evolution in Race Car Technology, veteran author Doug Boyce takes you on a ride through the entire decade from a technological point of view rather than a results-based one. Covered are all the classes, including Super Stocks, Altered Wheelbase cars (which led to Funny Cars), Top Fuelers, Gassers, and more.

 • This is a fascinating look at drag racing’s technological evolution 

 • The 60s saw the greatest advancement in technology in all forms of racing 

 • Filled with never-before-published vintage photography