{"product_id":"quarter-mile-corvettes-drag-racings-rebels-2-book-set","title":"Quarter-Mile Corvettes \u0026 Drag Racing's Rebels 2 Book Set","description":"\u003cp\u003eRe-live Corvette’s early years at the drag strip!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFamously known as “America’s sports car,” the Chevrolet Corvette came to market in 1953. That same year, the newly established National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) hosted its first event. The Corvette was not intended for quarter-mile drag racing, and it appeared to be completely at odds with the sport. Early equipment included an underpowered Blue Flame 6-cylinder motor and automatic transmission. However, the two have become forever entwined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Corvette brought an element of class and style to drag racing. In the showroom and on the street, it has always been unique. It is truly American. Likewise, the uniqueness that sets it apart from everything else also meant that it had no natural competition on the drag strip. However, that fact didn’t dampen enthusiasm. Indeed, the NHRA and other governing bodies introduced Sports Car divisions in the late 1950s, catering to both stock and modified vehicles. Naturally, these classes were packed with Corvettes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRacing historian Steve Holmes breaks new ground by unearthing the complete early history of the Corvette in drag racing. Quarter-Mile Corvettes focuses on the period from 1953 to 1975, which spans the first two decades of Corvette V-8 production. Fittingly, this was also the era considered by many to be the greatest in drag racing’s history, and Corvettes encapsulated the vibrancy of the period in a way that will never be repeated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCertainly, Chevrolet never intended for the Corvette to become a quarter-mile terror, but today, its nameplate has become one of the longest running in all of drag racing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\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","brand":"Midlife Classic Cars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48257949794584,"sku":"KIT9781613258040\/9781613257661","price":60.12,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0057\/9813\/3831\/files\/kit97816132580409781613257661.jpg?v=1772255456","url":"https:\/\/www.midlifeclassiccars.com\/cs\/products\/quarter-mile-corvettes-drag-racings-rebels-2-book-set","provider":"MidlifeClassicCars.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}