A couple weeks ago we tipped you off to an awesome photo tour of Don Garlits’ Florida race shop from 1971. The photos were shot by an English photographer named Roger Phillips. As it turns out, Phillips was on a hell of a trip in 1971 and another massive collection of his photos have hit the web, this time documenting the 1971 NHRA Supernationals held at Ontario Motor Speedway in California.
The early 1970s was a very interesting era for the NHRA and the state of drag racing in general. More groundshaking changes happened in that era than in any other in the sport’s more than 50 years of history. From the mechanical evolution of top fuel dragsters to the creation of Pro Stock and the clear separation of “professional” and “sportsman categories, the NHRA was forming itself into what we see it to look like today.
Andy Barrack penned the text of this story, which is an awesome detailed account of the race, class by class. There are some great inside stories from guys like Butch Leal and a true blow by blow accounting of the race. 1971 represented the end for classes like Top Gas as stand along entities. They were rolled into Competition Eliminator in 1972 and faded quickly into the darkness behind the top shelf pro categories.
There are dozens of previously unpublished photos in this story and they are all great. Seeing Jeb Allen at age 17 receiving the “best engineered” award from Wally Parks is pretty awesome along with all of the action photos of some of drag racing’s most iconic car.
Kudos to Andy Barrack for the story and the world of drag racing owes Roger Phillips a big thank you for sharing all of his photos for the world to see!
BITCHIN’ LINK: THE 1971 NHRA SUPERNATIONALS – HISTORICAL STORIES AND PHOTOS!
This is absolutely awesome. It’s cool to see a pic of the father-in-law … I’ve give you a hint: lamb chops!