Some would call it the most massive upset in NHRA history. Others would simply call it the magic of the NHRA US Nationals. You are about to see semi-final and final round action from the 21st running of “The Nationals”. This includes some amazing racing, awesome people, and it is all hosted by Chris Economacki which leads us to believe that the footage was aired as part of the Wide World of Sports coverage of the event.
The upset comes in the funny car category but you are going to see the finals in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Bike, Modified (which is insane), Pro Stock, Super Stock, and Pro Comp.
Don Prudhomme was at the literal height of his powers during this time frame. He had not lost an NHRA national event in over a year and was absolutely destroying on the match race circuit and wherever he showed up. But as we are to see, all things have to end sometime and when they do, it’s hard on not just the driver but everyone involved. The footage of Snake’s wife in the tow truck is pretty awesome and rare for the era when cameras weren’t typically able to get such intimate reactions to the events of the moment.
This is really awesome.
“1000 horse power turbo charged engines”…..lol
Great video find. Chris Economacki as excited as it seems he is at one point in the video does mention turbocharged but then at another point during the semifinal match in Top Fuel of Jerry Ruth and Richard Tharpe he does say supercharged,
Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro comp (with Pro Comp now referred to as Alcohol Dragster and Alcohol Funny Cars) are definitely supercharged with the exception of the Injected Nitro Dragsters in Top Alcohol Dragster class of todays Drag Racing.
The Nitro Dragsters and Funny Cars were probably closer to the 2000 to 2500 horsepower range back in the mid to late 1970’s than the 1000 hp he describes but this is a good historical racing video find.
Pro Stock final sounded like a couple of Nitro fueled cars racing and the Fuel Bikes final was great.