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Historic Drag Video: Amazing 8MM Footage of National Challenge ’72 – Every Pro Legend You Can Imagine!!


Historic Drag Video: Amazing 8MM Footage of National Challenge ’72 – Every Pro Legend You Can Imagine!!

Forty years ago this coming weekend, the greatest protest drag race ever staged was run at what was then called Tulsa International Raceway. Don Garlits and the PRA (Professional Racers Association) along with Jim Tice teamed up to run the biggest drag race in the country on exactly the same weekend as the 18th US Nationals at Indy. They called it National Challenge ’72 and it featured amazingly rich purses for the era, with professional class winners pocketing more than $30,000 prior to contingency money from car sponsors. The point of the race in the larger scheme of things was for Garlits and the PRA to force the hand of Wally Parks to up purses at NHRA races for pro competitors. Jim Tice like to stick it to the larger NHRA whenever possible, so we’re guessing his motivation was to put the screws to Wally as well.

The race was not a financial winner for Tice or the organizers. The crowds simply didn’t show up like they needed, but the racers did. This was one of the great all around fields in the history of the sport and in this video you will see virtually every legendary drag racer from the golden age of the 1960s and early 1970s in action. Pro Stockers include Jenkins, Don Grotheer, and a host of others. You’ll see dozens of funny cars with Mongoose, the Hawaiian, Candies and Hughes, etc. Top Fuel is especially awesome because 1972 was still a time when late slingshots were competing against rear engine cars, although the rear engine cars had asserted their dominance fully at this point. Garlits’ rear motor car is there among a few other REDs and a bunch of slingshots. There’s lots of never before seen Jenkins footage in here and for good reason. 1972 was the year Jenkins completely dominated the sport and earned as much money as Wilt Chamberlain.

THIS IS 30 MINUTES OF THE BEST 8MM DRAG VIDEO WE’VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME!

PRESS PLAY BELOW TO TRAVEL TO TULSA AND WATCH NATIONAL CHALLENGE ’72!


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