Here is a cool Broadside advertisement for a vintage looking poster that no hard core drag racing fan should live without. This unique broadside will compliment any garage or shop. Artificially aged to look and feel just like it's old (from the mid 60's). Suitable for framing or hang it just the way it is.
This poster is a novelty and is not a copy of an original. It is copyrighted and made entirely by me so you will not find this anywhere else. It truly is a one of a kind.
Makes a great gift for any occasion.
Size: 18" x 29"
All my items come from a smoke and pet free home!
Drag Racing History
One has to look at the history of drag racing itself to discover the days of the early gassers. The first drag strip was a spin off from an event held at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats in 1949 organized by the Southern California Timing Association. This event posed cars that raced against a stopwatch. Traditionally salt flat cars were run for top speed. This posed cars for quicker acceleration.
The first dedicated drag race, the Santa Ana Drags, were held at an airfield in southern California in 1950. This race used computerized speed clocks and drew a lot of interest. Wally Parks, one of the original organizers of the Southern California Timing Association, became editor of Hot Rod magazine. He used this opportunity to promote drag racing and he started the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) in 1951 to “create order from chaos” by instituting safety rules and performance standard and legitimize the sport.3 Wally Parks became the first president of the NHRA.
The NHRA held its first race at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, CA in April 1953. Two years later the NHRA held its first National event in Great Bend, KS and called it “The Nationals.” By 1961, a second event was added in Pomona, the Winternationals. The Nationals skipped around the country at various tracks and then settled in Indianapolis in 1961 where it still resides today.
The 1956 NHRA Nationals program stated, “The Gas Coupes and Sedans are the classic hot rod of today. Cars running in this division are generally used for transportation, instead of being built for competition, and they feature hopped-up engines. Each must have a full compliment of equipment essential for legal on-the-street transportation use, and MUST satisfy the eagle-eyed technical inspectors in action at NHRA sanctioned drag strips. Four cubic-inch-to-weight divisions of this class attest to its popularity.”1
In the early days of drag racing cars were placed into categories. Custom framed cars were put into the dragster class and modified vehicles were placed into Competition Coupe, Sedan, or Roadster classes. These classes were further divided by overall weight and engine sizes. One of the more popular classifications was the Gas Coupe and Sedans. Rules called for street equipment to remain intact to include lights, horns, and windshield wipers. Engines were unlimited to include nearly any manufacturer style into any vehicle platform.
Gasser Classes
The Gas Coupe and Sedan classes had to maintain stock wheelbases and engine relocation was limited to a maximum of 10% setback from the centerline of the front spindle to the front sparkplug. Racers needed shorter wheelbases, a higher center of gravity for better weight transfer and also be an affordable car. Such cars initially ‘discovered’ were of little value to street hot rodders and the used car market. These cars included the 1940-41 Willys Coupe, 1937-41 Studebaker Coupe, the 1933 Willys Model 70, the Ford Anglia (English), and Thames.2
With a sanctioning body providing regulations and increased competition, the need for more horsepower constantly pushed the racers. The crowds drew large and near with gasser classes providing long wheelstanding launches. Southern California had several publications bringing all the drag race action to the home. Drag News, National Dragster, Drag Sport Illustrated, and Drag World all offered manufacturers advertising opportunities to reach the racers and spectators. Camshaft manufacturers began claiming in advertisements that their cam was used in the car that won each race. The next level was to use the ads as an opportunity to dare teams running different cams to race against their team. This form of publicity introduced match races against teams. Several teams used this exposure to start nationwide match race campaigns. This exposure produced a win-win-win for everyone. Such “Cam Wars” sold more publications, the fans begged for more to read, promoters hired the race teams, and the race teams received more invitations for booked events. One side note to mention, a race team consisted of most likely 2 people. This lead to the Golden Age of the gas coupes and sedans.2 With the increase in popularity came more colorful paint schemes, protruding superchargers, polished chrome components and a full time career for the teams involved.
Gasser Class Designators
The gasser classes grew as the interest in drag racing expanded. People discovered ways to incorporate large used junkyard engines into these unwanted street coupes. There was certainly a class for everyone. Cars without superchargers ran in A through K/Gas classes which covered nearly every car with every engine combination available. The lower the letter, the heavier the car, the fewer modifications to the engine, and cars used for commuting earlier in the day. The NHRA gave the supercharged or ‘blown’ cars their own classes: AA/GS through CC/GS. To my knowledge, this is the only class of cars that have ever been assigned a specific designator for the use of a supercharger.
Payment: Payment is expected within 7 days. After that, I will have to file a non paying bidder alert with eBay. Paypal only!
Shipping costs: $2.75 within the U.S.A. $5.89 for International for the first poster. $.05 cents will be charged for shipping for each additional poster.
Returns: Items may be returned if they are damaged in the mail for a poster(s) of the same kind. I've shipped thousands of posters with not 1 lost to damage in the mail. That is the reason I don't charge extra for shipping insurance.
Terms: All sales are final. By bidding on this auction, you agree to the terms set forth in this listing in it's entirety and will complete payment within the allotted time given. When payment is complete, item will be shipped the same day unless getting one custom lettered and positive feedback will be left after receiving the same. If you get the urge to leave neutral or negative feedback without first emailing me so I can work out the problem, than you will get the same. What goes around, comes around. IF YOU CANNOT ABIDE BY THESE TERMS, THAN DO NOT BID!
All posters are carefully rolled up and inserted into a postal mailing tube. Payment is to be expected within 7 days. After that, I will send eBay an unpaid item notice and all non paying bidders will be left with NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!! If you experience problems with paying, email me through this listing right away and we will try to work something out. Communication is very important to me! After the auction is over, I will send an invoice within 24 hours. If you plan on getting several posters in different auctions, email me through this listing and I will wait until they are over to send you an invoice to save you money on your shipping charges.
Delivery Time: Please allow up to 14 postal working days (not including Sundays and holidays) for delivery before emailing me. Sometimes the postal system is fast and other times it is very slow. I cannot control the delivery time. All personalized posters are shipped within 5 days following payment. All items are shipped via USPS First Class Mail only! There are NO tracking numbers for this type of delivery. If you do not receive them in this allotted time, email me so I can take care of it.
Thank you for taking the time to view my broadsides and good luck on your bidding!
Poster reads:
Aquasco Speedway
Featuring some of the "Hottest" cars in the country!
1963 A.H.R.A. Sanctioned Drag Racing
Summer Nationals
Fast Ford Racing
from Big (your name here)!
FORD VS. CHEVY
Hot Chevy Action from
(your name here) Racing Enterprises!
GASSER WARS!
3 days of the biggest meet ever held in the East!
Featuring top fuel drivers, gassers & stock classes from
around the country!
Gates Open . . . . 9:00 A.M.
Eliminations . . . . . . .1 P.M.
General Admission $1.50
Located just off of
Maryland Route 381
The "BIG ONE" June 7-8-9
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