History of Street-Legal Drag Racing, 1949 to 2013 - HOT ROD Unlimited Episode 41
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- It's been the core of grassroots hot rodding since the very beginning: you're on the street with your car, another rodder pulls alongside, and you go at, drag racing to see who has the quicker ride. Illegal street racing found its way to sanctioned tracks as early as 1949, and that's when street-driven cars began to morph into pure race cars. Yet for 65 years, hot rodders have remained interested in real street-driven cars that are also fast on the strip. In this episode of HOT ROD Unlimited, David Freiburger traces the history of street-legal drag racing, with insider information on the development of the Fastest Street Car Shootout in the '90s, the HOT ROD Pump Gas Drags in the mid-2000s, and the current challenges facing HOT ROD Drag Week
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Here's a little adventure for anyone who cares. 2 years ago I turned 16 and bought the body of a 1967 Chevelle SS396 for $150. I wanted this car to be complete so bad so I started working 3 jobs and over 90 hours a week to build it up. Over those two years I had a chassis built by Jim Meyers Racing, built a 502 BBC from a Summit Racing block with Holley EFI and a Vortech V-3 making 3psi at 6500rpm, mated it to a Muncie M-22, and threw the whole mess together. I had the interior custom made from a local shop and I'm ready to put it in. This year my dad and I are going to run our cars at Drag Week.
5 years later -- how'd it go?
Biggest regret at 25 years old is not messing around with cars as a teen, nice job man!
Never stand in the way of a kid and his dream...
EXCELLENT job of summarizing the history of street racing - well done Dave.
Can't wait to see the 2021 rulebook. David is right about the self limiting nature of DragWeek. It took 6 years for someone to brake past 6 seconds.
I have to say Im surprised that Moran, Musi, Dyer, and Danny Scott HAVENT come up with remakes of their old stuff with turbos and joined in the fun. Long live the C.A
R.S Camaros.
I'm really glad I'm not the only one seeing it on every video imaginable.
i think Larry had a good point when he proposed no fiberglass or carbon fiber chassis. asking the drivers not to tow a trailer is a rule i would like to see go in place.
great vid by the way, thank you
Freiburger, and Finn seem like two of the coolest dudes...
DragTimes Unlim 500+ is probably the closest to the original vision of street legal racing
I want a HOT ROD Drag Year!!!
Nice to hear the history and where it is today.
Thanks
Let the road be the judge leave it all as is please
"guts"? more like if you don't have the money.
Yes, that would rule out 2-seat sports cars. So far, in the video footage, I've only seen one Corvette, but I have seen many cars with back seats removed (or 1- or 2-seat tube-frame cars made to resemble car models that would normally have back seats).
Let the road be the judge!
This is what drag racing should still be
Jeff Lutz and Larry Larson are kings of drag week.
-Registration
-Insurance
-Tube Frame
-Big Block(big ci)
-Big Turbo(s)/Blower/Nitrous
-Race trans
-Street slicks
-Glass/Carbon body
-Race gas
-Race trans
-No Interior
-Race gear ratios
If somebody has the balls to take all that 1000+ miles on the road AND race every night. Then, as Freiburger said "let the road be the judge."
If David Freiburger is into it .. Count me in !
I am so ready for Drag Week!!!!!
That tube chassis vega was at the time called pro street but one guy said" its a little on the funny side!" Lmao
any racing is a good time... drag racing is perfect for my short attention span
Awesomeness at it's best.
Excellent!
I still wish Sal Patel would run Drag Week. That's the most "street" 6 second car I've ever seen.
Just saw this for the first time...Saw my black 81 Trans Am that Steve Johnson drove in the first race in 92 single 4bbl big block 8.525 #2 qualifier and event high MPH @163.22
My favs are the early Gas and Pro Stock classes.
That's awesome. I wish I had the money to have cars like that but who knows maybe one day.
Freiburger: The Unlimited dilemma is simple...
2 classes: Unlimited Production (Steel) & Unlimited Non-Production (Composite).
You say let the street be the judge, but the composite "street" non-production cars will find their reliability, It is inevitable... Then the real hero's in steel will be gone as many have said they quit..
This video perfectly illustrates the issue you have coming at you like a runaway train.. Action needs to be taken or it's going to be history repeating itself..
Unlimited should be just that. Unlimited.
If the car and driver can last the distance then fair play to them. Lets not forget that the tube frames are also required at the tracks for safety considering the speeds we're talking about.
Let the road be the JUDGE! Southern heat and weather WILL beat the ever-living snot out of purpose built race-cars... but I think it should be extended to 2 weeks. That will truly test the cars!
From what I see, only rich people can compete. Having spare pistons, rods, heads, trans, third members. Too rich for my blood. I ran a Richmond 6 speed and couldn't afford to fix it if it broke. $3K a pop.
I don't know much about drag racing and all that but is funny how I still know who Larry Larson is, Man is a legend!!
And to add too the debate, what about fully sanctioned kit cars, that have gone through the MOT? They have been cleared for the road, if you get one, you can drive it. Usually, they are all carbonfibre, just make sure the cars are safe and crash tested in that form (albeit with a different engine configuration if you want.)
Due to Corvettes being fibreglass, allow fibreglass and carbon fibre but only for stock removable body panels, ie bonnets, boots, fenders, overhangs, bumpers, and doors. If the car had to be sawed or cut to be replaced by fibreglass or carbon then disallow it. Have it were the entire front cannot be removed to get to the engine. Only engine access through a hinged bonnet.
This is going to be so cool
Amazing as always motortrend keep it up
Very good recommendation, I agree 100%.
They tried to reel back the rules in the Pro 5.0 class years ago, they told all the tube chassis guys they needed stock frame rails. What did they do? They welded stock frame rails in beside the tube rails..LOL...and they were OK with it. The craziest of the street classes now is called X275. Meaning 275 drag radials and "stock" suspension - and no wheelie bars, cars run high 6's there too.
Freiburger sounds like a delicious carnival food.
Another requirement should be:
• all cars must carry at least four people while travelling between race tracks.
Very nice and informative. Thank you.
The best way to keep it real would be to require that every vehicle have a factory VIN.
That was Jim Hubers '68/'69 chevelle at the first HOT ROD FSC race.........had that on VHS yo!
awesome video! great drag short documentary!
I say for a street car it should have a steel body tub, OE manufacturer's VIN number, licensed and insured for street use. Acid dipping, glass / CF panels and tube chassis are fine.
That said, darksiede's idea is probably more workable in the long run.
As for the rules, you know the "road" isn't going to judge anything. Half these guys pull the blower belts off or dial back the boost controllers so they can putt down the highway on 87 octane. Once they get a more reliable 3000 HP capable valvetrain produced (probably already have) then its officially going to be over. Unlimited will be pro mods with license plates. Back half only (chassis mods, newbs), factory built VIN cars only!
Awesome cars.
Simple solution. If you're worried about "street-legal" drag racing, have some off duty police officers at each event telling the owners if their cars are street legal in their jurisdiction. If they are, then they are fair game. If not, then they can't race. Street legal is street legal, doesn't matter if the guy that keeps winning is upset about unfair competition. If it's legal for the street, it's in the race. Otherwise, rename the entire series, and make it exclusive and cliquey.
larry larson and his 66 nova are going to win again,
his car is by far the most reliable and the most consistent.
jeff luts has the most horsepower, but his car brakes down a LOT.
Freiburger, this year for drag week can you guys take a bunch of random footage and just have launches and passes with no music or talking over them? I would seriously love to hear these machines sing.
"you brought up the Jeep Grand Cherokee"
No. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a full-size SUV. The 2014 Jeep Cherokee, as I mentioned, is a CUV. It's much smaller, and is based on a car instead of a truck. It's the replacement for the Jeep Liberty.
The guy who announced the pinto's time sounded like Bill Mays.
I agree let the road be the judge, it won't matter.
i think the "have a VIN" idea is the best.. i mean, if it was never intended for the street.. then why is it a street car? full fiberglass ect shouldn't be allowed. it's not a street car then, it's a purpose build piece of equipment.
what if someone has a vin number on the fiberglass pro mod car that orange camaro
You should be able to have metal, aluminum, fiberglass, or carbon fibre BODY PANELS, but not a entire shell! That's what I hate about the street car class at my local strip, guys show up with a funny car with a license plate on it like wtf.. It should have full registration, and street slicks, no big tire tire cars (unless they can actually drive them every day if they wanted to!)
You should do a larry larson special where you follow him through drag week
This is almost the exact solution I was playing with. If the guys want to build pro-street cars let them, but put them in their own class. Otherwise Drag Week is going to lose a lot of the guys that are still running unlimited class with production steel or aluminum body cars.
Only true cars should be allowed! No fiber glass bull crap!
Really good video Dave!
For Street Drag Week; I agree with Gary. figerglass/carbon fiber cars which were NEVER street legal production cars in any way shape or form, should be banned. This is a contest of street cars; which means, at least to me, something you bought at a dealership and wrenched on until it made it... period.
Larry Larson argues that fiberglass, carbon fiber and other varieties never came out of any factory like that, however, one can make the same arguement about his 3/4 car with its tubed rear-end and tube front-end. But, I do see his point. On a side note, there is an '85 Corolla coupe (also 3/4 car) running 6.48@220 with a Supra engine (2JZ) from Puerto Rico (El Humilde) that reminds me of Larry's chassis set up with very similar performance. Would be nice to see them race.
We have plates and a vin tag on our Vega AA/FC But tank only holds enough fuel for about 2000 feet.
HOT RODS FTW
I'm not sure what the exact rules are but to my understanding, if I had to replace the motor twice during the week but still made the 1000+ miles without missing a track, I would still qualify even though the car was not actually durable. Also I think any body mods should be limited to keep it factory looking like no lengthened front ends, wheel base alteration limited to certain range from factory, wing size limited.
The video starts only with the fastest street legal racing car in the world, larry larson chevy nova...
Nice XD
Yes, yes, yes, 1000 times yes. Please listen to this person! ^^^^
You are right at the end of the video he did say 9th, but at the beginning he said 19th
I think that maybe you can have fiber glass fenders front bumper hood stuff like that. But I think the car should STILL have vin plates and the shell of the car its self should be like it was when it came from factory.
Good one Freiburger.
considering that all corvettes are fiberglass, I see it as an allowable thing to have fiberglass cars at drag week. Just because the rules change to ban fiberglass pro mod cars, doesn't mean it would stop someone from building a vette for unlimited, which would be at a weight advantage. The way I see it is that the fiberglass cars should be allowed, because there are always going to be fiberglass production cars. Its called unlimited for a reason, meaning its like a wild west gun fight.No rules
thanks Dave that was great info
super excited
Im super excited
All cars should have VIN number.
And I'm in Canada and run a a 92 golf,no cat. wippers, only lights, all tube cage and its my dailly summer driver since 2 years!
While I do agree that this would be fair I think it should be limited to: 1. it MUST have a VIN and 2. it must have the body the VIN came with. Because sooner or later (with progressing years) you'll find standard cars that use CFRP, fiberglass, or carbon-fiber.
You can just take them through cities and twisted roads that'll show if the car can actually be taken anywhere :')
Standing mile races exist, as do half mile and eighth mile, but the standard drag race is the quarter mile, at least in my opinion.
Larson, guy who kicks ass without a trailer :-D
A Triumph TR6 dragster... nice!
Great vid...
Anything over a quarter mile requires an airport.
Motor Trend just reviewed a 9-speed CUV (2013 Jeep Cherokee), but that has nothing to do with top speed or any performance difference between a standing mile and a quarter mile.
They should make 2 classes of "unlimited", (1) Truely unlimited, anything streetlegal, road be judge (2) Any car with VIN number which should also retain X % of the original bodywork in the same material but with free engine choice. Or let Larry, Barry and Lutz design the rules for (2).
Limiting to steel would hamper old original fiberglass or part-plastic cars or new (original) CF bodied cars. Also, there has to be an unlimited class for weird but streetlegal experiments in Dragweek.
Limit it to stock sized wheels and summer tires (or at least cap the driven wheel size to something that won't attract too much police attention say 345 zr20's with the summer tires), it will make the drivers get smarter with their tuning to keep traction, also limiting the amount of fuel to get between races could help say they get less than 5 MPG = disqualification.
If you can legally drive the car on the street, then it's a street car.
If anyone wants to go fiberglass, they could always build on a Corvette....
Loved it!
I would love to bring my Mopar '10 Challenger down to this event. Even if it only runs low 13's.
You're referring to a class divide based on alteration to the original platform from metal to composite.
What category would a quarter mile set up Hennessy Venom come under?
That car and many others like it never had a metal body from the time it left the Lotus factory in Norfolk, England to the time it left John Hennessy's shed.
I miss the World's Fastest Street Car. Rick Dyer and Danny Scott!
6:38 is beast, he drives 1600 miles and runs how fast!!!!!
I wonder if we'll will get to see a race between a silver 2nd generation Prius against a tank?
Let them self destruct dude - the road and hard conditions will tear them apart... Literally!
The big problem with truly street legal drag race cars is that they have to be 1966 or older. In my state, 1967 and newer cars are emissions tested, and a car modified for drag racing is never going to pass that test. I have had bone stock cars fail it. I race a 1993 V8 powered Chevy S10 that is street legal only because I cheated. Only 2 counties in my state do emissions testing, and I live in one of them. The only way I get away with my V8 conversion is by having a relative in a non emissions county put their name on the title with mine, and registering it in their name. Even then you have to be careful. You cannot drive such a car to work or school. Most employers and schools check registration stickers, which are different in non emissions counties, and if the same car shows up day after day with one of those stickers, they get reported to the cops, and face a huge fine. In the future I see drag racing as being restricted to custom built non street legal cars only. The EPA is already trying to introduce a bill that would ban the use of post 1966 cars from race tracks. That's right, even if you hauled it there on a trailer, you would not be able to race it if it began as an emissions controlled street car. That would make my truck worthless for anything but a driveway ornament. $30K down the drain.
What state is that? Also that bill got canned, didn't really stand much of a chance haha.
I say leave the rules alone. When it comes to drag week, assuming a cop knows the difference between a streetlegal vehicle or not those cars will get pulled over(fiber glass body) cars. So there's that, and basically every car will have that issue. Ground clearance, enormous air duct blocking visibility
Factory built car with VIN, must maintain original drivetrain layout (FF, FR, MA, MR etc) min weight (somewhere in the 3000 lbs range), Registered, Insured, working lights & signals, full suspension, steel roof, quarters and doors, dot legal tires with minimum tread depth required for all strip passes. There's other stuff that's not enforceable like making the 1000+ an actually durability test. While it is, a person could achieve this replacing broken parts multiple times.
awesome!
I agree with you Don Allen.
there is a class for street cars in the uk, i think its worth a look (if you havent already), steet eliminator its some close racing with some serios cars.
Categories for engine size, superchargers yes/no and body chassis mods already exist just add in tube chassis as a mod for the top 'open' class and be done with it.
When you go that fast time goes backwards ;-)