Drag Racing’s Greatest Hits? NHRA Lets Fans Choose the Top 75
We are closing in on a massive milestone. In 2026, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) will celebrate its 75th anniversary. That is three-quarters of a century of speed, innovation, and characters who were larger than life.
To kick off the celebration, the league is handing the keys over to the people who matter most: the fans. It is officially time to have your say. The NHRA has opened up voting to select the definitive Top 75 Moments in the sport’s history, and frankly, I can’t wait to see what cuts.
A Legacy Built on Speed and Stories
Seventy-five years is a long time in any sport, but in the world of drag racing, it’s an eternity of evolution. Think about it. We went from guys racing souped-up hot rods on abandoned airstrips to 11,000-horsepower monsters covering the track in under four seconds.
But the NHRA isn’t just about the elapsed times or the trap speeds. It’s about the stories woven into the asphalt. It’s about the rivalries that split families down the middle. Are you a Snake or a Mongoose fan? It’s about the barriers broken by legends like Shirley Muldowney, who proved that speed didn’t have a gender. It’s about John Force reinventing the interview every time he climbed out of a Funny Car.
This voting initiative isn’t just a list; it’s a love letter to the sport. It is a chance for us to look back at the moments that made us jump out of our seats, the crashes that made the whole track go silent, and the comebacks that reminded us why we never give up.
How the Voting Works
The league has done the heavy lifting to get us started. They have curated a list of 100 preselected moments spanning the entire timeline of the NHRA. These aren’t just your standard finish-line photos. We are talking about record-shattering passes that changed the engineering game, emotional victories that left the grandstands in tears, and technological breakthroughs that pushed the sport into new eras.
Your job is to whittle that list down. NHRA wants a cross-section of the greatest hits, whether you are a lifelong fan who remembers the glory days of the 1960s and 70s, or a newcomer who just fell in love with the sport last season, your perspective counts.The goal is to create a definitive list of the Top 75 Moments, which will be unveiled in early 2026 as part of the Diamond Anniversary celebration.
Why This Vote Matters
I’ve covered a lot of sports in my time, but the drag racing community is different. There is a lack of pretense here. The access fans have to the drivers and the pits is unmatched in professional motorsports. Because of that, the history of the NHRA feels personal to us.
When a driver wins their first Wally, we feel like we’re in the winner’s circle with them. When a legend retires, we feel the loss. This vote is a way to honor that connection. It’s an acknowledgment that every single run-down that dragstrip, whether it ended in a parachute popping or an engine block exploding, had the potential to make history.
We all have that one memory. Maybe it was seeing your first Top Fuel run at night, seeing the headers glowing. Maybe it was watching a mesmerizing pedal-fest where sheer driving talent won the round. Now, you get to immortalize those memories.
Get in the Game
Don’t let history be written without you. This is your chance to advocate for your favorite drivers and the moments that defined your fandom. Did a specific run change your life? Did a particular rivalry hook you on the sport forever?Head over to the voting page and make your voice heard. Let’s help the NHRA celebrate 75 years the right way by remembering exactly how we got here, one quarter-mile at a time.
