NHRA Motorsport Museum

This streamlined dragster holds the distinction of earning the first NHRA Top Eliminator title, as Calvin Rice drove it to the winner's circle at the inaugural NHRA Nationals in Great Bend, Kan., in 1955. Rice established a habit of winning opening events; he had previously triumphed in California at the Santa Ana opener in 1950 and in San Fernando in 1955.

(© 1999 NHRA Photographic Services)

Rice was Santa Ana's most frequent winner in the track's early days, having scored more than 20 titles at the airport-based facility before earning his Nationals victory. He produced a 9.8-second elapsed time at Santa Ana in March 1955 and recorded the first nine-second run at an NHRA national event with his 9.99 at the 1956 Nationals in Kansas City, Mo.

The J.E. Riley & Sons entry was powered by a Mercury flathead engine. The vehicle on display at the NHRA Motorsports Museum is a replica constructed by Dennis Webb using many components from the original car.

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