1978 U.S. Nationals Funny Car flashback: The curious case of Mr. Colson
When Kenny Bernstein was unable to compete in the second round of Funny Car at the 1978 U.S. Nationals, Ron Colson was set to take a bye run into the semifinals in Roland Leong's Monza. But things didn't go exactly as planned.
50 years ago at Indy, Don Schumacher collected career win No. 1 for his team
Next weekend, either Jack Beckman or Matt Hagan will collect win No. 350 for the Don Schumacher Racing enterprise in the delayed final round of the Lucas OIL NHRA Summernationals. The team's first victory came from the boss, who won Funny Car at the 1970 U.S. Nationals.
Nitro Time Machine: Joe Smith wins Fuel Bike class at 1974 U.S. Nationals
Hop into the Nitro Time Machine with host Brian Lohnes for a trip back to the 1974 U.S. Nationals, where Joe Smith was the winner in the entertaining Fuel Bike class.
Nitro Time Machine: Lee Shepherd wins 1980 Cajun Nationals Pro Stock title
Hop into the NHRA Nitro Time Machine with host Brian Lohnes for a trip back to the 1980 NHRA Cajun Nationals, where Lee Shepherd won Pro Stock and Terry Vance the Pro Stock Bike crown.
Nitro Time Machine: John Force and crew battle back to win 1990 Brainerd event
John Force went from bailing out of his flaming Funny Car at speed to the winner's circle at the 1990 Brainerd event. Hop into the Nitro Time Machine with pilot Brian Lohnes for a trip back to that memorable weekend.
Nitro Time Machine: Dan Pastorini touches down in Atlanta Top Fuel winner's circle
Former Super Bowl-winning NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini had a brief but successful Top Fuel career in the mid-1980s. Hop into the NHRA Nitro Time Machine for a trip back to the 1986 Southern Nationals to relive the completed passes Pastroni made on his drive to victory.
Previous trips in the NHRA Nitro Time Machine:
Nitro Time Machine: Chris Karamesines guns for first…
Nitro Time Machine Live: Amanda Busick’s Tales From The Top End
NHRA on FOX reporter Amanda Busick joined host Brian Lohnes to share stories, memories, and moments from her time with the NHRA.
NHRA on FOX reporter Amanda Busick joined host Brian Lohnes to share stories, memories, and moments from her time with the NHRA. Videos of emotional, funny, and poignant times at the far end of the track highlighted the discussion as Amanda…
Nitro Time Machine: Top Fuel legend Chris Karamesines reaches first final round
Hop into the NHRA Nitro Time Machine with Brian Lohnes for a trip back to Montreal and 1990 and the first career NHRA final-round appearance for Top Fuel legend Chris Karamesines.
Nitro Time Machine: Chris Karamesines guns for first NHRA Top Fuel victory
NHRA Top Fuel legend Chris Karamesines made it to his first two career final rounds in 1990 and raced Gary Ormsby in both. He lost the first one in Montreal, then got a chance for revenge a few months later in Seattle.
Nitro Time Machine Live: Brian Lohnes and Jack Beckman talk Top Fuel blowovers
NHRA's Brian Lohnes was joined by past Funny Car champ Jack Beckman for Nitro Time Machine live to take a look at some wild over-backward Top Fuel blowovers.
READ AND SEE MORE ABOUT TOP FUEL BLOWOVERS IN THE DRAGSTER INSIDER COLUMN:
Top Fuel blowovers, Part 1
Don Garlits, Jimmy King, Jack Martin,…
Nitro Time Machine: Paul Longnecker's wild blower boomer at the '78 Gators
Climb into the NHRA Nitro Time Machine with host Brian Lohnes for a trip back to the 1978 Gatornationals, where Top Fuel racer Paul Longnecker had a massive supercharger explosion.
Nitro Time Machine: Mr. Bazemore's wild ride
Hop into the NHRA Nitro Time Machine with host Brian Lohnes and travel back to the 1993 Springnationals in Columbus, Ohio, and a scary ride for Funny Car racer Whit Bazemore.
Nitro Time Machine: John Force's "War Wagon" was state of the art ... in 1990
In 1990, John Force's single-trailer operation was state-of-the-art stuff in Funny Car racing, but 30 years later it would be considered quaint, at best. Famed NHRA announcer and TV personality Steve Evans leads the tour of the trailer and its contents.
Nitro Time Machine: Revisiting "Big Daddy" Don Garlits' 1986 Englishtown blowover
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits' blowover wheelstand during Top Fuel qualifying at the 1986 Summernationals is one of the most iconic moments in the class' history. Take a ride back in time to see how legendary announcer Steve Evans described the moment.
Topeka '93: How Chuck Etchells picked John Force's pocket for a $25,000 payday
With a $25,000 reward on the line from Castrol GTX for the first four-second Funny Car run, supremely confident Castrol-backed John Force announced that he'd contribute half of the money, thinking he'd be first. He was wrong. Watch how this all plays out.
Etchells races to Funny Car's first four
Reprinted from the Oct. 15, 1993 issue of National DRAGSTER
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Chuck Etchells' Kendall GT-1 Dodge Daytona was in the first pair of Funny Cars that opened…
Nitro Time Machine: Mark Oswald’s dramatic victory at the 1991 Gatornationals
After an exploding rear tire took out a huge chunk of the body of Mark Oswald's In-N-Out Burger Funny Car in a semifinal victory at the 1991 Gatornationals, it took a massive, multi-team pit thrash to get him to the final round, where he defeated John Force.
Nitro Time Machine: Shirley Muldowney goes on a wild ride in 1990
Shirley Muldowney went on a wild ride against Gary Ormsby at the 1990 NHRA Arizona Nationals in her Rahn Tobler-tuned Otter Pops Top Fuel dragster.
The 1990 NHRA Arizona Nationals took a turn for the worst for Shirley Muldowney, who went on a wild ride in her Rahn Tobler-tuned Otter Pops Top Fuel dragster. Watch the run in this NHRA Nitro Time Machine and check out more…
Nitro Time Machine: Upsets ruled the 1990 Winternationals
The 1990 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals featured a pair of major upsets courtesy of K.C. Spurlock and Lori Johns. Watch their incredible wins in this edition of NHRA Nitro Time Machine.
K.C. Spurlock and Lori Johns opened the 1990 season with spectacular upsets at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. Watch the two earn big wins in this edition of NHRA Nitro Time machine and check out even more …
Nitro Time Machine: Watch Al Segrini's wild victory at the 1985 Winternationals
Al Segrini scored a magnificent win at the 1985 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, traveling all the way from Massachusetts to bag the Funny Car Wally. Watch the victory in this edition of the NHRA Nitro Time Machine.
Funny Car legend Al Segrini picked up the 1985 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Wally in spectacular fashion after traveling all the way from Massachusetts. Watch Segrini's victory in this edition of NHRA Nitro Time Machine and check out…
Nitro Time Machine: Don Garlits goes from the museum to a U.S. Nationals title
Don Garlits added another legendary moment to his hall of fame career by taking a Top Fuel dragster out of his museum in 1984 and winning the U.S. Nationals. Watch him score the Wally in this episode of Nitro Time Machine.
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits scored yet another U.S. Nationals victory, this time in unconventional fashion. He pulled a Top Fuel dragster out of mothballs to win the world's biggest drag race in 1984, further cementing his legacy as one of the…
Nitro Time Machine: Watch Pat Austin's incredible double-up from 1991
Pat Austin pulled off an incredible double, the first in NHRA history, in Topeka in 1991 by winning in both Top Fuel and Top Alcohol Dragster - watch his feat in this throwback video.
Nitro Time Machine: Connie Kalitta takes on Eddie Hill at 1994 U.S. Nationals
At the 1994 NHRA U.S. Nationals, Connie Kalitta scored one of the most memorable wins of his career when he defeated Eddie Hill in the final round of the U.S. Nationals.
When Coughlin met Coughlin in the 1999 Denver Pro Stock final
During the 1999 season, brothers Troy and Jeg Coughlin Jr. met three times in Pro Stock final rounds, including this memorable encounter at Denver's Bandimere Speedway.