Pro Classes in Divisional Races (1 Viewer)

[Pomona1320]

i’m not sure why, but I’ve always been curious about the idea of Pro Classes competing at division races!
I began following the sport in the early 90s and wasn’t really aware until recently that the pro classes used to compete in the Divisional races, that, at least for the last 30 plus years have been exclusively the domain of the sportsman classes.
All I really know is that in the mid 70s when the NHRA switched to a points based championship system, National Event points earned were worth double those earned in divisional races.

So I’ve become curious about the topic: when did the divisional races become Sportsman only?
When were the regional based divisions created?
Were they always the same or have they been realigned?
How many Divisional races were run per during a typical year?

Any other stories related to this topic is is greatly welcomed as well!

 

[Cliff]

Tony, I used to go to Div races, Div 7 in Calif. Going to a Div race was like a Nat'l event. We had T/F, F/C, P/S and Pro Comp, along with Sportsmen classes. A lot of drivers would travel to get points to win the Div, and it was a big deal to be Div Champ in any class. If you ran (say) T/F and won Div 7, you would have the number 71 on the car. 7= div 7 and 1 = div champ. I'm ta;ling 1970's when there weren't that many Nat'l events. I think the Divisions are still the same today as far as which states are included in each Div. I still love the Div races. Classes have changed over the years and now there are Regionals, which I really like, because the Alky classes run. Regular Div race, the T/D and T/S are the "stars". Oh, "back then", a Pro driver could run 2 Pro classes at same event. Jerry Ruth won both T/F and F/C at a couple of Div 6 races. I think the rule today is a driver can run Pro & a Sportsmen class at a Nat'l event.

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Man, I loved the Div 6 races in the 1970's (still do) at Seattle, Bremerton, WA. They ran AA/FD and AA/FC
at the Div 6 races. Plus with Seattle having the NHRA Fallnationals from 1975 to 1980 it was like having
two national events. Was 1979 the last year that nitro ran at Div races?

The year is 1971 the self proclaimed "King of the Northwest" Jerry Ruth doubles up at the Div 6 race. Deer Park, WA

 

[sutton]

I raced a top fuel car in the division races for years, when the cost of running the cars went out of site and the division tracks could not afford to pay more the division top fuel and other classes went away. I loved racing the division race's. I think it will come to the same situation some day with the alcohol classes running division race's
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer (ret.)

 

[sutton]

BTW when top fuel was part of division races you were required to run X amount of division races to run the world finals at Ontario. I was just a small amount of points short an Ms. Partridge said I will need to run Seattle or SORRY. so I flew to Seattle teched the car that was in California and when I was walking through the pits up came Ms. Partridge an she said I see you made it. I said we hurt the car warming it up and it is on its way back to California. she said well OK but you now have enough points, see you at Ontario.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer (RET.)

 

[Al]

Man, I loved the Div 6 races in the 1970's (still do) at Seattle, Bremerton, WA. They ran AA/FD and AA/FC
at the Div 6 races. Plus with Seattle having the NHRA Fallnationals from 1975 to 1980 it was like having
two national events. Was 1979 the last year that nitro ran at Div races?

View attachment 11896
The year is 1971 the self proclaimed "King of the Northwest" Jerry Ruth doubles up at the Div 6 race. Deer Park, WA

Jim, I know that in 1980 they ran the Pros at Division races, so maybe that was the final year of that (?)
And back in those days, Ruth was my hero and I loved it when he won in BOTH Top Fuel and Funny Car at the first 4 division races. 1971 was the only year I went to Seattle twice. First for the Northwest National Open and then the 5th and final Division 6 race. Ruth blew the dragster engine in the semis and was almost finished hooking up the replacement engine when Peterson singled for the win. I remembered that the crowd groaned when Herm made that run. Funny Car was run after that. Somehow, I wound up standing behind the starting line when Ruth and Kenny Martin launched in the final. The crowd I was part of, followed them part way down the track and there was a huge cheer when Ruth won. Sooo close to a full sweep of both classes ! Great memories !

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Jim, I know that in 1980 they ran the Pros at Division races, so maybe that was the final year of that (?)
And back in those days, Ruth was my hero and I loved it when he won in BOTH Top Fuel and Funny Car at the first 4 division races. 1971 was the only year I went to Seattle twice. First for the Northwest National Open and then the 5th and final Division 6 race. Ruth blew the dragster engine in the semis and was almost finished hooking up the replacement engine when Peterson singled for the win. I remembered that the crowd groaned when Herm made that run. Funny Car was run after that. Somehow, I wound up standing behind the starting line when Ruth and Kenny Martin launched in the final. The crowd I was part of, followed them part way down the track and there was a huge cheer when Ruth won. Sooo close to a full sweep of both classes ! Great memories !

Al, I think you are right about 1980. Pros being at Div races. I just can't remember the Seattle Div 6 race
in 1980. Remember in 1981 and 1982 Seattle went AHRA and we had the AHRA AutumnNationals. It was
the first points race for the coming year. Fantastic races, Garlits, Snake the Goo$e...ect would be there.
And by 1984 back to NHRA and we got the Div 6 race back, Alky cars...ect. 1988 National event back.
And for Ruth what can you say. Maybe the best fuel racer the Northwest ever produced. I liked Ruth. but
in the early 70s in Top Fuel I was a huge Don Moody (the 1972 Moody car, my all time favorite RED) and
Carl Olson and Dwight Salisbury fan, all from down the street (SoCal) and the "Ace" in funny car end of story.
I'm pretty sure the first time at Seattle 1968, my first time ever at the drags I saw Ruth. It was 8 car field's
of AA/FD and Top Gas. Great stuff!

The Northwest National Open 1971, 72 and 73 in my top 20 races ever. Al, I'm not sure if you posted this video
that you sent me a month or so ago. Good stuff here for being on Super 8 film, 51 years old. The first 7 minutes
the 1972 National Open, the last 5 minutes early summer 72 race.

Every Picture Tells A Story... AA/FD 1972 Don Moody in the seat of my all time favorite RED, another great fuel driver from the
Northwest in the far lane, Gary Beck

 

[Cliff]

I still remember Don Moody, Ontario 1972. Low ET of the World at 5.91. Could not believe how quick that was. Moody got started in AA/FD with the smoke the tires type of dragsters - maybe Moody & (Dave) Zuschel (sp?) who was a great motor man.

https://cacklefest.com/images/WheelStandWeekly-w.jpg

Photo is Pomona, around 1963. I believe Don Moody in near lane & Norm Weekly in far lane. I remember this photo from Drag News or Drag Illustrated.

 

[Gone Dead Train]

i’m not sure why, but I’ve always been curious about the idea of Pro Classes competing at division races!
I began following the sport in the early 90s and wasn’t really aware until recently that the pro classes used to compete in the Divisional races, that, at least for the last 30 plus years have been exclusively the domain of the sportsman classes.
All I really know is that in the mid 70s when the NHRA switched to a points based championship system, National Event points earned were worth double those earned in divisional races.

So I’ve become curious about the topic: when did the divisional races become Sportsman only?
When were the regional based divisions created?
Were they always the same or have they been realigned?
How many Divisional races were run per during a typical year?

Any other stories related to this topic is is greatly welcomed as well!

Hey Tony, I see you just joined Mater on Tuesday. Great first thread. Thank you for stirring up great
memories of "Days Gone By" I know this old person digs it! Not sure if any of your questions were
answered, but hopefully you learned something new.

 

[Jack]

Here in the northeast, I have vivid memories of nitro pro cars running at divisional races at E Town, Epping and Lebanon Valley. Still have photos somewhere in my archive's (old shoe boxes) of these events. Will have to do some digge.

 

[Pomona1320]

Hey Tony, I see you just joined Mater on Tuesday. Great first thread. Thank you for stirring up great
memories of "Days Gone By" I know this old person digs it! Not sure if any of your questions were
answered, but hopefully you learned something new.

Thank you! I’ve been a lurker on the boards for a few months now, and figured this would be the best place to learn about the divisional races of the past.
Everyone’s stories in this thread has really painted a picture of what it these events were like!
Sounds like early 80s is when they became exclusively Sportsman races, and there were about 5 events a year, similar to now?
Love to hear more stories, especially anything involving D7!

 

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

I was born in '83, so of course I have researched what went down that year...

AHRA - 5 National events

IHRA - 7 National events

NHRA - 13 National events

NHRA D3 - 5 Divisional events

NHRA D5 - 5 Divisional events

 

[Al]

Al, I think you are right about 1980. Pros being at Div races. I just can't remember the Seattle Div 6 race
in 1980. Remember in 1981 and 1982 Seattle went AHRA and we had the AHRA AutumnNationals. It was
the first points race for the coming year. Fantastic races, Garlits, Snake the Goo$e...ect would be there.
And by 1984 back to NHRA and we got the Div 6 race back, Alky cars...ect. 1988 National event back.
And for Ruth what can you say. Maybe the best fuel racer the Northwest ever produced. I liked Ruth. but
in the early 70s in Top Fuel I was a huge Don Moody (the 1972 Moody car, my all time favorite RED) and
Carl Olson and Dwight Salisbury fan, all from down the street (SoCal) and the "Ace" in funny car end of story.
I'm pretty sure the first time at Seattle 1968, my first time ever at the drags I saw Ruth. It was 8 car field's
of AA/FD and Top Gas. Great stuff!

The Northwest National Open 1971, 72 and 73 in my top 20 races ever. Al, I'm not sure if you posted this video
that you sent me a month or so ago. Good stuff here for being on Super 8 film, 51 years old. The first 7 minutes
the 1972 National Open, the last 5 minutes early summer 72 race.

View attachment 11909
Every Picture Tells A Story... AA/FD 1972 Don Moody in the seat of my all time favorite RED, another great fuel driver from the Northwest
Gary Beck in the far lane. And look to the far left, with back turned, it's the guy with the black cowboy hat, who post here on Mater

I remember Phil Burgess writing that apparently this Don Moody car launched harder than any other car in the era. Unfortunately, I never got to see this car run.
For a similar reason, my all time favorite car was the Gary Beck / Larry Minor "Blue" car, which I did see a couple of times, in Fremont in '82 and a new version at OCIR in '83. To illustrate how much harder this car launched, for Fremont I took my brother-in-law to his first-ever drag race. In Q1, Beck was one of the last cars to run. I vividly remember when Beck launched, my brother-in-law said "Holt S...". He immediately saw the difference. Awe, great memories !
And Tony, I just found my 1980 issue of National Dragster with the coverage of the Seattle Fallnationals that I attended. Seattle was the 10th National event that season, but the point standings show that only 4 racers in all 3 pro classes, competed at 7 national events, and most only ran 6 national events. But most ran 6 divisional races as the points total was combined National/Divisional points with divisional only 1/2 of the national (at least in that era). As well, I had forgotten that in 1980 Division 6 and Division 7 was combined to make a larger Division 6. I don't remember when Division 7 was reinstated. Anyone out there remember how long Division 7 was joined with Division 6 ?

 

[cknight]

What was always "interesting" in the 70's was the Division II race at Blaney, SC. Due to the South Carolina "blue laws" it was a Saturday only event. Yes, all qualifying (including TF, FC, And Pro Stock) and eliminations run on one day. Total entries were 400-500. A midnight curfew was in effect, and frequently violated. Nightime dew and a really short shutoff made for lots of intrigue...

 

[Gone Dead Train]

I remember Phil Burgess writing that apparently this Don Moody car launched harder than any other car in the era. Unfortunately, I never got to see this car run.
For a similar reason, my all time favorite car was the Gary Beck / Larry Minor "Blue" car, which I did see a couple of times, in Fremont in '82 and a new version at OCIR in '83. To illustrate how much harder this car launched, for Fremont I took my brother-in-law to his first-ever drag race. In Q1, Beck was one of the last cars to run. I vividly remember when Beck launched, my brother-in-law said "Holt S...". He immediately saw the difference. Awe, great memories !
And Tony, I just found my 1980 issue of National Dragster with the coverage of the Seattle Fallnationals that I attended. Seattle was the 10th National event that season, but the point standings show that only 4 racers in all 3 pro classes, competed at 7 national events, and most only ran 6 national events. But most ran 6 divisional races as the points total was combined National/Divisional points with divisional only 1/2 of the national (at least in that era). As well, I had forgotten that in 1980 Division 6 and Division 7 was combined to make a larger Division 6. I don't remember when Division 7 was reinstated. Anyone out there remember how long Division 7 was joined with Division 6 ?

Al, I saw the Walton-Cerny-Moody car 2 maybe 3 times. Lions, July 1972 Div 7 race. In 1973 Seattle Northwest National Open.
Beck and Minor ran really good those Al Swindahl chassis Top Fuel cars, Bad Ass. Thanks to Jerry Ruth (it was his design) that
is a story for another day.

Jerry Ruth in the seat at the 1980 Winternationals. Brand new Swindahl chassis car. Saw the car a couple months later April or
May at Seattle. To this day always thought it was a good looking chassis.

Moody at Seattle 1973 Northwest National Open. Remember who the Race Queen was. (Doner was a great promoter)

And now for the Race Queen 1973

The "Ace" in the winners circle with X-Rated movie star Linda Lovelace. I was 14 years old, a buddy and I went on
Saturday and my dad went on Sunday with me, we are standing just off to the left. Great memories!!!

 

[Nunz]

I thought it was Moody's car, but who had the TF at that time that had the wing struts enclosed, kind of a streamlined effect?

 

[Cliff]

It was the first Moody car, back motor, had a mono strut w/ wing on top, & the chute on top of the wing. The 5.91 car was the 2nd Moody car. They sold the first car to Lyle Dill (was the driver Vic Brown???) and that was the car that beat Mike Snively (on a hole shot) at Ontario, when Snively ran that 5.97. Look at article below, about 1/2 way thru the article.

Front to back: The rear-engine transition, Part 2

Don Garlits showed that the rear-engine design was here to stay with a powerful victory at the 1971 NHRA Winternationals.

www.nhra.com

 

[tb]

I thought it was Moody's car, but who had the TF at that time that had the wing struts enclosed, kind of a streamlined effect?

Tommy Ivo's car had rear struts covered.

 

[Cliff]

This car was so cool, cuz of the wing and wheel pants and paint scheme. We all know the wheel pants caused the cars to dart around & that was that. But what's interesting to me is that the wing is higher. Some cars around 1972 had tall wings (Jeb Allens's car) but not behind the slicks, like todays cars. Another concept was the short wings, not very high above the slicks, like in the photo of Don Moody above. I always noticed that Garlits had a taller wing. Once I asked him about it at Pomona, and he said it was "just something I'm trying". All this way before the Joe Amato wing in the 80's.

 

[Lyle]

It was the first Moody car, back motor, had a mono strut w/ wing on top, & the chute on top of the wing. The 5.91 car was the 2nd Moody car. They sold the first car to Lyle Dill (was the driver Vic Brown???) and that was the car that beat Mike Snively (on a hole shot) at Ontario, when Snively ran that 5.97. Look at article below, about 1/2 way thru the article.

Front to back: The rear-engine transition, Part 2

Don Garlits showed that the rear-engine design was here to stay with a powerful victory at the 1971 NHRA Winternationals.

www.nhra.com

Cliff -

Good memory, as always. The first Moody RED with the mono-strut was purchased by Lyle Dill from my hometown of Albuquerque. And yes, Oklahoma's Vic Brown drove and Bob Creitz tuned. The team won some pretty big races in 1973 including the PHR race in MI and a couple of AHRA National Events. That program didn't last long as Dill decided he could go sprint car racing more cost effectively. He is known in that world as the guy that gave Al Unser, Jr his first sprint car ride. Al Jr and tuner Walter Judge won a lot of sprint car races for Dill. Just to poke some fun at myself, including Lyle Dill, I am only the 4th ABQ racer to ever campaign a nitro car and the first since 1980. I guess it took that long for somebody in ABQ to go that far off the deep end!

Lyle Greenberg