The NHRA roared into the 1970s with unprecedented ambition, launching the bold “Super Season” in 1970, nearly doubling its schedule with marquee events like the inaugural Gatornationals and Summernationals. The year concluded with the World Finals and Supernationals at the brand-new Ontario Motor Speedway. By decade’s end, the schedule grew to 10 events, including new venues in Baton Rouge, La., Seattle, and Montreal.
The era introduced Pro Stock as a Professional category and Funny Car’s first full season, crowning inaugural champions in 1970. Stars emerged with colorful nicknames like Don “the Snake” Prudhomme, Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen, Ed “the Ace” McCulloch, “Jungle Jim” Liberman, Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, “Mr. 4-Speed” Ronnie Sox, and Bob “Mad Dog” Glidden.
Don Garlits revolutionized the sport with the first successful rear-engine Top Fuel dragster in 1971, while McEwen and Prudhomme’s Hot Wheels-backed rivalry brought non-endemic sponsors into the sport. R.J. Reynolds’ Winston brand joined in 1975, beginning a sponsorship era that would last into the late 1990s.
Performance exploded: Top Fuel speeds jumped from 232 to more than 255 mph, with five-second runs becoming the norm by mid-decade. Prudhomme dominated Funny Car with four straight championships from 1975-78.
Shirley Muldowney shattered gender norms, becoming the first woman licensed in Top Fuel in 1973 and winning her first of three Top Fuel championships in 1977. Amy Faulk followed with a Super Stock title in 1979.
In 1974, NHRA shifted to a season-long points system to crown champions. The first NHRA Winston champs were Garlits, Prudhomme, and Glidden in 1975.
With growing media coverage, corporate support, and on-track innovation, the 1970s were a transformational decade for NHRA. It emerged more professional, more diverse, and more mainstream — setting the stage for its rise as one of America’s premier motorsports.