Celebrating 75 years of speed, power, and the world's fastest motorsport

1976

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1976 FUNNY CAR WORLD CHAMPION DON PRUDHOMME

  • Claimed second of four straight championships
  • Scored victories at seven of eight events
  • Compiled 30-1 win-loss record
  • Only loss came in NHRA U.S. Nationals final
  • Won 13 of 16 events over 1975 and 1976 seasons

Top Fuel world champion
Richard Tharp

Funny Car world champion
Don Prudhomme

Pro Stock world champion
Larry Lombardo

Pro Comp world champion
Brent Bramley

Comp eliminator world champion
Wayne Clapp

Modified world champion
Larry Kopp

Super Stock world champion
Robert Hutchison

Stock eliminator world champion
Scott Main

1976

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

MULDOWNEY WINS IN TOP FUEL

Shirley Muldowney, a two-time runner-up, became the first woman to win an NHRA national event Pro category when she defeated Bob Edwards in the final round of the NHRA Springnationals.

BURGIN STOPS ‘SNAKE’

Gary Burgin handed Don “the Snake” Prudhomme his only loss all season in the final round of Funny Car at the NHRA U.S. Nationals. Prudhomme had won his first 22 rounds of the season.

FIRST CAJUN NATIONALS A BAYOU BLAST

Richard Tharp, Raymond Beadle, and Lee Shepherd were the Pro winners at the first NHRA Cajun Nationals, which was a non-points-earning race its first year before joining the full schedule in 1977.

GRACE PERFORMANCE CUP DEBUTS

NHRA and W.R. Grace & Co. announced the Grace Performance Cup competition that would award $15,000 to the top points-earning driver among Pro Comp, Comp, Modified, Super Stock, and Stock world champions.

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