After an online fan ballot that resulted in more than 42,000 individual votes, the list of the Top 75 Moments in NHRA history has been chosen and will be unveiled in a series of rolling announcements as part of NHRA’s 75th Anniversary celebration
Fans were presented with a list of 100 handpicked iconic moments from the sport’s first 75 years and were allowed to select their favorites from that list.
The reveals will take place each Wednesday from Jan. 7 through Feb. 18 in 10-moment increments beginning with moments 66 through 75, and the final five will be unveiled the week of Feb. 23 as a lead-in to the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals, March 5-8.
Moments 66 through 75 span more than six decades of the sport’s history — with at least one moment each from the 1970s through the 2020s — and include some of the achievements of NHRA legends, including Don Prudhomme, Tony Schumacher, Bob Glidden, and Joe Amato.
66. Tony Schumacher becomes winningest Indy Top Fuel driver (2012)
Schumacher’s win was his ninth U.S. Nationals Top Fuel crown, breaking the tie shared with eight-time event winner Don Garlits.
67. Maddi Gordon becomes NHRA’s 100th female winner (2024)
At the Northwest Nationals, third-generation Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Maddi Gordon became the sport’s 100th different female winner.
68. Frank Hawley/Austin Coil get first Chi-Town Hustler win (1982)
After years of being known predominantly as a match-race entry, driver Frank Hawley and crew chief Austin Coil put the famed Chi-Town into the Funny Car winner’s circle at the Gatornationals.
69. Bob Glidden covers manifold after wild top-end rollover (1986)
After winning in the semifinals at the NHRA Southern Nationals, Pro Stock icon Glidden’s Thunderbird barrel-rolled six times at more 180 mph. Glidden emerged uninjured and had the presence of mind to cover his now exposed intake manifold with his fire jacket.
70. Joe Amato becomes the first driver to sweep the Western Swing (1991)
Amato became the first driver to sweep the NHRA Western Swing, winning Top Fuel at all three consecutive races in Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma.
71. Mike Snively makes first five-second Top Fuel run (1972)
The long-assailed five-second barrier was finally broken in the semifinals at the ’72 Supernationals by Snively in “Diamond Jim” Annin’s dragster.
72. Don Prudhomme defeats Jim Nicoll in clutch-exploding Indy final (1970)
In front of a national television audience, Prudhomme scored a scary victory when Nicoll’s dragster was cut in two at the finish line.
73. Andrew Hines makes first six-second Pro Stock Motorcycle run (2005)
During Friday qualifying at the Gatornationals, Hines recorded the first-ever six-second pass in Pro Stock Motorcycle competition with a 6.991-second run.
74. Hector Arana Jr. makes first 200-mph Pro Stock Motorcycle run (2018)
The second-generation rider made history with a 200.23 mph run during qualifying at the Gatornationals and later improved to 201.01 mph.
75. Shirley Muldowney survives terrible Canada crash (1984)
In June 1984 at the NHRA Grandnational in Montreal, Muldowney suffered one of the most terrifying crashes in Top Fuel history when her dragster swerved off track at nearly 250 mph. Despite sustaining catastrophic leg injuries, Muldowney returned to racing by 1986.
Future Top 75 Moments reveals
Jan. 14: Moments 56-65
Jan. 21: Moments 46-55
Jan. 28: Moments 36-54
Feb. 4: Moments 26-35
Feb. 11: Moments 16-25
Feb. 18: Moments 6-15