As if Ford fans didn’t have enough to cheer about with the highly anticipated debut of the second-generation Cobra Jet Mustangs in Stock competition at the 49th annual Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winterna...
Message from the Owner of National Hot Rod Association (NHRA)
National Hot Rod Association
NHRA: Worlds largest auto racing organization
Nestled in the quiet community of Glendora, Calif., just minutes east of downtown Los Angeles, is the worlds largest and loudest auto racing organization, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Since it was founded by Wally Parks in 1951, NHRA has been dedicated to safety while providing millions of racing fans with The Extreme MotorsportTM: the fastest and most spectacular form of entertainment on wheels.
Energy is building fast at the Texas Motorplex as the National Hot Rod Association Fall Nationals ramp up this week. “The excitement level jumps every hour ...View Full Article
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National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Description
National Hot Rod Association
NHRA’s first races
NHRA held its first official race in April 1953 on a slice of the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds parking lot in Pomona, Calif. Four decades later, that track has undergone a $6-million expansion and renovation and hosts the NHRA season-opening Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals and the season finale, the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. The aggressive upgrading of facilities to stadium quality, with fan amenities, VIP towers, and tall grandstands, was the passion of NHRA President Dallas Gardner, who took the reins in 1984 when Parks became board chairman. In 2000, Tom Compton became just the third president in NHRA history as Gardner ascended to the role of broad chairman and Parks became chairman of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.
National Street Rod Association Southeast Nationals
National Hot Rod Association
Featured Hot Rod The Lightning Bug
The Lightning Bug
The Lightning Bug is a Ford Model T Roadster built by Norm Grabowski. The Lightning Bug is also known as the Kookie T due to its appearance in the TV serie 77 Sunset Strip. Norm began building his roadster in 1955. Because California law required the use of fenders on all vehicles weighing over 1500 pounds, there was some question as to whether Norm’s rod would qualify as legally fit. Fortunately for Norm, the car tipped the scales a few pounds below the mark. It was in its first black version that the car caught the eyes of TV producers. This version of the car was featured in The Ford Television Theatre – Season 4, Episode 36, – Mr. Kagle and the Baby Sitter. After a while Norm added a four deuce manifold and a wild flame job to the car. This version of the car was the version that appeared as the car of beatnik-lingo valet Edd “Kookie” Byrnes on the TV series 77 Sunset Strip. This is the car that launched the T-bucket craze, as well as Grabowski’s long career as a character actor (usually playing good natured oafs named “Moose” or “Bronko”). In 1959 The Kookie T appeared on the cover of Life magazine, under the lights at Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake, with Norm wolfing down dinner.
The Lightning Bug
Unfortunately the original car has gone through several owners and has been repainted and hacked and “updated” beyond recognition. But once again Von Franco came to the rescue, building two perfect clones of both Grabowski versions of the car.
The Lightning Bug
In 2008 Piero DeLuca, the man behind the Mad Fabricators movies creates a documentary movie about the famous Model T Roadster called The Car That Ate My Brain. In the movie Von Franco tells the history of Norm’s car along with never before seen home movies and pictures.
The Lightning Bug
Lightning Bug Movie and TV Appearances
77 Sunset Strip
The Ford Television Theatre – Season 4, Episode 36, – Mr. Kagle and the Baby Sitter
Lightning Bug Magazine Features
Trend Book 143 Restyle Your Car
The Lightning Bug
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