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Where did ?????????

876 views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  eloc431962 
#1 ·
OK, I need a REAL answer on this one. Where did the term "drag racing" originate? I know it started after WWII, with Wally Parks, and the whole Muroc, Bonneville thing, but why was the term "drag racing"?

I've checked wikipedia, and googled it, but no answers.

Hmmmmmmm.

:confused:

MF
 
#3 ·
About the term "drag racing"
Although the tiretracks of its history are clear, the origin of the term "drag racing" is not. The theories are almost as many and varied as the machines that have populated its ranks for five decades. Explanations range from a simple challenge ("Drag your car out of the garage and race me!") to geographical locale (the "main drag" was a city's main street, often the only one wide enough to accommodate two vehicles), to the mechanical (to "drag" the gears meant to hold the transmission in gear longer than normal).


http://www.nhra.org/aboutnhr/history.html
 
#4 ·
Read this maybe it will help.The use of “drag” in “drag race,” meaning a car race held on city streets (as opposed to on a track) comes from one of the earliest uses of “drag,” that being “wagon or cart” (”dragged” by a horse), which dates back to the 18th century. By the mid-1800s, “drag” was being applied to the streets themselves, a sense we still use when we speak of “the main drag” of a small town. A “drag race,” which appeared in the early 1950s, was originally simply a race held on the “main drag,” but the term was carried over to such races held in more isolated spots, such as abandoned airstrips. Eventually “drag racing” became a highly-developed and specialized sport with matches held at “drag strips” and featuring the “nitro-burning funny cars” we all love. Ahem.

Modern “drag races” almost always involve acceleration from a stationary position, thus giving the appearance that the cars are “dragging” against inertia as they speed up, which has probably strengthened popular use of the term “drag” in connection with such races.
 
#5 ·
eloc431962 said:
Modern “drag races” almost always involve acceleration from a stationary position, thus giving the appearance that the cars are “dragging” against inertia as they speed up, which has probably strengthened popular use of the term “drag” in connection with such races.
That's funny! Where did this come from?
 
#7 ·
Rob Here! :pimp:






My Edumaked statement is going to be;

I believe it started with teams of Horses , Oxen or Bulls & the age old one up man ship of mine is faster / more powerful than yours.

Which in turn brought about the best auto sports we have today in order of evolution.

In My mind it went something like this...............




"my team of Horses , Oxen or Bulls are better than yours"

"OK then prove it!"

Then...

"My Tractor is better than yours!!!"

"OK then prove it!"

Which lead us to Tractor pulls & Monster Trucks

Then we get into Prohibition when the rum runners & Shiners went into smuggling & then it was be faster or busted.

In turn lead to the NHRA & NASCAR.

Because not every car nut wants to go fast for a short burst, some need a long term need for speed.

This opened up the doors for ALL the other facets of Automotive stuff we have today Low riders ,Angry fart cans ,& anything that moves its self.


Well thats my story & I'm sticking to it. :mwink:






Drag Racing has its origins in the USA during the 1920's. During prohibition the sellers of illegal alcohol, the Moonshine Boys outran the authorities by making their innocuous runabout cars fast and powerful by hiding bigger and more highly tuned engines inside - the Hot Rod was born! After the end of prohibition the Hot Rodders continued and all over America roads were being used to settle the 'mine is faster than yours argument'. Most towns had a main road running down the middle and junctions controlled by traffic lights, the Hot Rodders would race down the main drag from one set of lights to the other - the beginning of Drag Racing.

Taken from here






R :thumbup:
 
#9 ·
DoubleVision said:
As the guys in hi perf cars cruised the main drag, if there was someone they wanted to race they would tell them to "drag it on out here"
So the term had 2 fold meaning.
Yea thats what we would tell the out of towners that would come around. Looking for a race and running thier mouths someone would always say well stop running your mouth and drag it on out here and lets see what you got. :D .Cole
 
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