Although drag racing began as early as the 1920s, it was in the 1930s that history began recording the names of its first personalities. Among those is Wally Parks, the man who helped to turn drag racing into an organized sport. Parks began drag racing in Southern California as a young man. In 1937, he founded the Southern California Timing Association, or SCTA, one of the oldest racing organizations in the United States. After World War II, Parks had the idea of creating a national organization for drag racing. In 1950, he realized this dream by founding the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Under his presidency, the NHRA grew to include thousands of members worldwide. He was later inducted into the Motorsport Hall of Fame.   

C. J. Hart was a drag racer who organized the first ticketed race in Santa Ana, California, in 1950. The location was an unused strip of land next to the Orange County Airport, known today as John Wayne Airport. Hart charged people fifty cents to watch or compete in the race. Although the airport owners stopped Hart from leasing the strip in 1959, the setup and organization in Santa Ana had already become the standard for drag racing across the United States. Hart later became the manager of the Lions Drag Strip in California.  

In 1965, Shirley Muldowney became the first woman to receive a National Hot Rod Association license. Born in 1940, Muldowney is known as the “First Lady of Drag Racing.” During her long career, she won the NHRA Top Fuel Championship three times and was the first woman to win the NHRA Winston World Championship. Muldowney suffered severe injuries during a crash in 1984 but returned to drag racing almost two years later. For her contributions to the sport, Muldowney was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and the Automotive Hall of Fame. 

Born in Florida in 1932, Don Garlits is known as “Big Daddy” for his engineering work on the Top Fuel dragster car. Garlits was also the first driver to hit 200 mph (320 km) in one-eighth of a mile (0.2 km). He also broke records at 240 mph, 250 mph, and 270 mph. He retired in 1988 after receiving several injuries from a crash at an event in Washington, though he returned to the track in 1991 for one year. Like other drag racing personalities, Garlits is an inductee of several Halls of Fame. 

What is the Value of your Drag Racing - Personalities collectibles? V​iew more in our Drag Racing - Personalities Price Guide.

In this category, the most valuable and sought-after collectibles are autographed by the personality. Many forged examples exist, so collectors are advised to compare an item with a known example before purchasing. Another way to identify a genuine signature is to look for a pre-print. This type of forgery involves printing an image at the same time as the autograph. A pre-print is identifiable by holding it under a light and studying the signature. If it is a pre-print, the signature will have a flat appearance. 

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In the WorthPoint Library

Classic Plastic Model Kits: Identification and Value Guide by Rick Polizzi. 

Books and Periodicals 

High Performance: The Culture and Technology of Drag Racing, 1950-2000 by Robert C. Post. 

Web Resources

Jungle Pam: Drag Racing’s Sweetheart of the Funny Car Track groovyhistory.com.

NHRA’s 50 Greatest Drivers us.motorsport.com.