https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/5dd12602-db7d-456a-8d3f-c6e5b60b005e Support Our Channel : https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Drag racing and the National Hot Rod Association takes centerstage in this circa 1965 film presented by Hurst Performance Products. The film reminds the viewer of the modest beginnings of a hot rod (mark 00:45) and how fanatics would take old cars and drop a big engine in a small car, remove the fenders and windshield, and before you know it — a hot rod. The narrator continues to trace the vehicle’s development and how the sport became one that was carefully engineered as various incarnations of cars are shown. By mark 03:39 we’re taken to the drag strip at Los Angeles County Fairgrounds for the NHRA Winter Nationals Drag Race. (Originally scheduled for three days, the event was reduced to just a single day by heavy fog and persistent rain Friday and Saturday.) From there we see the Spring Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee starting at mark 06:42 with several highlights shown. Beginning at mark 12:55 we’re taken to the 1965 NHRA Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park — “the payoff for drivers who have traveled the circuit from coast to coast.” Scenes include pit crews preparing and fine tuning their vehicles for the race, with racers such as Don Garlits and Don Prudhomme shown in action. Prudhomme went on to capture Top Fuel Dragster honors, shown at mark 21:42. This film chronicles the rapid rise of drag racing as America’s fastest growing sport, tracing its roots from the early hot rods—small, lightweight cars with powerful engines—to the sleek, high-powered dragsters that dominate the tracks today. It highlights key events from the 1965 drag racing season, including the Winter Nationals in Pomona, California, where speeds surpassed 200 mph and races were timed with extreme precision. The Spring Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee, showcased cutting-edge facilities and fierce competition among top racers like Don Garet, Connie Khita, and Don Westerdale. The narrative also covers the diversity of racing classes, the critical role of custom tuning, and the introduction of safety gear such as fire suits. Throughout, the film emphasizes the passion and dedication of racers and the growing industry surrounding the sport, culminating in thrilling eliminator rounds and record-breaking performances that helped establish drag racing as a major American motorsport. 0:00 – Introduction to drag racing locations: Pomona, Bristol, Indianapolis. 0:43 – History and evolution of hot rods into powerful, streamlined dragsters. 1:25 – Development of multiple car types and classification systems. 1:54 – Introduction of dragsters focused on power with minimal bodywork. 2:50 – Importance of tires and tuning in drag racing success. 3:26 – 1965 Winter Nationals at Pomona, speeds exceed 200 mph with sub-8 second runs. 4:15 – New handicap system introduced for Top Stock Eliminator. 5:55 – Don Garet sets records with back-to-back 200+ mph runs. 6:34 – Spring Nationals at Bristol showcase top-class facilities and fierce competition. 8:09 – Premiere of Hurst’s wheelstanding dragster; altitude affects performance. 9:11 – Don Westerdale hits 204.44 mph in 7.51 seconds. 10:13 – Notable winners in Junior Stock, Top Stock, and Match Bash categories. 11:02 – Top Fuel eliminations with speed records and dramatic races. 12:25 – Connie Khita wins Top Fuel final, affirming top driver status. 13:20 – Drag racing described as accessible yet demanding sport with 70 car classes. 14:07 – Veteran George Montgomery returns with experimental dragster; mechanics honored. 15:08 – Top Fuel rounds feature close races over 200 mph; fire suits introduced for safety. 16:19 – Fuel testing and regulations emphasized due to nitromethane use. 17:35 – From 1,167 entries, only 70 cars remain in semi-finals with handicapped starts. 18:20 – Key semi-final wins and notable incidents in various Eliminator categories. 19:00 – Tommy Ivo wins Top Fuel semi; mechanical failures and close finishes impact outcomes. 20:20 – Final rounds see wins by Pete Shattinger, Phil Hobbs, Tommy Ivo, and others, leading to Top Fuel final matchup. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. 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