The Dork-O-Motive Podcast

The Decade That Tried To Kill Nitro Drag Racing: The 1970s

May 27, 2026·35 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Incredibly, nitro powered drag racing nearly didn't survive the 1970s. It is a story often lost to modern history but it's a harrowing tale of shortages, price escalation, racer intervention, and the survival instincts of racers in Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car. In this podcast we examine the tumultuous decade that saw performances escalate, star power grow, and in the end, the sport brought to its very knees as its most famous lifeblood was nearly stolen from it. Would you believe that many racers were advocating for its end in drag racing? They were and the proof is in here. Drag racing history isn't all about the records set on the track, it's often about the survival of its cars, of its venues, and of its fuel off of it.

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