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In the early days of drag racing there were lots of cars, lots of would-be racers, and lots of open land. The one thing in short supply was the structure needed to bring early hot rodders together to turn them into drag racers. Wally Parks, and his vision of a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), promised to do just that.

—Top speed records, the 150-mph club, and the challenges to drag racing in 1956 , Jack recounts how NHRAÌý headquarters moved to its new home on North Vermont Ave in Los Angeles, how different drag racing organizers were running similar events, and how the Art Arfons was the NHRA's first member of its 150-mph club—even though had been the first to break that record the year before.

Watch Episode 2 of Hot Rod History with Jack Beckman—How NHRA Created Sanctioned Drag Racing

Watch Episode 5 of Hot Rod History with Jack Beckman—The 1955 explosion of drag racing innovation, performance, and media coverage

Future installments will be hosted on DodgeGarage.com, NHRA.com, and . All episodes will ultimatelyÌý be indexed on all three platforms for your reference and enjoyment.

What is Hot Rod History with Jack Beckman: A Quarter-Mile at a Time?

This is a master’s class in drag racing, taught by a 300-mph professor. Jack Beckman offers a unique perspective on our sport, as one of the few active NHRA racers who’s also student of the sport’s technology, history, records, and exceptional moments. We are joining Jack on this journey, and partnering with Jack and Dodge Garage to share the experience.