Most Dramatic Moments in Drag Racing Part 1

When race fans take a look back at the 2012 drag racing season that was, no one knew what was about to unfold; it all started in Pomona California at Auto Club Raceway . There were many dramatic runs in 2012 that are too numerous to count for the fans. So with that in mind, drag racing fans from around the world sent in what they felt were the best runs in 2012. From jaw dropping speeds and elapsed times to history making moments, the 2012 racing season was one for the ages. So here are your top 12 runs in drag racing for 2012:


#12 "Mad Man" Frankie Taylor: At the ADRL World Finals VIII at Texas Motorplex in november, after watching his good friend and rival Tommy D'Aprile uncork a 3.58 for the quickest run in ADRL History (at that time), Taylor sought to do his best to surpass it. Having a flair for the dramatic, the driver known as "Mad Man" unleashed a record shattering 3.577 at 212.19 on the assembled crowd. It was truly an exciting run! (Video courtesy of ADRL)

Photo Courtesy of the NHRA

#11 As the 2012 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcyle
class was completely dominated by the Screamin Eagle Harley Davidson Team, Michael Ray and his Viper Motorcyle CO/Gottspeed racing Buell sought to end that dominance. At the Texas AAA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex after having dispatched Andrew Hines in the semi finals, Ray did just that in defeating the Geico Powersports Suzuki of Karen Stoffer in the PSM finals. The Young Man with the Golden Riding suit captured his first national event win thus ending the perfect season of the Harleys.




#10 At the November Street Car Super Nationals at The Strip in Las Vegas, Jose Gonzales and his 1969 El General Pro Street Camaro set the doorslammer world on its proverbial ear during qualifying. On his third of 4 passes, Gonzales screamed down the quarter mile running an elapsed time of 5.732 at 259.13 mph; he wasn't done just yet. On his final run of qualifying, Gonzales dropped an even quicker run of 5.730 at just over 258 mph thus earning the title Worlds Quickest Doorslammer. (Video Courtesy of Youtube and user Alaskaerjs)

Photo Courtesy of Vance and Hines

#9 Andrew Hines aboard his Screamin Eagle Harley began the rained delayed Auto Plus Nationals Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations setting the elapsed time record of 6.742 seconds. And as the day wore on, Hines backed it up on the next run with a 6.782 to establish a new ET record but racers of any class strive to go quicker and quicker, and Hines would do just that. In the semi finals the former PSM champ did just that unleashing a record shattering 6.728 second run. But his run towards the national event win would wait one week since rain would delay the finals of pro stock motorcycle.





#8 In the semi finals of Top Alcochol Dragster,
Jim Whiteley uncorked what is the quickest methanol powered dragster run in history, a 5.17.  YouTube channel Nitro America shows you just what the run looked like to the stunned crowd at Pomona at the Auto Club Finals: Video Courtesy of Les Mayhew:

Photo Courtesy of Wilmington Automotive News

#7 From the opening qualifying session of the 28th Annual Auto Plus Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Penn, records began to drop like flies in all pro classes. From Top Fuel and Funny Car to Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, the 28th Annual Auto Plus Nationals will go down as one of the quickest events in drag racing history.

This is the first part of the top 12 runs of 2012 in Drag Racing. So which runs will make the top 6, stay tuned till tomorrow when they will be announced.