Ford Drag Racing: 1955-1980: A Celebration of the Blue Oval's Success at the Drag Strip: 1955-1980 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781613259092)

Relive the golden era of Ford drag racing in this comprehensive and nostalgic history.

In the early days of pre-war hot rodding, before organized drag racing events on sanctioned quarter mile tracks, almost all racing activities were carried out on the dry lake beds of the southwest. Ford had a stranglehold on the fledgling performance markets with its flathead V8, as there were no other affordable mass produced V8s at the time. The Flatheads simply dominated the scene in that era.

Fast forward to post-war racing, and the manufacturers were starting to challenge the dominance of the Flathead V8s with overhead valve designs (OHV) of their own. By the mid 50s, it became clear that there were a lot of powerful options, and organization was necessary. The NHRA was formed and the game was on.

Veteran author and drag racing historian Doug Boyce takes a look at this era as Ford responded to those challenges at the track. The Ford Y-Block replaced the Flathead, the FE replaced the Y-block and the 385 series replaced much of that, with 427 SOHCs, Boss 429s and 351 Clevelands winning races and breaking records along the way.

Ford gave rise to such stars as Bill Lawton, Gas Ronda, Hubert Platt, "Dyno Don" Nicholson, Al Joniec, Dick Brannan, Phil Bonner, "Ohio George" Montgomery, Gapp & Roush, Mickey Thompson, Connie Kalitta, Bob Glidden and many more. Fords and Mercurys won championships and set records in Stock, Super Stock, Factory Experimentals, Pro Stock, and Funny Cars. Their Total Performance efforts emphasized commitment and excellence in all racing forms all the way to "The Going Thing". Factory production cars like the Ford Thunderbolt, Long Nose Mustangs, Flip Top Comets and Cobra Jet Mustangs backed up that commitment with the hardware for success.

Whether you are a hardcore Ford fan or just love catching up on the history of drag racing during the golden era, this nostalgic look at Ford drag racing history is a welcome addition to any racing library.

Author: Doug Boyce
ISBN-10: 1613259093
ISBN-13: 9781613259092
Publisher: Cartech
Language: English
Published: 12/15/2026
Pages: 176
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.31lbs
Size: 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.33d