NHRA 75th Anniversary Celebration

NHRA celebrates 75 years in 2026, and it began right here at HOT ROD.

- MICHAEL GALIMI

By the 1940s, hot rodding was facing an existential crisis. Its popularity following World War II was exploding, and California lawmakers were considering legislation that would make hot rod parts illegal for street use. A young Robert E. Petersen, then working for Hollywood Publicity Associates, called the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) about the growing concerns, ones that would have a profound negative impact on the hot rodding world. His goal was to rally car clubs and organizations to fight the proposed laws, using his employer as a lobbyist and representative for the group. The person on the other end of the phone was Wally Parks, the president and general manager of the SCTA and its only full-time employee at the time. By the end of the conversation, the two realized Pete