1980’s – Drag Racing 5 : 1984-1987

In keeping with our promise to give you the most footage, coupled with the
highest quality, we packed 3 events onto one disc. The mid-1980’s was a
wonderful time for NHRA drag racing. After 10+ years of Top Fuel dragsters
looking essentially the same, Joe Amato debuted a high swept-back rear wing,
and within a year, all Top Fuel dragsters would follow suit. Don Garlits returned
with a vengeance, and took aerodynamics one step further when he debuted
Swamp Rat XXX, one of the most significant cars in drag racing history.

The theme of this DVD is ‘Long Odds’, unlikely winners,
bizarre final round matchups, and famous moments.

1984 Big Bud Shootout (23 min)
The Big Bud Shootout was a Funny Car elimination for prize money (no points), held just before the famous
U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis IN. Since the shootout was not for points, Funny Car teams would usually go all out to
win, especially those that weren’t in contention for NHRA points. In this Diamond P Sports production, we see the
best of the best 1984-era Funny Cars competing. Heavy favorite Kenny Bernstein and his Budweiser King was
stunned by a defeat at the hands of a surprisingly fast Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen in the Coors (beer) Corvette
Funny Car. McEwen faced Frank Hawley in the final round, and “Mongoose” pulls out a stunning upset.

1986 NHRA Southern Nationals (67 min)
One of the most famous races in NHRA history, this is another Diamond P Sports presentation from the famed
Atlanta Dragway (this presentation was originally shown under the American Sports Cavalcade title). It was
here that legendary Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden suffered the worst accident of his career. As Glidden drove
through the speed traps at over 180 mph, he pulled his parachute, and his Ford Thunderbird took a violent left
turn, struck the guardrail, and flipped several times, totally destroying the car. In the Funny Car category,
current NHRA Funny Car Champion and low qualifier Kenny Bernstein suffered a shocking defeat in round 1
with a mechanical failure. In the final round is an unlikely pairing of Ed “The Ace” McCulloch s and Jim Head. In
Top Fuel, underdog Bill Mullins defeats heavily favored Darrell Gwynn in round 1, then Mullins takes out
former champ and heavy favorite Gary Beck in round 2. Then another champion is defeated when Gene Snow
shocks Joe Amato, and Snow follows that by defeating Don Garlits. On the other side of the elimination ladder
was an even more unlikely final round appearance, ex-NFL Quartback Dan Pastorini, who no one had paid much
attention to. In another stunning upset, Pastorini defeats Gene Snow to win the event. This would be Pastorini’s
first victory in his very short NHRA career, and it came in a car he had purchased from Gene Snow in 1985!

1987 Bakersfield Fuel & Gas Championship (50 min)
This Top Fuel Dragster shootout in Bakersfield California was one for the history books. All the greats were
here, including Garlits, Muldowney, Gwynn, and Amato. In this Main Event Video production (which is some ways is
superior to the Diamond P coverage of an event, especially the audio), we get some great up close footage of
some of the fuelers warming up in the pit area, and some very interesting interviews with the drivers. The focus
was placed on ex-NFL Quarterback Dan Pastorini, who had gained some fame in 1986 as viable competitor. The
surprise of the event was an unknown  named Larry Sutton, who managed to end up in the final round in the race
of his career, facing Don Garlits and Swamp Rat XXX. Big Daddy takes the victory in a night time final round.