Top Gas (T/G) is a formerNHRAdrag racing professional class.
Analogous toTop Fuel, Top Gas was a pro class, and alloweddragsters (T/GD) as well as bodied cars.
Several noteworthy cars ran in Top Gas. One of the earlystreamliners,Scuderia, made her debut at the 1963NHRA Winternationals atPomona, California, recording a best pass of 8.83 seconds at 169.17 mph (272.25 km/h).[1] At Arlington later that year,Scuderia set a Top Gas record (average of two passes) of 162.22 mph (261.07 km/h).[2]
Like Top Fuel, Top Gas dragsters experimented with twin engines, includingFreight Train and the Motes & Petersdigger. It also saw a number of streamliners, includingSidewinder III (in BB/GD) andScuderia.[3]
Driver Ray Motes and owner R. C. Williams, based inRussell, Kansas, ran "one of the most successful Top Gas dragsters ever".[4] Motes would win theSpringnationals and the Top Gas national title in both 1970 and 1971.[5] Williams, then owner ofFreight Train (driven by Walt Rhodes), would win the 1971Gatornationals.[6]
Late model cars were first allowed in the Gas classes in 1967.[7]
Other notable drivers who started or drove in Top Gas includeGordon Collett,Jim Bucher,Eddie Hill, and Jack Moss, while teams like Frakes and Funk, and Schultz and Jones, had many fans.[8]
The last event was the 1971NHRA Supernationals atOntario Motor Speedway in California.[9] It was won byJim Bucher, whose twin-engined dragster redlighted, but was given the win after his opponent, Ken Ellis (in another twin-engined dragster), was disqualified.[10]
Top Gas was eliminated by NHRA in 1972.[11]
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