Auto racing, specifically NASCAR, has come a long way from its Southern-bred, country-fried, “good-old boys” image. It is now the nation’s second-most popular sport on television (behind the NFL), and in 2006, 17 of the 20 highest-attended sporting events in the nation were NASCAR events.
While NASCAR may not have a long history in Southern California, drag racing does. Its roots are in the dry lake beds of the Mojave Desert. In 1951, the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) formed as the sanctioning body to govern safety of the sport. The NHRA headquarters in Glendora is just five minutes from the Azusa Pacific University campus.
