Supercharged Gassers were some of the fan favorites in drag racing during the 1960's. These wild, ill handling machines were headliners at drag racing events around the country in that era, especially in the Mid-West and in California.

In the early and mid 1960's the Supercharged Gassers dominated the scene on the West Coast, the only rivals they had for the "main stage" were the Fuel Alterds of the time. This was before "Funny Cars" had appeared at the tracks. The top Supercharged Gasser teams of that era often challenged each other to races by taking out ads in drag racing newspapers like Drag News. These sorts of challenges sparked fan interest and made for great racing. With their short wheelbases and body styles that were anything but aerodynamic, the cars of that day and age were challenging to drive and fun to watch from a safe distance! Many of the earlier machines featured blown Oldsmobile or Cadillac power, and as the years progressed blown Chevrolet V-8 and supercharged Chrysler Hemi equipped entries appeared.

The appearance of the early "Funny Cars" in the mid to late 1960's caused interest in the Gassers to drop off, although some racers continued to run these wild doorslammers into the 1970's. This month through the lens of ace photographer Steve Reyes we get to see some of the excitement of those days gone by with Supercharged Gasser Wars! CN

Looking for a classic drag racing photo of your favorite car or star? Chances are Steve Reyes has it. Or if you would like a professional photo shoot with your car, you can contact Steve Reyes via e-mail at sb.reyes@cox.net