7 DECADES OF THE BIG GO: 1990s Loaded with Historical Moments at Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals

Force’s first Indy win, WJ’s impressive PS run, Jim Head’s remarkable win for AJ, Kalitta finally comes through and more all took place in a marvelous decade

A Look Into the 7 Decades of The Big Go:
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Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals and the 1960s
1970s: Snake Carves out his Legacy
Glidden Dominates 1980s in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – August 8, 2024 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals are filled with history and there’s no denying the 1990s were loaded with an incredible number of legacy-making events. From first-time wins to final Indy wins, to a run of dominance to incredibly heart-warming stories, this decade of The Big Go had it all.

This year, the world’s biggest drag race turns 70, as the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals takes place Aug. 28-Sept. 2 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. To get to this historical moment, the magic of The Big Go and winning on the sport’s grandest stage grew throughout each decade and the 1990s were no different.

Nearly every year in the 1990s had something significant, but the decade clearly belonged to Pro Stock’s “Professor,” Warren Johnson. He first won Indy in 1984 but didn’t taste victory again at the race until 1992. From there, though, he was nearly unbeatable, winning for four straight years to cement his legacy as one of the greatest drivers and minds in NHRA history. He finished off the decade with a thriller, defeating his former crew chief, Greg Anderson, who was about to unleash his own historical run.

That year, though, belonged to Johnson, as the teacher defeated the student in the final round in 1999, Johnson’s sixth and final Indy victory. Almost magically, Anderson’s 100th career win came 23 years later in Indy, and it was also his seventh at The Big Go, breaking a longtime tie with his former boss.

As Johnson was cementing his iconic status, John Force was building his as the 1990s opened. His five U.S. Nationals victories are tied with Ed McCulloch for the most in Funny Car history and McCulloch’s final Funny Car win at Indy came in 1990. Force’s first came in 1993, finally cashing in by defeating Kenji Okazaki, who was the first Japanese driver to reach an NHRA final, in the championship round. He added two more Indy wins that decade – 1996 and 1998 – as Force was well on his way to becoming the biggest name in the sport.

After the tragic passing of Blaine Johnson during a crash at the 1996…