Drag Racing Downunder Milestones

This page is a tribute to the drivers in Australia, New Zealand and the USA who have created a Milestone in the history of Drag Racing, by breaking one of the significant barriers. By significant I mean that I am limiting myself to the first sub x second pass, where x is a number between 9 and 3. ie, first 8 to first 4.
I am also listing the first 200 and 300 mph terminal speeds.

The records are limited to residents of each country, so visitors are not recorded here.

If only the time or speed is listed, I don't know who broke that barrier.
If a name only is listed, it is who I believe broke the record, but I have not proven it, yet.
I welcome any gaps in my knowledge being filled or corrections being suggested.
Submissions should be emailed to: Ralph Smith

	First 8	First 7	First 6	First 5	First 4
USA Outright	Don Garlits 1957	Don Garlits 1961	John Mulligan 1966	Tommy Ivo 1972	Eddie Hill 1988
USA Funny Car	Jim Thornton 1965	Don Nicholson 1966	Danny Ongais 1969	Don Prudhomme 1975	Chuck Etchells 1993
USA Alcohol	Tommy Ivo 1960	Don Garlits 1961	Bill Mullins 1971	Bob Newberry 1989	4 (not yet)
USA Doorslammer	Ron Bizio 1964	Skip Hess 1969	Tommy Howes 1988	Mitch Stott 2003	4 (not yet)
USA Motorcycle	Joe Smith 1971	T.C. Christensen 197?	Terry Vance 1984	Larry McBride 1999	4 (not yet)
Australia Outright	Eddie Thomas 1966	Graham Withers 1967	Jim Read 1973	Jim Read 1980	Graeme Cowin 1993
Australia Funny Car	Norm Oakey 1973	Rick Jones 1973	Graeme Cowin 1978	Graeme Cowin 1986	Damien Harris 2009
Australia Alcohol	Graham Withers 1966	Larry Ormsby 1976	Dave Hawke 1981	Allan Dobson 1993	4 (not yet)
Australia Doorslammer	Warren Goodall 1975	John Payne 1987	John Zappia 1991	John Zappia 2005	4 (not yet)
Australia Motorcycle	Peter Allen 1978	Peter Allen 1986	Bill Curry 1992	Chris Matheson 2023	4 (not yet)
New Zealand Outright	Colin Wilson 1974	Lewis Wymer 1976	Lewis Wymer 1981	Garth Hogan 1987	Anthony Marsh 2015
New Zealand Funny Car	Max Baker 1976	Garth Hogan 1977	Brett Wilson 1981	Willie White 2006	4 (not yet)
New Zealand Alcohol	Colin Wilson 1974	Mike Gearing 1977	Lewis Wymer 1981	Tim Watkins 2007	4 (not yet)
New Zealand Doorslammer	Mark Rendle 1986	Chris Tynan 1991	Mark Holland 1996	5 (not yet)	4 (not yet)
New Zealand Motorcycle	Ray Peterson 1980	Ross Buchanan 2003	Athol Williams 2010	5 (not yet)	4 (not yet)

Country	Class	First 200 mph	Year	First 300 mph	Year
USA	Outright	Kent Chatagnier	1960	Kenny Bernstein	1992
USA	Funny Car	Tom Grove	1968	Jim Epler	1993
USA	Alcohol	Eddie Hill	1962	not yet
USA	Doorslammer	Bill Kuhlmann	1987	not yet
USA	Motorcycle	Elmer Trett	1983	not yet
Australia	Outright	Ash Marshall	1969	Jim Read	2000
Australia	Funny Car	Rick Jones	1973	Damien Harris	2009
Australia	Alcohol	Warren Armour	1972	not yet
Australia	Doorslammer	Wayne Rowe	1989	not yet
Australia	Motorcycle	Phil Howard	1995	not yet
New Zealand	Outright	Garth Hogan	1978	Anthony Marsh	2015
New Zealand	Funny Car	Garth Hogan	1978	not yet
New Zealand	Alcohol	Lewis Wymer	1981	not yet
New Zealand	Doorslammer	Mark Holland	1996	not yet
New Zealand	Motorcycle	Athol Williams	2010	not yet

References: Drag Racing Online | The Drag Racing List | Steve Klemetti | Standard 1320
NHRA | ANDRA | Northern Thunder | Rocket Industries | Dragbike.com | Gasser Madness
Dragster Australia | A Brief History of Top Fuel MOTOR-PSYCHOS By Chris Martin
High Performance by Robert Post.
Many thanks to drag racing historian Roger Clark, (02 4736 4507), for confirming the Australian barrier breakers.

Send any additions or corrections to: Ralph Smith
Updated 19/7/15

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