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75-466: The National Hot Rod Association pro stock class emerged from the production-based super stock in 1970 with a more liberal set of rules and an absence of handicaps. Rules initially favored big block V8s with Chrysler Hemi engine powered cars winning the world title the first two years. The NHRA attempted to balance the playing field for 1972 and introduced rules allowing for small displacement V8, compact cars carrying favorable weight. On 1 July 1973,

150-399: A BMX track. Veteran's Park is located in the northwestern part of the city and includes an 18-hole disc golf course, a fishing lake with limited boating, sand volleyball, ballfields, a playground, and walking trails. The department also maintains hiking and biking trails along flood control levies around the city along with Stone Lake, a 43-acre (17 ha) fishing lake immediately south of

225-449: A bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 14.8% of the population. 24.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 106.9 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that

300-506: A brief quarantine. In 1886, local speculators began to fund exploration for petroleum in the area. By 1930, the oil and gas industry brought more than $ 20 million annually to the county. More than 3,000 wells produced during the 1930s, and the influx of workers dramatically increased the city's population. The U.S. Army Air Forces opened Great Bend Army Airfield west of the city in 1943. The base served as training facility for B-29 bomber aircraft personnel during World War II . After

375-468: A car. In the wake of Scott Kalitta 's death at Englishtown, NJ in 2008, the sand traps have been made longer and deeper, going from three feet deep to six feet deep and from 40 feet (12 m) long to 80 feet (24 m) long. Anchors for any arresting netting must be buried underground with no obstructing posts. Some of the newest safety features deal with the tracks themselves. In the wake of Kalitta's death, there are now heavily padded retaining walls at

450-623: A circulation of over 6,200 copies. The Interrobang was the student newspaper at the Great Bend-based Barton Community College . Great Bend is a center of broadcast media for central Kansas. Two AM and ten FM radio stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from the city. Two television stations, one NBC affiliate and one ABC affiliate, also broadcast from the city. Both are satellite stations of their respective affiliates in Wichita as Great Bend

525-670: A commercial center for central Kansas. Great Bend is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 281 and U.S. Route 56 highways in Kansas. Driving by highway, it is approximately 116 miles (187 km) northwest of Wichita and 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Hays . Lying in the Great Bend Sand Prairie region of the Great Plains , the city is situated on the north side of the Arkansas River where

600-537: A direct result of Kalitta's death. Within the safety requirements, there is also a full crew of safety personnel, called the Safety Safari , whose job is to attend to any fires, clean up the track of debris after an accident on the track, and attend to the drivers prior to the arrival of any medical personnel. The Safety Safari has been in place since the late 1960s, after a rash of on-track accidents caused several promising drivers to retire early. Since that time

675-399: A rear panel, accessible to safety crews. Sixth is the roof escape hatch that is in place on all Funny Cars since the founding of the division in the early 1970s. This device allows Funny Car drivers a safe means of exit during an engine fire rather than falling out of the car between the frame and fiberglass body, and possibly running the risk of being run over by the rear tires. Seventh are

750-421: A row, widely considered by many to be one of the most impressive winning streaks in the history of the sport. The driver with the most wins in a single season is six-time champion Greg Anderson, who won 15 of 23 events en route to his 2004 championship. National Hot Rod Association The National Hot Rod Association ( NHRA ) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over

825-543: A severe case of tire shake which, coupled with the release of his parachutes, ripped his car cleanly in two directly behind the engine. This frame failure exposed him to severe injury with no body or frame in front of his feet, as the severely damaged vehicle ground to a halt. The rules now prevent the use of hardened chrome moly tubing in the framework construction of any Top Fuel or Funny Car. The track length for nitromethane-powered vehicles (funny cars and fuel dragsters) has been reduced to 1,000 feet (305 meters), to reduce

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900-518: A site roughly three miles west of Fort Zarah on the Santa Fe Trail . They named the settlement after its location at the "great bend" in the Arkansas River where the river's course turns eastward. The town began to grow as more settlers arrived over the following year and opened several businesses. The railroad reached Great Bend in July 1872, and an election at about the same time declared

975-555: A state in 1861, and the state government delineated the surrounding area as Barton County in 1867. The first settlers of the area arrived in 1870. Living in sod houses and dugouts, they worked as buffalo hunters since trampling by bison herds precluded crop farming. In 1871, the Great Bend Town Company, anticipating the westward construction of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad , founded Great Bend at

1050-497: Is commonly referred to by its nickname, " The Wally ". Wally Parks, editor of Hot Rod magazine and a dry lakes racer himself, began the National Hot Rod Association to promote "safety, sportsmanship, and fellowship" among hot rodders. The association gained about 25,000 members in its first year; within six years, it had more than 57,000 members. Hot Rod magazine and NHRA worked together to convince

1125-422: Is elected at-large , also for a two-year term. The mayor and city council together constitute the city's Governing Body which sets goals, establishes policies, and approves all ordinances and resolutions. The council meets on the first and third Monday of each month. As the county seat , Great Bend is the administrative center of Barton County. The county courthouse is located downtown, and most departments of

1200-499: Is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km ) is water. Located near the convergence of North America's humid continental (Köppen: Dfa ), humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa ), and semi-arid (Köppen: BSk ) climate zones, Great Bend experiences hot summers and cold, dry winters. The hottest temperature recorded in Great Bend was 111 °F (43.9 °C) on July 11–13, 1954, June 27, 1980, June 30, 1980, and July 14, 1980, while

1275-495: Is not a hot-rodder at all. He's a square." NHRA initiated the 1954 "Drag Safari", a nationwide tour to encourage organized drag racing with an emphasis on safety. Sponsored by Mobil Oil , the Safari crew would meet with law enforcement and local city officials at each stop to explain their program, involve local car clubs, set up sites, and run drag races. Drag Safari would lead to the 1955 US Nationals for drag racing. Due to

1350-626: Is part of the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market . The city government's Park Department maintains 10 parks in the city. The two largest are Brit Spaugh Park and Veteran's Memorial Park. Located in the north-central part of the city, Brit Spaugh Park includes the Great Bend Zoo , the Wetlands Aquatic Center, two softball fields, horseshoe courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, a skateboarding area, and

1425-508: Is relatively low; compared to a U.S. average of 100, the cost of living index for the city is 79.4. As of 2012, the median home value in the city was $ 78,300, the median selected monthly owner cost was $ 979 for housing units with a mortgage and $ 400 for those without, and the median gross rent was $ 539. Great Bend is a city of the second class with a mayor-council form of government. The city council consists of eight members, two elected from each city ward for two-year terms. The mayor

1500-400: Is resistant to disintegration. This also came about after the death of Russell. The tires are not allowed to be inflated under 7 pounds per square inch (48 kPa) for any race at any time. All cars capable of attaining 150 miles per hour require braking parachutes . A safety requirement on all Drag cars running 9.99 and quicker in the 1/4 mile is the fireproof engine blanket that surrounds

1575-571: Is the top division of the NHRA. It consists of four professional classes: There are more than a dozen Sportsman Classes. The classes contested at NHRA Divisional races include Snowmobile, Motorcycle Classes, Super Street, Super Gas, Stock Eliminator, Super Stock, Competition Eliminator, Super Comp, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, and Top Alcohol Dragster. All classes except Snowmobile and some Sportsman motorcycle classes are regularly contested at NHRA national events. NHRA promotes mainly

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1650-579: The 2020 census , the population of the city was 14,733. It is home to Barton Community College . Prior to American settlement of the area, the site of Great Bend was located in the northern reaches of Kiowa territory. Claimed first by France as part of Louisiana and later acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, it lay within the area organized by the U.S. as Kansas Territory in 1854. Kansas became

1725-595: The United States and Canada . With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanctioning body in the world. The association was founded by Wally Parks in 1951 in California to provide a governing body to organize and promote the sport of drag racing. NHRA's first Nationals was held in 1955, in Great Bend, Kansas . The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series ,

1800-888: The coronavirus pandemic in the United States , the NHRA cancelled its 2020 and 2021 editions of the Drag Racing Series at the Virginia Motorsports Park . Regular scheduling resumed in 2022, with the events taking place in May of that year. Currently, there are two headquarters offices, one in San Dimas, California , and the other in Brownsburg, Indiana at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park . The Mission Foods Drag Racing Series offices are held in Brownsburg. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series

1875-418: The 1,000 foot (304.8 meter) increment NHRA has over 100 member tracks across the United States. It currently leases In N Out Pomona Dragstrip , Gainesville Raceway and Lucas Oil Raceway . It previously owned National Trail Raceway and Atlanta Dragway The NHRA mandates numerous safety devices and procedures in all competition events. A five-point safety harness is required for all vehicles. It holds

1950-513: The 6.30s at almost 220 miles per hour (354 km/h). At the 2019 NHRA Houston Raceway Park race, where the Mountain Motor formula replaced the NHRA formula, the fastest car reached 6.233 seconds. The most championships for a driver in pro stock is 10-time champion Bob Glidden. During the 1978 and 1979 seasons when he all but shut out his competition, Glidden advanced to 18 of the 19 final rounds, winning 14 times. Nine of those wins came in

2025-470: The Alcohol ranks. This is to prevent any debris from entering the cockpit and becoming a missile hazard to the driver after the death of Top Fuel racer Darrell Russell. Fifth is the on-board fire extinguishing system that is required. These systems are directed onto the engine itself and are activated instantly when the engine catches fire, reducing the chance for the car to completely catch fire and endanger

2100-470: The American Legion national championships in 1971, 1972, and 1973. The Rebels were one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International , finishing in 5th place in 1972 and 11th in 1973. Greyhound racing got its start in the United States in the bottoms in 1886 during a formal coursing event. Great Bend was home to minor league baseball . The Great Bend Millers team

2175-872: The Mountain Motor IHRA pro stock cars, which have unlimited displacements . Lee Shepherd won the second of four championships in a row in 1983, the year he also won IHRA's title, making him the first driver ever to do so; he repeated the feat in 1984. In 2016, the NHRA implemented a major overhaul to the engine formula. Hood scoops and double four-barrel carburetors were eliminated and replaced by electronic fuel injection, an overhaul designed to reflect modern automotive trends, as all automobiles being produced for sale in North America have used electronic fuel injection for over 20 years. The rules that exclude forced induction of any sort, plus allowing head modifications, have resulted in pro stock heads being

2250-412: The NHRA required pro stock drivers to have competition licences, just like blown or fuel dragsters and funny cars . Following a 1973 NHRA rule change to allow records to be set at any national meet, at the 1973 NHRA Winternationals , "Dyno Don" Nicholson set the first official pro stock e.t. record with a 9.33, while Bill Jenkins turned in a record 148.76 mph (239.41 km/h) speed; later at

2325-872: The Professional classes at national events; however, the majority of its participants are Sportsman Racers. Sportsman-class racers must be dues-paying members of NHRA before they are allowed to enter and participate in any NHRA event. Included in these sportsman events are the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Summit Racing Equipment Racing Series and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League. The NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing Series originally consisted of seven divisions: Northeast, Southeast, North Central, South Central, West Central, Northwest, and Pacific. Starting in 2012,

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2400-538: The Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes competed in four regions: East, North Central, Central and West. Sportsman racers with multiple championships Sportsman racers who have won multiple world championships, with the date of their most recent championship. Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) Alcohol Funny Car (AFC) Competition Eliminator (CE) Super Stock (SS) Stock NOTE: Top Fuel and Funny Car records are measured in

2475-576: The age of 18 and 10.7% of those ages 65 or over. As of the 2010 census , there were 15,995 people, 6,483 households, and 4,038 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,509.0 inhabitants per square mile (582.6/km ). There were 7,113 housing units at an average density of 671.0 per square mile (259.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 84.0% White , 1.7% African American , 0.6% American Indian , 0.2% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 11.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 19.8% of

2550-464: The car's engine, and should the car backfire at any time during the race, or if the burst panel is blown out by an engine explosion, the fuel pump shuts off and the parachutes are deployed automatically. Although several drivers in the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions have stated their dislike for the new sensor, they do admit that it should cut down on any fatal crashes similar to Kalitta's. This device

2625-736: The chance of fatal injuries has been decreased but not eliminated. There is also a full staff of EMTs on hand at any event on the schedule at any given time. These EMTs are usually from the city or county the track is located in, and are compensated by the NHRA for their time and efforts. Aeromedical services are also on hand at the track for airlifting severely injured persons to local hospitals or trauma centers if necessary. The original "Drag Safari" began their tour across America in 1954. Included were four original members: Bud Coons, Bud Evans, Eric Rickman and Chic Cannon. Although there are several safety procedures in place to prevent fatal accidents, no amount of safety can completely prevent fatalities on

2700-598: The city. The Club at StoneRidge, located on the northern edge of the city, includes a private, 18-hole golf course that opened in 1940. A second 18-hole course, the Lake Barton Golf Course, lies approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the city. From 1947 to 1989, Great Bend was the home of the Argonne Rebels Drum and Bugle Corps . Under the direction of Glenn and Sandra Opie, the corps achieved national fame, most notably winning

2775-434: The city. U.S. Route 281 runs north–south through Great Bend, intersecting U.S. Route 56 , K-96 , and K-156 which run concurrently east–west through the city. K-96 splits from U.S. 56 and K-156 in western Great Bend, exiting the city to the northwest. U.S. 56 and K-156 continue concurrently west, then turn south and ultimately southwest. Great Bend Municipal Airport is located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) west of

2850-489: The city. Used primarily for general aviation. A Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad line runs east–west through the city with a second line branching off to the northwest, paralleling K-96. The city government's Public Works Department is responsible for water distribution, waste water treatment, and sewer maintenance. One of the few cities in the area not to have a water treatment plant or water tower, Great Bend obtains its water supply directly from ten wells located throughout

2925-480: The city. Waste water is treated and recycled at the city's Wastewater Treatment Facility and then emptied into the Arkansas River. Two regional energy cooperatives, Midwest Energy, Inc. and Wheatland Electric, provide electric power. Local residents primarily use natural gas for heating fuel; Midwest Energy and Kansas Gas Service both provide natural gas service. There is one primary medical facility in

3000-418: The city. Great Bend Regional Hospital, a 33-bed general medical and surgical facility, is the city's sole hospital. St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center, formerly Central Kansas Medical Center, was an outpatient care facility affiliated with Catholic Health Initiatives . St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center was closed and demolished in 2015. The Great Bend Tribune is the city's daily newspaper with

3075-633: The city: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dodge City oversees the Holy Family School (PreK–6). There is also one non-denominational Christian school in the city, Central Kansas Christian Academy (K-8). Great Bend was located on the National Old Trails Road , also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, that was established in 1912. Currently, two U.S. Highways and two Kansas state highways pass through

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3150-508: The coldest temperature recorded was −21 °F (−29.4 °C) on December 22, 1989. The high temperature reaches or exceeds 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 69.7 days a year and reaches or exceeds 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 12 days a year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point 32 °F (0 °C) an average of 119.5 days a year. The 2020 United States census counted 14,733 people, 6,136 households, and 3,690 families in Great Bend. The population density

3225-524: The conclusion of a run, a pair of redundant transmitters, placed 400 feet (120 m) and 600 feet (180 m) past the finish line, will signal an on-board receiver to automatically shut off ignition power and fuel to the engine and deploy the parachutes. The transmitters are designed and placed so as to avoid inadvertent triggering of the automated shutoffs. These transmitters and the receivers that are placed on all cars were designed by NHRA's Track Safety Committee and constructed by Electrimotion , and are

3300-795: The county government base their operations in the city. Great Bend lies within Kansas's 1st U.S. Congressional District . For the purposes of representation in the Kansas Legislature , the city is located in the 33rd district of the Kansas Senate and the 112th district of the Kansas House of Representatives . Barton Community College , a two-year public college, is located approximately three miles northeast of Great Bend. Great Bend USD 428 public school district serves approximately 3,000 students and operates eight schools in

3375-532: The driver securely in the seat and is equipped with a quick-release latch which can be released in less than a second should the driver need to leave the car due to fire or explosions. Fire suits are required for all drivers in the alcohol and nitromethane fuel classes and the faster gasoline classes. These suits are full body coveralls and made with seven layers of Nomex fabric, which makes them resistant to fire. The required suit includes Nomex gloves, foot socks, and head sock. Another NASCAR transplant, which

3450-425: The driver. The driver also has a manual activation control available. This has been in place on all cars since 1983, when an engine explosion and fire came very close to killing then-Funny Car driver Mike Dunn. All enclosed body cars must have a five-inch circular opening that will accept the nozzle of a fire extinguisher triggered by safety personnel. All vehicles must have a clearly marked fuel pump cut-off switch on

3525-429: The end of the sand traps. These walls are able to withstand the impact of a vehicle traveling at well over the usual speed of any division within the NHRA's professional categories. These retaining walls take the place of the old rubber polymer safety nets that were once held up with concrete posts. Another safety modification was a direct result of Kalitta's death. The NHRA began installing a sensor that constantly checks

3600-407: The engine block and contains debris in case of an engine explosion. NHRA rules call for a monetary, points, and time penalty if the car leaks oil during the run. During qualifying, the offending team loses its elapsed time and speed from the run; during a race, the penalty is loss of lane choice unless both teams in the ensuing race committed the violation. In the wake of Eric Medlen 's 2007 death,

3675-478: The front runners in the class can reach speeds over 213 miles per hour (343 km/h) in 6.47 seconds (approx). The qualifications rounds are separated by less than a tenth of a second across all competitors. In a particularly tight qualifying roster, the difference from No. 1 to the final No. 16 qualifier may be only .05 seconds. Mountain Motor cars, because of their massive, 800+ cubic inch, mountain motors, dip into

3750-440: The general public and especially the police that there was a difference between hot-rodders and reckless street racers, sometimes known as "shot rodders". They encouraged the involvement of adults, such as auto shop teachers and garage owners. The NHRA's efforts to defend the image of the hot-rodder included a series of short films such as The Cool Hot Rod (1953) in which a delinquent teen learns that "a reckless kid in an old junker

3825-549: The largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: educational services, health care, and social assistance (27.3%); retail trade (11.9%); manufacturing (9.8%); and arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (9.8%). Great Bend Public Schools, Barton Community College , and CUNA Mutual Retirement Solutions are the city's three largest employers. Other major employers include local government, local hospitals, Wal-Mart , Superior Essex , and Fuller Brush Company . The cost of living in Great Bend

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3900-488: The late 1980s, fans could station themselves up to the guardrails so they could be closer to the action. However, in the wake of several rather dramatic accidents on track, where spectators have been injured or killed, fans are no longer allowed within 75 feet (23 m) of the guardrail. One of the newest safety requirements came after a near-fatal crash at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas , when John Force 's car experienced

3975-416: The legal "dead line" restricting the presence of Texas cattle 30 miles west of Barton County. The cattle trade moved westward accordingly, and the city became more peaceful. Over the following decades, Great Bend continued to grow and modernize, becoming a center of area commerce. This was despite two disasters which struck the city: a downtown fire in 1878 and a smallpox outbreak in 1882 which resulted in

4050-403: The likelihood and severity of blower and engine explosions and fires at or above 200 miles per hour. All other classes continue to race a full 1320-foot quarter mile (402 meters) which has been the original distance established by the NHRA in the 1950s. The 2010 season brought a new safety device to Top Fuel classes. Should the driver be rendered unable to perform the normal shutdown sequence at

4125-422: The long bars at the rear end of all cars, also known as " wheelie bars ". These long struts prevent the car from flipping over during the launch phase. To prevent debris, oil, fuel, or coolant from falling on the racing surface, "diapers" under the engine (with a supporting platform) are used to retain liquids and broken parts in the event of a catastrophic engine failure. "Oil-downs" result in substantial fines and

4200-402: The loss of previously earned Championship points (for annual awards). Many cars using the centrifugally-activated "slipper" clutch are now using a retention tube to collect the substantial amount of clutch dust that is produced during each race. The aforementioned recent practices, along with the longstanding requirement for a Kevlar-style retainer blanket over the supercharger, considerably reduce

4275-421: The median household income was $ 46,659 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 3,811) and the median family income was $ 64,453 (+/- $ 6,131). Males had a median income of $ 39,595 (+/- $ 4,131) versus $ 26,684 (+/- $ 4,324) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $ 32,273 (+/- $ 2,536). Approximately, 8.0% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.0% of those under

4350-486: The median income for a family was $ 46,969. Males had a median income of $ 33,623 versus $ 25,038 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,529. About 10.2% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. Agriculture is the predominant industry in Great Bend, and its grain elevators are visible from miles away. The oil industry flourished from about 1930–1960. There

4425-409: The most sophisticated in any drag racing category, with valve lifts in the 1 inch region. Modern pro stock engines generally produce around 2.5 hp/in (114 kW/L), and make upwards of 1,500 hp while being naturally aspirated. A complete NHRA pro stock engine can cost upwards of $ 100,000. In addition to all of these specifications, each car must: This makes for some incredibly tight racing;

4500-413: The national event series which comprises 24 races each year, is the premier series in drag racing that brings together the best drag racers from across North America and the world. The NHRA U.S. Nationals are now held at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Indiana and are officially called the U.S. Nationals. Winners of national events are awarded a trophy statue in honor of founder Wally Parks. The trophy

4575-443: The population. There were 6,483 households, of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

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4650-405: The potential for injury and fire, in addition to assuring a cleaner and safer racing surface, resulting in a dramatic reduction in race delays for track clean-up. The rear tires of the car, which are called slicks due to the fact that there is no tread on them, are specified with safety considerations in mind. These tires are made from a much harder compound than in previous years so that the tire

4725-510: The river's course shifts from northeast to southeast. Dry Walnut Creek, a tributary of nearby Walnut Creek, flows east along the northern edge of the city. Cheyenne Bottoms , a large inland wetland, is located approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) to the northeast. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 10.71 square miles (27.74 km ), of which 10.60 square miles (27.45 km )

4800-463: The roll bars in a Funny Car underwent modifications to further improve safety. They are padded with thick insulation and coated with several layers of Nomex to prevent the padding from catching fire during an engine explosion. Another facility safety feature is the large sand pit at the end of the track past an area of the track known as the "shutdown area", also known as a "sand trap". This 40-foot-long (12 m) sand pit has been placed to slow or stop

4875-408: The same event, Nicholson made a 9.01 second/150.50 mph (242.21 km/h) pass, breaking both his and Jenkins' records. Over the 1974 and 1975 seasons, Bob Glidden became the first driver to win two pro stock championships. In 1982, the NHRA did away with the weight break system and implemented a 2,350 pound minimum weight, 500 cubic inch maximum rule across the board, due to the popularity of

4950-416: The town the permanent county seat. Great Bend was incorporated as a city soon thereafter. The county courthouse and the city's first public school were built the following year. In 1873, following the arrival of the railroad, Great Bend became a shipping point for cattle. This stimulated local business but also transformed the city into a rowdy, violent cowtown. In 1876, the Kansas Legislature extended

5025-428: The track. These are notable incidents that took place at NHRA national events or in pre or post race testing after national events. remove redundant links to "2011" points list. Great Bend, Kansas Great Bend is a city in and the county seat of Barton County , Kansas , United States. It is named for its location at the point where the course of the Arkansas River bends east then southeast. As of

5100-561: The war, the City of Great Bend acquired the base and repurposed it for civilian use as Great Bend Municipal Airport . The city continued to grow through the 1950s, its population peaking at almost 17,000 in 1960. In 1973, the Fuller Brush Company relocated its production facilities to Great Bend, becoming one of the city's major employers. Despite a modest decline in population in recent decades, Great Bend continues to serve as

5175-511: Was 1,403.4 per square mile (541.9/km ). There were 7,081 housing units at an average density of 674.5 per square mile (260.4/km ). The racial makeup was 77.34% (11,395) white or European American (70.47% non-Hispanic white ), 1.55% (228) black or African-American , 0.64% (95) Native American or Alaska Native , 0.36% (53) Asian , 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian , 10.96% (1,615) from other races , and 9.14% (1,346) from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race

5250-400: Was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age in the city was 36.7 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 16.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female. As of 2010, the median income for a household was $ 42,293, and

5325-428: Was 23.5% (3,462) of the population. Of the 6,136 households, 29.4% had children under the age of 18; 42.3% were married couples living together; 30.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.0% of households consisted of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.0. The percent of those with

5400-853: Was based in Great Bend in 1905 and from 1909 to 1914. The Millers played as members of the Class D level Kansas State League in 1905 and from 1909 to 1911, the Central Kansas League in 1912 and the Kansas State League in 1913 and 1914. Great Bend won three consecutive league championships from 1911 to 1913. In 2016, the Great Bend Boom played as members of the Independent level Pecos League . The first nationwide NHRA sponsored event called "the Nationals"

5475-474: Was brought into use after the death of Fireball Roberts , was the fuel cell. This bladder is placed into the fuel tanks of non-nitromethane-fueled vehicles to prevent fuel leaks and explosions. Third is the use of the HANS device . This device limits the movement of the head and neck in the event of an impact. Fourth is the titanium shield that must be placed behind the head of all Dragsters and Funny Cars down to

5550-523: Was developed by Force, Kenny Bernstein , and Tony Schumacher , along with NHRA racing development, and NHRA track safety. It was implemented at the start of the 2009 season. The sensor is used only in the Funny Car and Top Fuel divisions. Pro Stock doesn't use nitromethane or superchargers in their engines and this presents a much-reduced risk of the massive explosions that can be seen in the nitromethane-fueled cars—and often at their peak speeds. Prior to

5625-700: Was even an oil well in the city park. But this industry has been on the decline for years. Cattle raising is also an important source of income for many people. As of 2012, 66.5% of the population over the age of 16 were in the labor force. 0.0% were in the armed forces, and 66.5% were in the civilian labor force with 61.0% employed and 5.5% unemployed. The composition, by occupation, of the employed civilian labor force was: 30.2% in management, business, science, and arts; 27.8% in sales and office occupations; 19.2% in service occupations; 9.6% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance; 13.3% in production, transportation, and material moving. The four industries employing

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