▁a ▁t ire . ▁Later ▁that ▁year , ▁the ▁famous ▁W ally ▁tro phy ▁was ▁introduced . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁same ▁design ▁as ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁N H RA ▁was ▁formed ▁by ▁W ally ▁Park s ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁promote ▁the ▁sport ▁of ▁drag ▁racing ▁while ▁keeping ▁young ▁people ▁from ▁racing ▁on ▁local ▁roads . ▁The ▁first ▁national ▁event ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁in ▁Great ▁B end , ▁Kansas ▁on ▁an ▁abandoned ▁air ▁strip . ▁The ▁first ▁national ▁event ▁winner ▁in ▁the ▁N H RA ▁was ▁ 2 5 - year - old ▁Cal vin ▁R ice ▁of ▁Santa ▁Ana , ▁CA . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁issue ▁of ▁National ▁Drag ster , ▁Jack ▁Jones ▁said , ▁" Bel ieve ▁it ▁or ▁not , ▁W ally ▁Park s ▁called ▁me ▁at ▁my ▁job ▁and ▁asked ▁if ▁I ’ d ▁do ▁him ▁a ▁favor , ▁pose ▁for ▁pictures ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁models ▁for ▁the ▁tro phy ." ▁The ▁W ally ▁was ▁mode led ▁after ▁the ▁images ▁taken ▁of ▁Jones ▁during ▁a ▁photo ▁shoot ▁at ▁Pom ona ▁Race way ▁in ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁Vari ations ▁Vari ations ▁of ▁the ▁W ally ▁exist ▁for ▁other ▁special ▁purposes . ▁ ▁Some ▁of ▁which ▁include ▁the ▁N H RA ▁Lucas ▁O il ▁Drag ▁Racing ▁Series ▁W ally , ▁a ▁scale d - down