Phil Burgess
From young fan on the sidelines to a respected figure in the world of drag racing journalism and an avid chronicler of the sport’s history, Phil Burgess’ life has seemingly always been about drag racing.
Burgess’s love for drag racing began during his formative years in Southern California, the epicenter of the sport’s early growth, surrounded by legendary tracks like Lions Dragstrip, Orange County International Raceway, and Irwindale Raceway. From a young age, he devoured the monthly drag racing magazines and attended his first race at age 11 and fell further in love with the sport.
Beginning in 1982, he was able to marry his passion for the sport with his love of writing when he joined the editorial staff of National Dragster, the official news publication of the NHRA, bringing with him a fresh perspective and a relentless dedication to excellence. Through the encouragement and guidance of several key mentors, his writing quickly earned him recognition among readers and peers for its clarity, depth, and ability to convey the excitement of drag racing.
In 1986, he was named editor of the famed publication and has held that position for nearly 40 years, curating not only the history of the sport but also helping the endearing magazine adjust to the shifting dynamics of time and technology.
In 1995, he helped create and launch NHRA.com, making NHRA the first major auto-racing sanctioning body with a robust presence on the internet, and helped pioneer the online coverage of NHRA Drag Racing through new audio and video innovations. As he does with National Dragster, he still continues to lead and innovate NHRA’s online presence.
His wide range of interests and strengths within the publishing world led to being named NHRA’s editorial director, charged with the creation and leadership of other NHRA publications including souvenir programs and book projects.
Burgess has played a pivotal role in documenting and preserving the legacy of the NHRA while providing fans with his insights into the sport, and his passion for storytelling and keen eye for detail laid the foundation for his future career as a journalist and historian.
Burgess’s most enduring legacy may be his role as the NHRA’s unofficial historian. Through his editorials, feature articles, and the popular “Dragster Insider” column on NHRA.com, he has meticulously chronicled the evolution of the NHRA, providing fans with a rich understanding of the sport’s history and its many colorful personalities, striving to capture the stories beyond race results and statistics through the human element of drag racing—the rivalries, triumphs, and challenges faced by the drivers, crews, and families that make up the sport and preserves and explains the legacy of legends of the sport future generations. Through its near 20-year run, the column has allowed him to meet, interview, and befriend many of the legends of the sport about whom he grew up reading and idolizing.
He is also the lead author of an upcoming NHRA history book celebrating NHRA’s upcoming 75th anniversary in 2026.
Beyond his editorial duties, Burgess has been a vocal advocate for drag racing, tirelessly promoting the NHRA and its unique appeal, helping elevate the sport’s profile, bringing it to wider audiences, and fostering greater appreciation among its fans, and giving back to a sport that has given him so much.
