Gassers originated in the United States in the late 1950s and flourished through the 1960s. Before the introduction of Pro Stock, the A/Gas class cars were effectively the fastest stock-appearing competitors on any drag strip. The class name itself derived from the fuel they burned — gasoline — as opposed to the methanol or nitromethane used in other classes.
The foundation of most gassers was a closed-body production vehicle from the 1930s through the mid-1960s. Builders stripped these cars of unnecessary weight, swapping in fiberglass body panels, removing interior furnishings, and replacing standard glass with lightweight Lexan windows. The front suspension was raised significantly using a beam axle or tubular axle, improving weight transfer during hard acceleration while also reducing unsprung weight compared to independent front setups.
The 1933 to 1936 Willys coupes and pickups became particularly iconic in the class. Though neither inexpensive nor easy to find, the Willys body offered a competitive, lightweight platform that satisfied the era's rulebook, which required a conventional ladder frame. The 1933 Willys 77 in particular became a cult vehicle among gasser builders and fans. Post-war Willys models were also campaigned, though they never matched the prewar cars in popularity despite offering a stronger chassis.
Other manufacturers' vehicles also competed. The Stickle and Riffle Anglia, based out of the Rod Shop, were frequent winners throughout the 1960s, claiming national titles in B/Gas in 1967 and C/Gas in 1968. Driver Bob Riffle achieved a best pass of 10.54 seconds at 128.20 mph in B/Gas. At the 1965 Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the celebrated Stone-Woods-Cook 1941 Willys faced off against "Big John" Mazmanian's car in A/GS, with Doug "Cookie" Cook taking the win at 14.20 seconds at 116.53 mph.
The NHRA organized gassers into sub-classes designated by letters — A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, and so on down — with the letter indicating the performance window and the weight-to-power ratio of the car. NHRA first licensed women drivers in gas classes in 1963, when Roberta Leighton, driving an injected El Camino as a member of the Dust Devils Car Club, became the first woman admitted to compete.
Late-model cars were permitted in the Gas classes from 1967 onward, opening the field to newer platforms. Despite this expansion, the class's days were numbered. The NHRA eliminated the Gas classes entirely in 1972.
Because gassers were purpose-built for racing, stock engines were rarely retained. Engine swaps to larger or more powerful units were the norm, as were extensive internal modifications to whatever powerplant was fitted. A signature feature of many gassers was a Roots-type supercharger, often adapted from original equipment on General Motors two-cycle diesel truck engines. Mechanical fuel injection from manufacturers including Algon, Hilborn, and Crower was also common.
Exhaust pipes exiting through the front fender wells became a visual hallmark of the class, as functional as it was distinctive — routing exhaust forward and out of the way of the drivetrain. Ladder bars were standard fitment, helping control rear axle movement under the violent acceleration loads these cars generated.
The visual identity of gassers was as important as their performance. The raised front stance gave them an aggressive, nose-up posture at rest that was immediately recognizable. Body finishes ran to the extravagant — metalflake, pearl, and candy paint schemes were commonplace, often complemented by lettering in elaborate custom fonts. Many cars carried evocative names: "Wil-A-Meaner," "Dogcatcher," and "Fujimo, Too!" among them.
Notable team pairings like Mazmanian and the Stone-Woods-Cook operation drew large crowds and significant sponsor support. When Mazmanian moved to fuel funny car in 1968 and Stone-Woods-Cook followed suit in 1967, it signaled the beginning of the class's decline as top-tier talent migrated to the emerging fuel categories.
Although the NHRA's original Gas classes were retired in 1972, gassers never disappeared from American drag racing culture. The NHRA continued to classify gasser-style vehicles within sportsman categories, and vehicles of this type can still run on gasoline or alcohol fuel. The term "Super Gas" in modern NHRA parlance references a different set of rules — mandating full-bodied cars and prohibiting dragsters — but carries a lineage trace back to the original class.
The aesthetic influence of the gasser era proved enduring. The raised-nose, fender-exit exhaust, and bold paintwork inspired generations of hot rod builders, and purpose-built tribute gassers remain a staple of nostalgia drag racing events. Historians and enthusiasts regard the gasser class as one of the most visually and culturally rich chapters of the sport's golden age.