The NHRA trophy statue honoring founder Wally Parks is nicknamed “The Wally.”
The trophy is a small statue presented to winners of NHRA national events. Its nickname pays tribute to Parks, who founded the National Hot Rod Association in 1951 and helped establish drag racing as a regulated, nationally organized sport.
The traditional trophy depicts a drag racer standing beside a tire on a wooden base. NHRA describes it as a brass-finished figure a little over one foot tall. Winning a Wally is one of the sport’s most recognizable achievements, whether the champion competes in a professional class such as Top Fuel or in one of the association’s sportsman categories.
The name can cause confusion because “Wally” refers both to the trophy and, informally, to the person whose legacy it represents. It is not generally called the Parks Cup or the Nitro. Special anniversary events have also used variations in trophy color or finish, but the familiar nickname remains The Wally.