She is the best woman racecar driver not just drag racing but in any racing. Don garlits and rodney garlits talks streamliner and elec dragster duration. He may be 53, but don garlits is big daddy of nations. Big daddy don garlits swamp rat vintage drag racing big daddy don garlits vintage drag racing when i was a kid i helped him work on his car. Mar 02, 2015 if you follow the don garlits museum of drag racing page on facebook and if you don t, whats wrong with you. We sit down and chat with don garlits, 17time champion who changed the world of drag racing big daddy talks how he became the greatest top fuel driver. When he arrived in pomona with his rearengine car in 1971, garlits was 39 and among drag racings top drivers and innovators. Jul 18, 2016 in 2015, the curator of the harley davison museum in milwaukee, wisconsin visited the don garlits museum and really liked the car. He is already on the road to recovery and back at work.
Several names may cross ones mind when they think of drag racers, but one of the first would be big daddy don garlits. Don garlits was born in tampa on thursday, january 14, 1932 silent generation. He is known as big daddy to drag racing fans aroun. Don garlits was born in florida, and began drag racing in the mid1950s in a car he built. Drag racing icon garlits suffers mild stroke competition plus. After 23 straight years of top fuel racing, in 1984 john competed at denver, tucson, and tulsa. Feb 23, 2011 when he arrived in pomona with his rearengine car in 1971, garlits was 39 and among drag racings top drivers and innovators. At the finish line with drag racing legend don big daddy garlits. Don garlits has become a living legend, and an icon to others in the drag racing world. Big daddy don garlits, born january 14, 1932, is that man, and one of the inaugural inductees into the motorsports hall of fame. Browse through indepth news on don garlits along with latest information, updates, biography, expert analysis and opinions. Feb 05, 2018 the demon and don garlits don big daddy garlits is the most innovative man in drag racing history.
During his run as editor, prieto pushed tacks into providing better facilities for the racers and the fans. Don garlits first real drag race car was built under an oak tree at his home in. His recordbreaking dragster swamp rat xxx has been enshrined in the smithsonian museum of american history. The demon and don garlits don garlits museum of drag racing.
Get the best deals on don garlits nhra fan apparel and souvenirs when you shop the largest online selection at. Don garlits is an american race car driver automotive engineer. Most every drag racing fan will proclaim big daddy don garlits as the greatest drag racer who ever strapped himself into a dragster. Big daddy don and pat nhra drag racing drag bike top fuel old race cars man up big daddy vintage humor drag cars car and driver. May 02, 2014 even though hes now 82 years old, legendary big daddy don garlits can still wheel a dragster. Big daddy don garlits is getting married, and you can go. He is known as big daddy to drag racing fans around the world. Big daddy don garlits still chasing drag racing records, more innovation at 86. Jul 28, 2019 legendary dragracer don garlits, who was setting racing records before the moon landing, set two new speed records in an electric dragster in the quarter mile, one for a time of 7. In 1971, the fleet floridian thought he was finished. Fifty years ago, don garlits started sketching his ideas for.
For the past 25 years, there has been one king of drag racing. Don garlits longevity doesnt guarantee success, but success over a long period of time can elevate a person to the top of his or her profession. Donald glenn don garlits born january 14, 1932, tampa, florida is considered the father of drag racing. If the american people on the street know what drag racing is, don garlits will be the first name that hell call. Get the best deals on don garlits nhra fan apparel and souvenirs when you shop the. Garlits on wednesday came out of retirement to add yet another national record to the long list of. By march 1970, garlits had come to dominate drag racing with his series of swamp rat slingshot dragsters. We have started a new museum page that is operated by the museum staff to make it easier to make changes and add information. Donald glenn garlits, better known by his nickname big daddy, was born on the 14th january 1932, in tampa, florida usa, and is probably best known for being not only an automotive engineer, but also a race car driver regarded by some as the father of drag racing who won 17 world championships.
In fact garlits has been dubbed the king of the dragsters, and could be. Jun 20, 2018 big daddy don garlits still chasing drag racing records, more innovation at 86. Legendary dragracer don garlits, who was setting racing records before the moon landing, set two new speed records in an electric dragster in the quarter mile, one for a time of 7. After a stint owning a top fuel dragster prieto made his move to journalism in 1966 as editor of drag racing magazine. Malone grew up in the tampa area, a childhood friend of. But mention it to garlits, and he will say he never liked. It is believed the stroke was triggered by stress related to bad news hed. In drag racing, that person is donald glenn garlits, also known as big daddy. Big daddy don garlits still chasing drag racing records, more. Even though hes now 82 years old, legendary big daddy don garlits can still wheel a dragster. Donald glenn don garlits born january 14, 1932, tampa, florida is an american race car driver and. Don garlits museum of drag racing ocala 2020 all you. Don garlits museum of drag racing and international drag. Drag racer big daddy don garlits has set more than a few records throughout his decadeslong racing career.
If you follow the don garlits museum of drag racing page on facebook and if you dont, whats wrong with you. Big daddy drag racer don garlits sets electric dragster. Last january 14, drag racing legend don garlits celebrated his 87th. Fifty years ago, don garlits started sketching his ideas. Don garlits born on january 14th, 1932 was an automobileracer who was best known for allegedly making homophobic and racist comments while running for the republican party. Don garlits first real drag race car was built under an oak tree at his home in north tampa in 1954. Dragracing legend don garlits roasted at 80thbirthday. The don garlits museum of drag racing is located at 700 sw 16th ave, ocala, florida, just off interstate 75. Last weeks column mentioned don garlits ambitious but shortlived sidewinder top fueler swamp rat 27 and led to quite a few requests for more information about one of the wildest machines. Malone grew up in the tampa area, a childhood friend of don garlits, with whom he rode a school bus. Ive been attending the international drag racing hall of fame ceremony for a long time. Top fuel cars aafd dragster vintage dragway 42 video footage 1963 14 mile big daddy don garlits swamp rat horsepower shootout jet car 1963 top fuel dragste. Don garlits, born january 14, 1932, in tampa, florida must have raised havoc with the florida. Top fuel dragster drag racing big daddy don garlits.
Always a pioneer in the field of drag racing, he perfected the rearengine top fuel dragster, an innovation motivated by the loss of part of his foot in a dragster. Big daddy landed on car craft magazines allstar team as its top fuel driver of the year eight. Kristian wright don garlits is an american race car driver automotive engineer. The first eight years with performance street rods and the last 23 years and fuel dragsters. In 2015, the curator of the harley davison museum in milwaukee, wisconsin visited the don garlits museum and really liked the car. Not only do his wins and speed records speak for themselves, garlits, over the course of five decades, was himself largely responsible for the evolution of the sport and its popularity with spectators. Jun 07, 2016 don garlits and rodney garlits talks streamliner and elec dragster duration. Garlits, don drag racing 1989 inductees hall of fame. Don garlits fueled an explosion in drag racing design. Don garlits an american race car driver essay driving. Garlits won the first organized drag race he entered with the first. Garlits, who has kept himself busy in recent years operating his museum, as well as working on becoming the first driver to surpass 200 mph in.
Rat xiii slingshot dragster with the motor in front of the driver exploded. Vintage race car vintage trucks linda vaughn nhra drag racing. Please write the details of don garlits s obit here. Donald glenn don garlits born january 14, 1932, tampa, florida is an american race car driver and automotive engineer. Big daddy don garlits still chasing drag racing records. Big daddy don garlits is the most notable and innovative driver in drag racing history. In the early days of drag racing, the postworld war ii central and western united states military aircraft pilot training fields had become available for alternate uses, including automotive racing.
Nov 30, 2018 we sit down and chat with don garlits, 17time champion who changed the world of drag racing big daddy talks how he became the greatest top fuel driver of all time and his many neardeath. Each incorporated its own innovations, but they all put the engine and the driver in the same relative positions. Don garlits, top fuel dragracing great, interviewed. Dec 19, 2014 most every drag racing fan will proclaim big daddy don garlits as the greatest drag racer who ever strapped himself into a dragster. Don garlits with drag racing pioneer art malone in the driver s seat of the dragster that would become swamp rat 1. Nhra drag racing old race cars big daddy drag cars car and driver car humor vintage racing car detailing fast cars. This video highlights some of his greatest moments at this historic event. We have just fewer than 300 cars between 2 buildings. The don garlits museum of drag racing and international drag racing hall of fame is open every day from 9am5pm. Don garlits museum of drag racing ocala 2020 all you need. For him, wrangling the 840horsepower dodge challenger srt demon is a piece of cake. On july 20, don garlits looks to again make drag racing. The very mention of drag racing brings to mind the career and accomplishments of big daddy don garlits. Donald glenn don garlits is considered the father of drag racing.
Drag race legend big daddy don garlits to try for another record at. Lemons, relating at least in part to the loss of a portion of his foot in a drag racing accident, perfected the rearengine top fuel dragster design. Dons high school sweetheart is his wife pat, however, his first. After ww2 ended in the central and western united states manny air force bases and lading. Don garlits showed that the rearengine design was here to stay with a. The demon and don garlits don big daddy garlits is the most innovative man in drag racing history. Some 90 racing cars can be seen in the drag race building and an additional 50 vehicles are in the antique car building. John held onto the intension of ending his career as being an active team owner and driver. Vintage 80s 1985 big daddy don garlits drag racing museum autoganza tshirt.
Don garlits nhra fan apparel and souvenirs for sale ebay. Don garlits was born on january 14, 1932 88 years old. Vintage 90s norwalk ohio racing park dragster don garlits usa tee shirt xxl. Big daddy don garlits to serve as the grand marshal at. Big daddy don garlits is getting married, and you can go to.
But this years edition will go down as one of the most surreal banquets i have ever been to. Hes doing okay and has gotten most of his memory back, said francine head, a garlits assistant at the museum. View all hotels near don garlits museum of drag racing on tripadvisor. Big daddy drag racer don garlits sets electric dragster record.
Don garlits breaks drag racing 270 mph barrier youtube. Don big daddy garlits biography the name big daddy don garlits is synonymous with drag racing. Vintage museum of drag racing don garlit tshirt size large nwt. Don garlits suffered a mild stroke on sunday, a spokesperson for the garlits family confirmed. Don garlits bio international motorsports hall of fame. In fact garlits has been dubbed the king of the dragsters, and could be considered the patriarch of top fuel drag racing.
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