Looks like Don, at age 77, hasn't had enough drag racing yet!
http://www.hemmings.com/newsletter/n...s&emlid=199048
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Looks like Don, at age 77, hasn't had enough drag racing yet!
http://www.hemmings.com/newsletter/n...s&emlid=199048
I have generally found that fame does not necessarily apply to special people. I can't name many "heros" in my life.....but Don is one!
He was a do-it-yourselfer, self-taught, was not too proud to do the most insignifigant task, and always seemed to be thinking a step or two ahead of others. Unlike many, I feel his fame was well-earned.
That`s really cool!! I hope he runs at gatornationals.
no comment.....Quote:
Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT
garlits is like earnhardt people either love him or hate him. its cool to see any of the old guys come back and watch em again.
HOGWASH..........There`s a big difference, Garlits could drive.;)Quote:
Originally Posted by gassersrule_196
I doubt you can find anyone with a powerful enough personality to accomplish something, that doesn't ruffle someone's feathers. If a person is passive enough not to offend someone, then people would criticize them for being weak-willed!
I once watched Garlits scold his old lady in public, which I did not enjoy....but the stress of competition, or not enough sleep will do that too.
Bottom line for me is that he tuned 'em, drove the tow rig, drove the car, built his own chassis, pioneered and tested his own developments, broke records, won championships under 3-4 different sanctions, started one sanctioning body, founded a great museum for the sport, and won that "50 most important people in drag racing" pole recently....so I am not the only one who feels this way, There a few million other fans.
Some might tell me that John Force is the best. But where would he be without Austin Coil???
My favorite story is when someone commented that Garlits did not race NHRA, because he could not compete there any more.....so he simply came back next year and won the NHRA Championship. :-)~ So much for that theory!
"You are, what you do!"
I know where he would be.....he would be without many of his round wins and championships.Quote:
Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT
Mike
Im sure he has his moments, we all do, but he is also a fairly nice guy!! I have met him a few times and every time he seemed just as happy to meet me, as i was him.
When i called the museum to schedule the forums day out meet, they wanted to find a day that he was free so he could spend the day with us. How many guys in his shoes would do that after all these years of being in the spotlight?
If you aren't awestruck with the accomplishments of guys like Garlits, Force, Prudhomme, Snow, Glidden, Ivo, and a whole host of the other pros I would say that you either A., don't appreciate the history of drag racing and how far it has come in the last 50 years, or B., you have some jealousy issues!!!!!!
You don't have to like them, but they do deserve a very large dose of respect for their accomplishments and a big thank you for making drag racing what it is!!!!!!
Neither one of the Earnhardt's could carry Don Garlits lunch pail.
Don Garlits is Drag Racing.
I've had the good fortune to talk to the man on many occasions and he was always glad that you took an interest in him and the sport.
Great to see Don still competing. Personally I think he and Force are cut from the same cloth. They both bleed nitromethane and love the sport and the fans. They are their own persons, but both deserve a lot of respect.
Pat
I saw Garlits race at Englishtown, Island Dragway (yes, it's were he broke the 200 MPH barrier) and many other tracks. Saw all the greats - Ronnie Socks, Jenkins, Dyno Don, Mark Oswald, Richard Tharp and more guys than I can list. My favorite was John "the ZooKeeper" Mulligan.
But to say the Dale Earnhart Sr. couldn't drive is JUST WRONG on so many levels !!!!!!
When I posted several hundred pictures on here years back. There were a few that I dont think I threw on here, I think these were 2 of them. It took me a while but I found them. My dad took these on a very particular day in Dons career in racing. Can anyone tell me the importance of this day in history, and what followed later on for Don that day. One hint is it was the U.S. Nationals, the clue is also in the 1st picture only, the 2nd is just a Don bonus shot for ya.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Severson
Amen, Dave.
Early this morning I was trying to put together a posting saying precisely what yours does. You said it well.
From the time he burst on the scene with an outrageous 176 mph run (in what year? Some time in the late fifties?) Garlits has been THE man.
He rates a heart-felt "hats off" from all of us.
I never saw him lose his cool but, it is noted that he can.
Heck. We all can.
Jim
Hmmmmm...................I'm seeing images in the mist........1967.....the number 6.........oh, and the name Gillette.Quote:
Originally Posted by mooneye777
six seconds and he shaved........
Who's got a pic of the great blowover? Can never see that one enough! The coverage in Digger that week was unreal...... The ultimate showman, does the blowover, takes a bow!!!! Now that's class!!!!!
The picture that I remember the most is the clutch explosion.......lost half his foot and still came back for more.......His innovations because of that changed top fuel forever. We all love the old slingshots, but I bet he saved a bunch of lives because of that day.
Met him once....seemed like a regular guy, same with Force....loves to talk to you......Grumpy Jenkins.....that's another story.....:D....but, still a cool innovative guy.
Good job Bob, Right on the chin hair.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter
That would be it!!! Thanks Uncle Bob, had to been one of the wildest rides ever in a dragster, even for Garlits!!!!!
I remember him saying in an interview later that he turned the rail off to the side as it stopped because he was afraid the safety crew would block him with their truck. He wanted them to know he was not unconscious and wouldn't roll back through the starting line. (Wouldn't be the first time that has happened).
You got the hole shot on my there Uncle Bob. :LOL:
Garlits ain't the only one who's still got it!!!:D
"Originally Posted by mooneye777
Can anyone tell me the importance of this day in history, and what followed later on for Don that day. One hint is it was the U.S. Nationals, the clue is also in the 1st picture only, the 2nd is just a Don bonus shot for ya."
For our younger readers....Garlits had never run a six. The Ramchargers had run the quickest time ever, I believe a 6.67. Garlits got through eliminations with a lot of luck, but in the final, he put on some new M&Hs, and ran 6.66 to beat the Ramchargers. Now THAT, boys and girls, is showmanship! :-)
I always have to mention that I stood on the west side of the starting line when he tried to shave the beard.
This "pushy" guy was trying to take pictures over my sholder. A few months later, I saw the back of my head in a Car Craft Magazine photo of the event. (My moment of fame!)
garlits won the 67 us nationals and broke the 7 second barrier and shaved his beard because of a bet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8rGt...ext=1&index=33
I wounder where the name swamp RAT came from? I could be totally wrong but remember hearing rumors of him building cars for others that were set up to lose. But just like John I dont get all the hype of these jokesters.
Set up a dragster loose??? Think with the solid rear end bolted directly to the frame about the only way you could "loosen" the car is putting too much air in the tires..... Certainly no Garlits historian, did he run a 4 bar or swingarm dragster?? Saw a few of his cars in action, they were all solid rears?????? Heck, I didn't even know he built cars for others.......who were some of his customers????Quote:
Originally Posted by BigTruckDriver
garlits had a blowover here in spokane to !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFhqVPfd4QM
Yea.......Big Daddy was head over heals for drag racin'. :LOL::LOL:
Forgot about that one, thanks Scooter. Car sure was junk!!!!!
He built one fors us in 71 or 72(probably late 71) It was a deal that Carl Schiefer put together while working at Edelbrock---I even went to Seftner Fla while car was being built----short version of long story---John and I had a difficult time in California becasuse we were from the Midwest ( Illinois) we were told that we would have a difficult time running out there and old smart mouth me replied---"We'll see who has a hard time!!!
We were well recieved by the racers and seperately by the different manufacturers, but behind our backs, different groups of people plotted against us as we were starting to get Sponser attention----when news of the Garlits deal spread, The early hemi group didn't like it as they thought we would go to elephants, Hays clutch people didn't like it as they thought we'd go to schieffer, Cirello mag didn't like it as they thought we'd switch to Hunt or Schieffer, etc, etc---some late model racers didn't want us getting into their sponsers areas
So-----we had to pull out of it---I think the car went to someone on the east coast, maybe Jimmy King---
Why Garlits is called the swamp rat:
Obviously I wasn't there, but over the years I read that when he started touring to the west coast....I think to race the "Bean Bandits"....a track announcer started calling him that, since he was from Florida, and it "stuck". Obviously he didn't mind, and started naming his cars that.