We have started a new museum page that is operated by the museum staff to make it easier to make changes and add information. Please write the details of don garlitss obit here. On july 20, don garlits looks to again make drag racing history. He had been the first driver to hit 200 mph in 1964 on the. Most of dons money comes from being a race car driver. His wife of more than 60 years, pat garlits, died in 2014. Find out is don garlits dating anyone right now and who at celebscouples.
Big daddy don garlits still chasing drag racing records. 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. Several names may cross ones mind when they think of drag racers, but one of the first would be big daddy don garlits. The don garlits museum of drag racing and international drag racing hall of fame is open every day from 9am5pm. The demon and don garlits don big daddy garlits is the most innovative man in drag racing history. This is chuck tankos superlong 254inch wheelbase car. News top fuel driver of the year and voted to the auto racing allamerican. Star race car driver, don big daddy garlitsphoto measures 7. In fact garlits has been dubbed the king of the dragsters, and could be considered the patriarch of top fuel drag racing. May 10, 2016 donald glenn don garlits born january 14, 1932, tampa, florida is an american race car driver and automotive engineer. Piloting identically prepared toyota camrys, garlits lost to shirley muldowney in the first round of nhras unfinished business racewithinarace. See more ideas about car humor, drag racing and nhra drag racing. Donald glenn don garlits born january 14, 1932, tampa, florida is an american race car driver and automotive engineer.
Dragracer don garlits broke another record in an allelectric race car last saturday, july 20, 2019, on the anniversary of the moon landing. Big daddy don garlits still chasing drag racing records, more. Garlits, don drag racing 1989 inductees hall of fame. Don garlits clutch explosion drag racing cars, dragsters. Always a pioneer in the field of drag racing, he perfected the rearengine top fuel dragster design, an innovation motivated by the loss of part of his foot in a.
Dragracer don garlits broke another record in an allelectric race car. Don garlits last updated december 22, 2019 garlits in 1987. Don garlits was born on january 14, 1932 88 years old. Garlits distinct ability to conceptualize his dreams has allowed him to be master over the end result. Big daddy drag racer don garlits sets electric dragster. The chemistry between the two cocrew chiefs and antron began to gel quickly and they won 6 nhra national events in 2009 and qualified in the number one position seven times. She got out of race car sic like she was getting up from the dinner table. He is known as big daddy to drag racing fans around the world. Feb 05, 2018 the demon and don garlits don big daddy garlits is the most innovative man in drag racing history. Big daddy don garlits is the most notable and innovative driver in drag racing history. Always a pioneer in the field of drag racing, he perfected the rearengine top fuel dragster, an.
Don garlits is a famous people who is best known as a race car driver. As impressive as all these honors are, garlits should also be remembered for his pioneering efforts to improve safety and advance race car design. Dons birthstone is garnet and birth flower is carnation. He told us they were going to do a drag racing display in 2016 and would like to display sr. Please also tell us as much as you can in the biography wiki below. Don was born on january 14, 1932 in tampa, fl don is one of the famous and trending celeb who is popular for being a race car driver. Garlits was at this race and, according to ong, gave the car a thorough looksee, paying special interest to the frontsteering setup and going as far as removing the nose of the car with. Don garlits museum of drag racing ocala 2020 all you. On october 20, 1987, garlit s swamp rat xxx fuel dragster was presented to, and went on permanent display at the smithsonian institution as part of the national museum of american history in. He set several speed records, becoming the first person to reach 200mph in the 18th mile. A driver pairing with the talent and personality of charles and carlos. Don garlits wiki, biography, net worth, age, family, facts.
The easytotalkto garlits is probably one of the most influential pioneers in the sport of drag racing. Please write the details of don garlits s obit here. Always a pioneer in the field of drag racing, he perfected the rearengine top fuel dragster, an innovation. Though no one driver can shape a racing series, this much is certain. He built his first drag race car using a modified 1927 ford model. Shirley muldowney born june 19, 1940, also known professionally as cha cha and the. Garlits was the first driver ever to accelerate to 200 mph from a standing start in a quarter mile, and also the first to run 250 mph and 270 mph. Jun 20, 2018 big daddy don garlits is still going fast at the age of 86.
Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. It was 1955, and the nhra safety safari had come to lake city, fla. Don was born in 1930s, in the middle of silent generation. In 2015, the curator of the harley davison museum in milwaukee, wisconsin visited the don garlits museum and really liked the car. The national hot rod association ranked him first on their list of the top 50 drivers from 1951 to 2000. The don garlits museum of drag racing is located at 700 sw 16th ave, ocala, florida, just off interstate 75. Modern top fuel drag racing would be a radically different sport if not for the brilliance of big daddy don garlits. We celebrate don garlits and his greatest indy moments at this years 60th annual chevrolet performance u. Last january 14, drag racing legend don garlits celebrated his 87th. Don garlits is a 88 years old race car driver, who was born in january, in the year of the monkey and is a capricorn. Big daddy don garlits gives a fistbump to the driver of the lead car, jim menneto in their 1932 ford speedster just before the start of the 34th annual hemmings motor news great race in. Find highquality don garlits stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. The 2009 season found mark sharing crew chief duties on the don schumacher racing top fuel dragster with antron brown as its driver. Don garlits breaks drag racing 270 mph barrier youtube.
Don garlits was born in tampa on thursday, january 14, 1932 silent generation. Nhra drag racing drag bike vintage race car us cars sport cars car crash drag cars car humor race day reign of methanol reignofmethanol. Donald glenn don garlits is an american race car driver and automotive engineer. The 88yearold american race car driver has done well thus far. A short three years later, the garage and bodyshop owner was racing professionally with the first of 34 race cars he would tag swamp rat. She is the best woman racecar drivernot just drag racing but in any racingto date.
Don garlits is a capricorn and was born in the year of the monkey life. Don was born on january 14, 1932 in tampa, fldon is one of the famous and trending celeb who is popular for being a race car driver. View all hotels near don garlits museum of drag racing on tripadvisor. Donald glenn don garlits born january 14, 1932, tampa, florida is an american race car driver and. Drag racing legend big daddy don garlits still as competitive as. Garlits won the first organized drag race he entered with the first race car he built.
While garlits didnt take the car for a spin down the quartermile. Don garlits is a legend of drag racing and a highly talented race car driver. Top funnycar driver bob tasca iii, who also owns a large chain of car. Don garlits was born in florida, and began drag racing in the mid1950s in a car he built. Drag racing legend john force admits he doesnt want to. Mar 19, 2019 piloting identically prepared toyota camrys, garlits lost to shirley muldowney in the first round of nhras unfinished business racewithinarace. Don garlits fueled an explosion in drag racing design. Don garlits first real drag race car was built under an oak tree at his home in north tampa in 1954.
Don garlits museum of drag racing and international drag. Don garlits is an american race car driverautomotive engineer. Garlits didnt have the only rearengine car at the event. Don garlits is a member of famous race car driver list. He holds the world record for electric dragsters at 185. Don garlits race car driver life, age, zodiac birthday. We have just fewer than 300 cars between 2 buildings. Kristian wright don garlits is an american race car driverautomotive engineer. Kristian wright don garlits is an american race car driver automotive engineer. An electric welder and gas torch modified an old 1927 ford model t roadster to accept a 1948 mercury block, 39 ford floor shift transmission, and a 48 ford rear. He was a public supporter of ron pauls bid for the u.
Emcee bob frey said garlitss comments amounted to a milestone. Donald died on thursday may 14, 2020 and his death was possibly because of natural. Don garlits after losing part of his foot in a racing accident, garlits innovated the rearengine dragster design design. After ww2 ended in the central and western united states. Drag racing legend big daddy don garlits still as competitive as ever at 87 years old. Big daddy don garlits is still going fast at the age of 86. Influential drag racer who has been inducted into the automotive hall of fame as well as the international motorsports hall of fame. When he arrived in pomona with his rearengine car in 1971, garlits was 39 and among drag racings top drivers and innovators. For him, wrangling the 840horsepower dodge challenger srt demon is a piece of cake. Oct 23, 2017 don garlits is a legend of drag racing and a highly talented race car driver. The name big daddy don garlits is synonymous with drag racing. Don garlits an american race car driver essay driving. Donald glenn don garlits is considered the father of drag racing.