Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as the "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. Always a pioneer in the field of drag-racing, he, with the help of T.C. Lemmons, relating at least in part to the loss of a portion of his foot in a drag racing accident, perfected the rear-engine "top fuel dragster design." This design is notably safer as it puts most of the fuel processing and rotating or reciprocating parts of the dragster behind the driver. The driver is placed in "clear air" and a catastrophic failure, explosion or fire cannot immediately engulf the driver. Garlits was an early promoter of a full-body, fire-resistant suit--complete with socks and gloves. He was the first drag racer to officially surpass 170, 180, 200, 240, 250, 260, and 270 miles per hour; and he was also the first to top 200 in the 1/8 mile. (Note that all official NHRA records require a "back-up" run to verify the newer, higher level of performance.)
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Career
Early days
In the early days of drag racing, the post World War II Western U.S. provided a large number of militarily obsolete airfields, many of which became available for conversion to racing while desert lake beds and the Nevada Salt Flats were a natural home for straight line styles of racing. Don Garlits, being from Florida, was something of an outsider. He was sometimes referred to as the Floridian, before permanently adopting the nickname, "Swamp Rat," which also became the theme for each generation of his innovative dragster designs. In 1959, Garlits traveled to Bakersfield California for the March Meet, then called the U.S. Fuel & Gas Championship, to show that the times he was setting were as legitimate as those set by the west coast racers. His presence helped to grow the sport of drag racing
Accident leads to innovation
In 1970, Don, driving Swamp Rat XIII, a mainstream front engine, rear cockpit drag rail, had a catastrophic failure. The two speed transmission that Don was developing exploded and took a piece of Garlit's right foot. While he was in the hospital a Florida native Don Lafferty finshed out the rest of the season. He returned to Pomona in 1971 with Swamp Rat XIV, a brand new rear engine, front cockpit drag rail. Rear-engine dragsters like Swamp Rat XIV have since become mainstream in drag racing.[1]
Further accomplishments
Garlits was the first driver to win three National Hot Rod Association national titles and three world championships, the last coming at the age of 54. He won a total of 144 national events. On October 20, 1987, His home-built Top Fuel dragster, Swamp Rat XXX, the sport's only successful streamlined car, was enshrined in The Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C., which also houses The Spirit of St. Louis and NASA's first manned space capsule. In true Garlits style, during the press conference submission and placement ceremony, the dragster was fired on the Smithsonian "porch."
Retirement and post-racing career
"Big Daddy" was compelled to retire due to separated retina, a product of the 4g deceleration produced by a Top Fuel Dragster's braking parachutes. He operates a drag-racing museum on the grounds of his home in Ocala, Florida. His WINNING THE RACE column is available regularly online at www.MyBestYears.com.[1] Garlits resumed his career in 1998, but only it only led to loss. Don stepped down soon after.
Awards
- In 2004 he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
- In 1997, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
- He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1989 as the sole representative of drag racing.
- On the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000, Don Garlits was ranked No.1.
- In 1987, Garlits' record-breaking 290 m.p.h. car, "Swamp Rat XXX" was inducted into, and enshrined at The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
