someone went to florida and all i got was.....
- Thread starter buckhorn76
- Start date
What a great f'n t-shirt.
Going to the museum is on my "must do" list.
First met Garlits at Indy when he took top fuel eliminator and shaved his beard off on the starting line.
Then again at Cayuga when he brought one of his early swamp rats up to make an exhibition run, too cold that night and he broke the engine. During the downtime I got his autograph (only person I have ever asked) and talked to him and Pat.
I think I was at Cayuga every time he ran.
Going to the museum is on my "must do" list.
First met Garlits at Indy when he took top fuel eliminator and shaved his beard off on the starting line.
Then again at Cayuga when he brought one of his early swamp rats up to make an exhibition run, too cold that night and he broke the engine. During the downtime I got his autograph (only person I have ever asked) and talked to him and Pat.
I think I was at Cayuga every time he ran.
my buddy that i bought the ol' shark from spends the winters in florida. when on his way back from the dirt track at volusia he made a special side trip to get this for me. he knows i have been a garlits fan for 50 years, and that was really nice of him to do that. a good pal 
" All you got" -- I'll take it off your hands Doug.....
Keep meanin' to stop in there on my way to and from St. Petes but haven't yet.
He's a good man. A real pioneer and been around seems forever. First saw him in the 60's.
Wear it with pride Doug.
C.
Keep meanin' to stop in there on my way to and from St. Petes but haven't yet.
He's a good man. A real pioneer and been around seems forever. First saw him in the 60's.
Wear it with pride Doug.
C.
not gonna wear it colin. it's going to be a framed wall hanger along with other memorabilia in the new shop. :coolgleam:
And here I was all built up figuring I would see you wearing it next Wednesday at the gathering. Behind glass in a picture frame would be a pretty neat wall hanging. I have a Garlits booklet from the early '60s when he had a mail order business selling speed parts. I'll see if I can find it to show you. Although he wasn't the first to try the back motor design in the dragsters, he was the first to make it work. He was a real pioneer with an awful lot of smarts.
yes don garlits really rose to the top of his profession like few others do. his list of accomplishments and firsts is nothing short of amazing. swamp rat xxx resides in the smithsonian along side the lindberg exhibit. big daddy was the first to break 270 mph and they wanted that car. they even had him fire it in front of the building for the ceremony. at the 2003 gatornationals at 71 years of age garlits ran 322 mph !!! i don't know where you would even begin to list the innovations he made. many many years ago i read a book entitled " don garlits, king of the dragsters " very aptly named.
Wow, yes and a lot more than that:
Here's a list of his accomplishments:
Big Daddy Don Garlits - Biography
I'm proud to say I even witnessed a few of those accomplishments as I'm sure many of you did back in the day.....and admire him very much for them.
It wouldn't surprise me to learn that he still gets a little 'action' on the track at his age of 81........
Kudos to those who have actually met him. I wasn't so lucky (yet) but still hope to.
He really is a legend in our midst.
Cherish your 'prize' Doug. That is quite a gift.
C.
Here's a list of his accomplishments:
Big Daddy Don Garlits - Biography
I'm proud to say I even witnessed a few of those accomplishments as I'm sure many of you did back in the day.....and admire him very much for them.
It wouldn't surprise me to learn that he still gets a little 'action' on the track at his age of 81........
Kudos to those who have actually met him. I wasn't so lucky (yet) but still hope to.
He really is a legend in our midst.
Cherish your 'prize' Doug. That is quite a gift.
C.
I wonder if he'd sign a shirt ordered via phone? Hmm interesting.
Here's a museum welsite:
Don Garlits Museum - Gift Shop
C.
Here's a museum welsite:
Don Garlits Museum - Gift Shop
C.
