He used an arc welder and a cutting torch to modify an old 1927 Ford Model T Roadster. The role of Pat Garlits in the career of her husband can never fully be appreciated. She was 95. Patricia Louise Bieger Garlits, wife of Legendary Drag Racer, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits for nearly 61 years left this world and went over to the other side to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, this afternoon; February 2nd, at 5:53 PM. On March 8, 1970, at Lions Drag Strip,[2] Garlits was driving Swamp Rat XIII, also called the Wynnscharger, a front-engined slingshot rail dragster, when the vehicle suffered a catastrophic failure. New hires have come from Fortune 500 companies, major brands and other professional sports an eclectic roster of past employers that includes Disney, SalesForce, the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Rays, Republic Airways and Boeing Defense, Space & Security (to name a few). He said, My dad went to work for Westinghouse right out of high school, and George Westinghouse sent him to night school, and he became an electrical engineer. Don had two sons with first wife, Dolores. She proved to be a stalwart wife and partner throughout most of Dons racing career, standing by Dons side during the bad times, like his near-fatal explosion in 1970 and blowover in 1986, as well as celebrating the good times in good fun, like Dons historic 1967 win at the Indy Nationals where she handed her husband a shaving kit to celebrate his hard-won victory. [clarification needed] He received several injuries from the resulting crash. Garlits, for decades a trailblazer in drag-racing design, set out about 10 years ago to become the first to blast a battery-powered dragster down the quarter-mile at 200 mph. A memorial service will be held Saturday afternoon at Grace Presbyterian Church in Ocala. Maybe that should read: Seattle innovator Steve Huff has thrown down the gauntlet. Don's mom was still greeting folks. Women comprise nearly 20 percent of its staff with many in the engineering department. For him, wrangling the 840-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is a piece of cake. In 1970 he suffered a terrifying accident, when his car exploded and parts of the engine tore off a part of his right foot; this incident led to the invention and development of rear-engine drag racing cars. At 87 years old, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits is looking in the rearview mirror - not to reminisce, but at the drivers . Info. I got the honor of interviewing him, and we covered everything from the origination of his nickname to his rivalry with Muldowney to his belief in UFOs and the grief he's taken from fellow racers for those beliefs. Copyright 1996-2023, NHRA. Susan Wade has lived in the Seattle area for 40 years, but motorsports is in the Indianapolis natives DNA. Were going to have a lot of fun match racing, Im sure, around the country, demonstrating to the people that there is a viable place in drag racing for electric cars, Garlits said after guiding Huff through his staging process last weekend for an exhibition pass at the NHRAs Amalie Oil Gatornationals at Garlits backyard track at Gainesville, Fla. I really like Steve Huff. After all those years of being together. In December 1991 Garlits came out of retirement to race in the Snowbird Nationals, but his comeback was to be short-lived. Were not where we want to be right now, but thats normal. Here's just a sampling of some of the cool Garlits stories I've done over the years of the Dragster Insider. This video highlights some of his greatest moments at this. The Clapshaw Effect: How Don Garlits finally made his first 300-mph passDec. I saw Don and Pat at the SEMA show a few years ago, she was in a wheel chair but I didn't know the circumstances. I think weve got a very good tribe of people here, and part of that includes just diversity of humans in general, Gundlach said. Required fields are marked *. At the age of 71 years, 5 months and 19 days he qualified 16th, setting a personal best speed in the quarter mile with a time of 4.788 seconds at 319.98mph. In 1971, Don Garlits turned the Top Fuel world around with Swamp Rat 14, his successful rear-engine dragster. Kate Gundlach, a performance engineer at Arrow McLaren, was leafing through a sports car magazine a couple years ago when she stumbled upon a story about Grace Hackenberg, an Oregon-based racing engineer. Garlits in 1987 Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is an American race car driver and automotive engineer. Drag racing legend "Big Daddy" Don Garlits reminisces about his long drag racing career in the NHRA at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing south of Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021. And thats across the board, both commercial and operational. Family, Spouse, Dating, and Relationships of Don Garlits [ ] His wife of more than 60 years, Pat Garlits, died in 2014. Then weve got some really experienced guys from other IndyCar teams as well.. Garlits original EV project was a collaboration among creator-designer Gerry, chassis builder Hadman, Lawless Industries, and LiPo battery supplier High Tech Systems (which later helped Huff). Next time I see my family will be so much better! [6], However, Swamp Rat XIV became so successful that in 1971, Garlits won two of his next three Top Fuel Eliminator titles (the Winternats and Bakersfield), and was a runner-up at Lions, all in the new car. MyTractorForum------HotRodders.com------VeggieGardener. Progress always comes painfully slow, but then when you look back over a larger period of time, youre like, Oh hey, weve done a hell of a lot. . Named as the father of drag racing, he won ten American Hot Rod Association Championships, four International Hot Rod Association championships, and also three National Hot Rod Association Championships. He is a mentor of current NHRA Top Fuel racer and fellow Ocala, Florida resident, Josh Hart (racer). A look at seven decades of wild, wheelstanding crowdpleasers, Altered States, Part 2: Breakage, tears, and fears, but ultimately a success story, Altered States: Fear and loathing (and a lot of thrills) on the quarter-mile, Ed 'the Outlaw' Jones: Living life on two wheels for more than 45 years, You never know with nitro: A look back at seven great Funny Car upset wins, Everyone loves an underdog: Here's a list of five great Top Fuel upsets, 30 years ago: The 1992 NHRA season was a year full of historic firsts, Female Pro Stock pioneer Shay Nichols: A life well lived (and then some), Magnificent Seven: A history of female racers in NHRA Pro Stock competition, On the Gas: The drag racing life and times of Danny Ongais, By The Numbers: Pro Stock readies for 900th event 'birthday' in Pomona, That was then, this is now: A look back at the NHRA season 50 years ago, 'I was there:' Garlits debuts Swamp Rat 14, Pat Garlits: The Great Woman behind The Man, Front to back: The rear-engine transition, Part 2, The Clapshaw Effect: How Don Garlits finally made his first 300-mph pass, Swamp Rat 14 rides again; the history of one of Top Fuel's most important cars, Don Garlits, Bob Taaffe, and the 72-hour car build that led to drag racing lore. Sorry to see him having to deal with this. My prayers are with him and his family at this time ''life is only a temporary assignment '' Make the best of it !!! RIP Pat. Date of Birth: Sep 24, 1977 (45 years old) Place of Birth: Venice. Upon joining Arrow McLaren, Ward said his No. And its especially true during a season with the kind of expansion that Arrow McLaren has undertaken for the 2023 season. A pioneer in the field of drag racing, he perfected the rear-engine Top Fuel dragster, an innovation motivated by the loss of part of his foot in a dragster accident. People get to see how much enthusiasm Zak brings. 2, 2021:Steve Torrence won the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in a Don Garlits tribute car modeled after Garlits' famed Swamp Rat 14, one of the most important cars in Top Fuel history. https://t.co/mHHWXQ5pte pic.twitter.com/shWCEFnUqw, Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team (@ArrowMcLaren) February 21, 2023, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). They were married in 1946 when Dad came home from WW11 and were married 65 yrs. It has been estimated from authoritative sources that the total size of Dons net worth is over $15 million, which has been accumulated largely through his successful career as a professional drag car racer. Its a mentality shift thats good. Unless I die prematurely, I will be vindicated.") Hes run cars without wings, cars with wings, and, of course, a couple of memorable streamliners. Jody Scott, McLarens director of people who joined the team a year ago from Anthem, Inc. (now Elevance Health), said there was no target for the number of hires outside motorsports. Considered the father of drag racing, he is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. Gwynn made an inspiring pass in the car at Indianapolis, at the 2011 U.S. Nationals that was part of the NHRAs 60th anniversary celebration. Don Garlits' Swamp Rat 17, the Wynn's Liner, had a very short life in 1973 and is roundly considered to be among the few disappointments of the more than 40 Swamp Rats he campaigned. [10], In 1977, Ed Donovan persuaded Garlits to switch from the 426 hemi he had been using for the last thirteen years to the Donovan 417cuin (6,830cc), offering (in Garlits' words) "an engine deal I couldnt refuse". Only show this user. The circumstances reminds me of my Dad and Mom, you know she passed away last weekend and she to had alziemers. Have you ever wondered how rich Don Garlits is, as of late 2016? Pat Garlits died this past weekend after an extended illness. GARLITS, Don(ald) (b. Funny Car icon Bruce Larson: NHRA's original triple-threat Pro driver, Frank Mancuso: Some good trips and some bad ones for the 'Travel Agent' driver. The head count was up to 94 by mid-February and is expected to be at least 100 by the end of March. Maximizing and encouraging people to bring ideas to the table is so often overlooked in motorsports, Rossi said. Mar 16, 2015. After some trial and error, Huff and his principal backer Larry Carrell, hooked up with Colorado aerospace electrical engineer Derek Barger (owner of High Tech Systems) and found the Yahtzee! combination. The couple would have celebrated their 61st anniversary on Feb. 20. "[4], Garlits's accident was like many in the 1960s, and his new design followed several other pioneer designers of rear-engined dragsters, including Steve Swaja's AA/Gas Wedge I from 1963, Roger Lindwall's 1966 Top Fuel Re-Entry, and Kent Fuller's fueller Sidewinder III from 1969. For many years, Ed Garlits was competitive on the track and cemented his name in the NHRA Southern Division Hall of Fame, International . Don Garlits, now 91, has earned lofty . (A similar design was built that same year by Mickey Thompson.) 27, 2015:Garlits debuts Swamp Rat 14 in Pomona; memories from Woody Gilmore, Don Long, Don Moody, and Wes Cerny. Today, Garlits is an energetic 92, living in Ocala, Florida, where he oversees his fabulous Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. Don Garlits was born in Florida, and began drag racing in the mid-1950s in a car he built himself, in his backyard. The team has drawn from a large pool of international candidates through its connection to parent company McLaren Racing, the United Kingdom-based Formula One team that also posts Arrow McLaren IndyCar openings on its site. After starting last season with 61 employees, the Arrow McLaren payroll mushroomed in the offseason. Now 86, he lorded over the sport from the early 1960s to the late 1980s, winning every event of consequence,. Word is that he'll be back in a few weeks to try . Way back in 1953, they played what they called "paycheck poker" at the American Can, where I worked that winter. He was age 54 when he won the last. She took him to the hospital on Sunday. These abandoned runways were perfect for drag racing. We want to pull the best of the world of motor racing and beyond. According to Thomas Popes Feb. 2021 article for Competition Plus, Huff happened to see Garlits on TV, saying that Electric vehicles are going to be a part of everyones future, and to go 200 in the quarter is just not possible with the current technology. Huff told Pope, I thought, Thats a bunch of crap. An old friend of mine is on a Gassers email group and Don is a member, he posted this. Though none were life-threatening, he temporarily retired from active driving and became a color commentator for NHRA telecasts on TNN and NBC. But also building a machine of a race team that can develop all year round, not sort of go racing in the season and do development in the offseason. David Chick comes to us ready for adventure. Thanks to Don and our prayers for Pat. And wants to make this something special. When the NHRANational Dragster staff compiled a list of interviews for an issue we called "Most Intriguing People," Garlits was naturally on our list. "My dear wife of nearly 61 years left this world and went over to the other side," Don told us. I just turned 90 years old (January 14, 2022), and here I am, talking about going around the country and making exhibition runs! In 2008, he was inducted into the inaugural hall of fame class at, This page was last edited on 28 November 2022, at 21:23. Kiels team president role essentially was split between Ward and other managers. There are some inherent advantages for a team in IndyCar, whose 17-race schedule is more manageable than NASCAR (36 races in 37 weeks) and Formula One (which has expanded to 24 races around the globe). Our car experts choose every product we feature. Scott said Arrow McLaren has lost only three team members since last years Sept. 11 finale at Laguna Seca, an unheard-of number that she attributes to working hard on trying to give back to employees with extra cash and time off. The quarter-mile, however, is not the only place that Garlits stands alone, or at least in small groups. (Well, only for a little bit, maybe.) Over 30,000 people attended the event, the largest attendance at a drag race at that point. Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is an American race car driver and automotive engineer. I work really well in it, and Im excited to bring her in and experience that. Life is not always kind, but we can make it a lot tougher than it really is. So Huff used a different school of thought, opting for alternating current rather than the apparently ineffective direct current. At Age 90, 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits Still Plugged Into Electric Dragster NHRA legend came up just short in quest to be first to blast a battery-powered dragster down the quarter-mile at 200 mph.. And I found her in a magazine and just reached out to her.. The Garlits brothers were a fearsome force in the drag racing world. Hes innovative, inquisitive, indefatigable, and pretty much indestructible. Arrow McLaren still has done much of its hiring through the paddocks traditional word of mouth manner. The version I heard was that Don's wife, Pat, has Alzheimer's and Dementia, and that he has been taking care of her for some time now-. Don Garlits 2007. Getting Zak more plugged into the team has been a fantastic side effect of this change, Ward said. 17, 2021:Don Garlits' amazing win at the 1967 Nationals, so well remembered for his post-race starting-line beard shave, might not have been possible without Bob Taaffe, who helped "Big Daddy" build a new car in just 72 hours. We visited Garlits museums in Florida in the 1990's. It takes some investment.. This two museums brings you back to the "Good Old Days of Racing" and houses almost 300 cars between both buildings. I will never forget that day. Lets admit it: Theres never been another drag racer quite like Don Garlits, and theres probably never going to ever be anyone like Big Daddy. Heck, theres probably no one else in the world exactly like Donald Glenn Garlits, who turns 90 years young today. "Winter Heat: '87 NHRA Wnternationals", in, Last edited on 28 November 2022, at 21:23, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "How a T-Bucket Became Key to "Big Daddy" Don Garlits Drag Racing Success", "Detached retina forces Garlits to retire", "Don Garlits Museum Ocala, FL - Schedule News & Events", At 82 Years Old, Don Garlits Sets 184-mph EV Dragster Record, Guns for 200 mph Next, On July 20, Don Garlits looks to (again) make drag racing history, "Big Daddy Don Garlits endorses Ron Paul for President", "Kinser, Mansell, Garlits, Lauda, and Muldowney set high standards", National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers article of Don Garlits, Information on Don Garlits and the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, Listen to a live radio interview with Don Gartlits on Nostalgic Radio and Cars, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Garlits&oldid=1124424406. Don "Big Daddy" Garlits is the most innovative man in drag racing history. Yes, there's just no one like him, and I'm glad that he's still part of our lives. In 1959, Garlits traveled to Bakersfield, California for the US Fuel and Gas Championships, later to be named the "March Meet", to show that the times he was setting were as legitimate as those set by the west coast racers. We may earn money from the links on this page. This is very sad. After a long and valiant battle with Alzheimer's disease, we are sad to report tonight that Pat Garlits, the wife of the greatest drag racer ever, Don Garlits has died. [2], Garlits returned to Pomona in 1971 with Swamp Rat XIV, a brand new mid-engined, front-cockpit rail, also dubbed the "Swamp Rat I-R" by Hot Rod in the article introducing it to their readers. When I visited Bigs museum in Ocala last month, on a video screen in the corner, they were playing a memorial tribute video from Pats funeral and still had some of the flowers from the funeral a week prior. 7, 2008:The debut of Don Garlits' rear-engined car in Florida, as witnessed by column reader Wade Nunnelly. Were putting the resources behind it but trying to do it in a sustainable way thats good to the people that are working here as well and also just to have fun. Just three years later, Don became a professional drag racer, and since then has been an integral part of the drag racing scene for six decades. But I don't agree that it sucks to get old. 4: There doesn't seem to be any significant structural damage. Don Garlits, now 82, met the former Patricia Louise Bieger in 1952 at a lake near Tampa, according to the Daily Commercial. Gwynn and Garlits competed the following year in match races in a pair of battery-powered dragsters (which topped out at about 30 mph). In an interview by Florida Trend, Garlits said this of the incident: "In 1970, the transmission exploded in my dragster on the final run, and it cut my foot off and cut the car in two. Because its so easy to get sucked into a more corporate environment. So its been a challenge, but Im really happy with how we managed to hit it in a short period of time. I cant wait to race the guy. The measure of a man is not how quickly he traverses a quarter mile but rather how hes able to set aside his own ambitions and wants to serve a loved one in their time of need. Patricia Louise Garlits, aged 79, was widely regarded as the First Lady of the drag racing world. Don Garlits' sidewinder Top FuelerMarch 2, 2018:In 1982, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, always the innovator, experimented with a sideways-mounted nitro engine in his Swamp Rat 27. They were more trouble than they were worth . Honestly, this team comes from humble beginnings in the IndyCar world. All logos and images are reserved. Instead, he built Swamp Rat 38 EV dragster (ditching the original 37 that Mike Gerry designed and chassis-builder Brad Hadman crafted for him) and is planning a series of match races against Huff and his own EV. NHRA history: Is it real or Artificial Intelligence? She supported my racing. Mr. Garlits lost in first-round competition with his Summit Racing-Mono Winged Dragster, clocking in with a 0.064 reaction time, a personal best 4.737 elapsed time, and 307.44mph, second only to Brandon Bernstein's (son of racing legend Kenny Bernstein) Budweiser/Lucas Oil Dragster 0.079 reaction time, a 4.615 elapsed time, at 321.42 miles per hour. Donald Glenn Garlits is drag racing's truest outlier; his innovative spirit, mechanical expertise, character, talent and work ethic combined to make him the most transcendent figure the drag strip has ever known. I took one look. Thats when I drew up plans for what I thought would be a championship rear-engine car. I don't have any hood flutter in my . Pat Garlits passed away from complications of Parkinson's disease in 2014. It can be yours for $800K. Before his championship run with Penske, Ward spent more than 12 years as an aerodynamicist and engineer with the Red Bull F1 team. When an expert panel named Garlits the No. I messaged her on Instagram, Hey, I think youre super cool, youre really killing it, and if you ever want to work in IndyCar, let me know, Gundlach told NBC Sports. LEGAL INNOVATION | Tu Agente Digitalizador; LEGAL3 | Gestin Definitiva de Despachos; LEGAL GOV | Gestin Avanzada Sector Pblico That helps winnow down the applicant pool for hiring by an executive team that includes Ward, competition director Billy Vincent, operations director Max Neyron, performance director Nick Snyder, marketing vice president Mo Murray and general manager Brian Barnhart (Murray and Barnhardt also have joined within the last few months). We obviously have the resources to tap into and the shared knowledge of the greater McLaren Racing group. Since arriving in the fall of 2019 at the former Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, she said she has watched Arrow McLaren grow while maintaining its gritty origins. ("Theres no question about it: Theyre out there. How much he loves IndyCar. He had the house built in 1967 and lived there until he moved to Ocala to open the Drag Racing Museum. A semi-serious look at the points battles heading to Pomona, T.V. Its been a time of tremendous growth for the team, and most of that growth has come since the end of last season, Ward told NBC Sports as many of the new team members scurried past him with fresh parts and data during a break from preseason testing at The Thermal Club in Southern California last month. Don Garlits Before Fame [ ] Don Garlits was born in 1-14-1932. Whatever floats your boat, happy trails. She's been named as a finalist for Indy's Best and Brightest for Technology. There is one way in which Arrow McLarens transformation is noticeable. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. "Big Daddy" Don Garlits is still going fast at the age of 86. Don suffered a minor stroke shortly after being told his wife will never come home from the hospital. "I took one look. She died at the couples home in Ocala, Fla., near the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, following a lengthy battle with Parkinsons disease and dementia, the newspaper reported. Patricia was born March 27th, 1934 in Covington, Kentucky, to Richard and Vivian Bieger. Indy 1971: 'The Great Burndown'Aug. I am going and sitting with him almost every day as does my sister and brother. Don't waste your time dreading it: just pray that you live long enough to enjoy your senior years. Patricia was born March 27th, 1934 in Covington, Kentucky, to Richard and Vivian Bieger. He holds the world record for electric dragsters at 185.6 mph at 7.25 seconds. Don Garlits, Godfather of American Drag Racing 70 years behind the wheel of supercharged engines March 8, 1970- Don Garlits shown sitting between the tires the moment the engine of his dragster exploded, splitting the car in half and blowing off his right foot. [clarification needed], In May 2014 at age 82, Garlits set a 184mph (296km/h) speed record with Swamp Rat 37, a 2,000 hp battery-powered EV dragster . This was the legendary slingshot dragster with which Big Daddy would win the first NHRA race he entered, the NHRA Safety Safari in Lake City, Florida (12.1 seconds, 108mph). Don Garlits, Bob Taaffe, and the 72-hour car build that led to drag racing lore Dec. 17, 2021: Don Garlits' amazing win at the 1967 Nationals, so well remembered for his post-race. It is sad he will lose his wife. Hes happy to be here; were happy to have him.. 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. But Ward said it wasnt necessarily a driver-executive package deal. But it was his lifelong partnership with a sweet girl named Pat Bieger from Tampa that was Dons best investment. "He's doing okay and has gotten most of his memory back," said Francine Head, a Garlits assistant at the Museum. The records 156.. I had the privilege to met Don and Pat back when I just started going to the drag races. I think Gavin kind of feeds off that and has a similar style as well.. The group of people that are in charge (of) who joins the team, I think they know exactly what we need, and I trust theyre going to make the right decisions. [16], In September 2009, Garlits returned to the quarter mile, racing a specially prepared 2009 Dodge Challenger in the Stock class at the U.S. Nationals at the Indianapolis Raceway Park. http://www.allmusic.com/song/don-garlits-mt0016254629. The Arrow McLaren organizational hierarchy was restructured with last years departure of Taylor Kiel (who left to become team manager for Ganassi). I think weve done a great job of that. Heck, he could probably tell you how many nuts and bolts it took to build Swamp Rat I. Hes not just an icon of our sport, but very probably THE icon, and I say that with tremendous love and respect for people like Shirley Muldowney, Don Prudhomme, and John Force. For our money, Don Garlits--chassis builder, engine builder, tuner, and driver extraordinaire--remains the greatest drag racer of all time. 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