Don garlits museum of drag racing9/15/2023 ![]() ![]() He was working on cars under oak trees in his teens, swapping motors and transmissions and other parts to create roadsters and, eventually, “rail-job” dragsters. So, pull up a comfortable chair or a shop stool and settle in while we do a little “bench racing” with one of the greatest gear heads of all time.ĭonald Glenn Garlits was born in Tampa. The Gazette visited Garlits at the museum recently for a lengthy interview and behind-the-scenes look at what he’s working on now. A bout with the coronavirus in the fall “did a number” on him, but he has bounced back with the impressive energy that has sustained him for nine decades. The still lithe automotive guru with gnarled hands and a toothy grin remains eager to talk about his sport, his family and his burning desire to keep doing what he loves. In 1989, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, in 1997 into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, in 2004 into the Automotive Hall of Fame and in 2014 into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame. He has won thousands of races, including the highest-level championship events in the sport, achieving speeds up to 323 mph. Awards, including one for lifetime achievement, bestowed by the NHRA in 2018, fill his office and the museum. He is one of the International Hot Rod Association’s career leaders. ![]() ![]() NHRA has called Garlits the greatest driver in its history. The museum also is the home of the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. The sprawling campus includes two massive buildings that house an astonishing collection of vehicles and memorabilia, along with outbuildings in which Garlits still builds his Swamp Rat racers. He established the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing south of Ocala in 1976. Garlits, known as the father of drag racing, is a pioneer who has designed numerous remarkable racing vehicles, engineered life-saving safety technology, established a long list of speed and timing records and set a high standard of excellence in his professional and personal life. In late December, he was refining his new battery-powered electric dragster, with plans to do some “test and tune” runs in January in south Florida with an eye toward setting a new speed record during the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Gatornationals in Gainesville from March 10-13. 2021.“Big Daddy” Don Garlits, who will turn 90 on Jan. Drag racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits poses with his NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award in front of Swamp Rat I (1956-1961), his first World Record drag racing car, at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing south of Ocala, Fla. ![]()
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