History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Pomona early 50's...








Bean Bandits...

 

@buickfunnycar.com thank you!

 

Pretty cool
Thanks for finding that

Mike

 

Don Garlips, that's a pretty cute California put down.
Isky probably fell over when he saw it, wishing he could have used it instead.

 

Dave Strouse...

 

E. L. Williams from a PHR mag feature

 

Really...grow up !
I don't care for the guy, but no need in calling him 3rd grade names.

Mike

 

He was replying to this

 

Ok, still no need in continuing a..."misspelling".

Thanks for the clarification Junior.

Mike

 

I kinda like the spelling . . . after once asking him a very respectable simple question.

 

I get my last name, Garlitz, changed to Garlic all the time. I used to get asked if I was related to Don Garlits, but most people don't remember him anymore, so I don't get asked it that often anymore.

 

1956 Corvette launching

 

I met him once at a swap meet. My experience with him was probably the same or worse.

 

Well Mike, I'm not calling him anything, it is clearly printed in the ad for the match race.

 

The guy next to Garlits is Charlie Proite---Funny Car guy.

 

Short wonderful Garlits story.

Irwindale Raceway, many, many years ago, I (by myself) got there early for a long night of racing. As I was walking across the stock car pit area (near the starting line), Garlits was in front of his push truck, being pushed back to the "hot car" pits. Only Garlits made too sharp a turn in the dragster, and the push truck's bumper rode up the slick a little ! Garlits was getting out of the dragster to untangle the cars, and started yelling at a guy, like me, just wandering the pits. I had already started in a slow run to help with the mess. But after I heard Garlits yelling at the poor guy standing about 30 or so feet away to come help...I stopped, at about 50ft away...and just watched !
"FK" him if he's gonna yell like that at strangers ! I don't think he noticed me.

One of three of my, great Garlits stories with similar outcomes.

Mike

PS, sorry I hijacked the thread, but couldn't help it with all of the "name calling" !!

 

I went with Mike VV to Gainesville when he took Hawley’s alcohol funny car class. We side tripped to Ocala to see Garlits’ museum. Mike donated a few items, we walked the display area and asked a very gracious Pat Garlits if Don would autograph my HRM with a Garlits article. She said, “sure, go out here turn right, first door on your right” We found the open door and stood patiently just inside while he finished what he was doing. He looked up and started yelling at us that we aren’t supposed to be there. I told him Pat sent us for the autograph. He grabbed the magazine, scribbled on it and almost tossed it back to me. I said thanks, went back out the door and tossed the magazine in the trash can next to the building. Very disappointing when your hero turns out to be a jerk. Oh well….
I was still always glad to see him come back and participate again and again.

 

Don was very gracious to me in 2019 when we needed to stash the car after attending Amelia Island concours and the Gatornationals...we had the car there for 7 weeks and during that time, I chatted with him many times and even sat in his office to talk drag racing...nothing but nice things to say about Don Garlits.

 

Dover Dragstrip early 60's. I don't know who had the "Sparrow" but that's Charlie Boucher's "Bad News" PU behind it.

Pat

 

A very young Don Garlits...

 

Don Garlits has / had a lot of talent, but being socially pleasant with people was not his Forte.

 

Never heard this negativism about Garlits before. I will continue to believe in the positive side.

 

That could be part of the reason for his failed attempt to get elected to congress in Florida.

 

Keeping the Garlits theme going...

 

Goosic brothers, from Arizona, flathead here, later a Chevy

 

Steinegger and Eshenbaugh, wedge Mopar, later blew the bottom out.

 

Swamp Rat 1 versus Langley's Scorpion...