"big daddy" don garlits will be at island dragway aug 14th , and 15th . This is the first track to break 200mph and big daddy himself did it !!!!!!!!!!!
One of the nicest regular type guys you could want to meet. Autographed a book for me at his museum in Fla.
hello, is this thing on ? WHEELSTANDERS,JET CARS ,and "BIG DADDY" DON GARLITS anyone ever heard of "THE SWAMP RAT" i can not believe that more people are not interested.
once again, i can not believe more hambers are not chiming in saying they will be there. this is your chance to race and win in front of a drag racing legend and he is the one who is handing out the trophys from what i gather. all i see on these boards is people talking traditional and i promise it does not get any better than island dragway. think of it folks , a dragstrips 50th anniversary and nobody seems to care........ National Dragster Challenge with Don Garlits Come cheer on local racing heroes as they compete for the prestigious Wally trophies in Super Pro, Pro, Street and Bike/Sled, to be handed out by "Big Daddy" Don Garlits himself for a one of a kind Winners Circle photo! Big Daddy will be signing autographs and one of his famous Swamp Rat dragsters will be on display. Admission prices (Bonus Bucks Raceday): Super Pro: $85 Pro: $75 Street: $45 Bike/Sled: $45 Trophy: $40 Spectator: $20 Child: $10 i just hope this place does not go the way of the drive in's and everything else that was cool and is now gone. Jet Cars and Wheelstanders!! Jets will run at 8, 9 and 10pm
Forget the trophies I had BIG drive me around in his 40. I also worked on his Swamp Rat #34 before retirement
hello out there in hambland....... just trying like the devil to stir up some interest!!!!!!!!!!!! have i missed something ? do hambers from NJ not like don garlits , or is ISLAND DRAGWAY too original as it basically has not changed in FIFTY years!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is going to be the highlight of the summer around here.
I met "Big Daddy" once about 20 years ago at Bristol Dragway at the Spring Nationals , he was doing an exhibition run in a front engine dragster and an old coupe that he ran "back in the day" , he was there to sign outographs also , at least we thought , as always , a group formed around him , and by the time I got to get my Snap-on hat to get signed by the man , he started cursing and *****ing about having to sign autographs , I immediately turned around , and started to walk away , he started yelling at me trying to get me to come back , I just called him an ***hole , and kept on getting out of the area , one of the biggest let-downs of a young guys life at the time
OK, plan on racing Friday and Sturday Started racing there in 1969 Have an old autographed pciture of the Swamp Rat Family friend got him to sign it when he stopped at Kosmor's Getty for gas.I have some old Polaroid pictures of his first rear enigne dragster before he put a wing on it Was at E'town at the SummerNats when he flipped over and started to come back down the track and click it off Also have pcitures of that
We were down at englishtown a bunch of years ago with my buddies recently aquired front engine car working out the new car bugs, Garlits was there displaying one of his swamp rats. we sent my buddies girlfriend out to get us something from the snack bar just to get her out of our hair while we tried to figure out it's issues, and here she comes back with Garlits. He asked us what the problems we were having, we exlpained the problems we were having and he told us to make a couple of changes to the engine location. then he hung out with us for a little bit,had a couple of burgers with us. And during the next week we made the suggested changes and they straightened out the problems.....Rich
Garlits is the real deal, Ive met him at Gainesville Raceway and at his museum several times, always takes the time to shoot the **** for a few, the museum always has something you didnt see last time you were there, its worth the effort to meet him if you get a chance. Spike
OK OK now here we go . tonight are the wheel standers,and jet cars........ hope some of you make it !!!!!!!!!! i know the wife and i will have a blast !!!!!!! thanks to all who posted !!!!!!!!!!
headed back to the patch ! met big daddy yesterday and he was a 100% gentleman !!!!!!!!!!! today he will be handing out the wally's !!!!!!!