Hes a really nice guy. Congrats Garlits. He had the house built in 1967 and lived there until he moved to Ocala to open the Drag Racing Museum. Gracie is a rock star and can do anything, Gundlach said. 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. Just the camaraderie. In 2008, he was one of the supporters of the presidential candidate Ron Paul. Photo: NHRA/National Dragster. Susan Wade has lived in the Seattle area for 40 years, but motorsports is in the Indianapolis natives DNA. Always at the forefront of driver safety, in the wake of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta's fatal crash and numerous other engine explosions and resultant fires, occurring in the last 300 feet of the quarter mile, Garlits declared "I am 100 percent in favor of it", regarding NHRA's proposal to trim the race distance for Top Fuel and Funny Car from the traditional quarter-mile to 1,000 feet, also suggesting that he would support a ban on rev limiters and a return to a 70/30 nitromethane to methanol ratio. So Huff used a different school of thought, opting for alternating current rather than the apparently ineffective direct current. We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. 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. We obviously have the resources to tap into and the shared knowledge of the greater McLaren Racing group. "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. Net Worth: $100 Million. Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Swamp Rat Spotter's Guide, Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3March 18-275, 2011:The cars of Don Garlits, fromSwamp Rat I-A (1956-60) toSwamp Rat 34 (1993-94, 2002-03). But there are teams in this paddock that have been investing in software heavily for a decade, and now you want to play catch up in a year. Hes controversial, unflappable, and, best of all, still as sharp as ever. Ward noted two important additions from the world of Big Data and analytics in data and strategy lead Michael Gethers (who came from Salesforce) and engineer Eric Hestekin (who arrived from Boeing Defense). Right from the get-go for me, that was a high-priority item to try and spruce ourselves up. She and Don shared a colorful history of building the sport from its humble roots to the nationwide pastime that it is today, dating back to 1952 when the couple first met at Lake Magdalene near Tampa. 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. The museums named after Don "Big Daddy" Garlits is synonymous with Drag Racing back to the 1950s. Feb 17, 2022. MyTractorForum------HotRodders.com------VeggieGardener. The role of Pat Garlits in the career of her husband can never fully be appreciated. Arrow McLaren was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports before McLaren Racing gradually became the majority owner in mid-2021. Ronald Lee Garlits, 78, of Wabash, passed away on Saturday, February 13, 2021 at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. Big Daddy Don Garlits Is Getting Married, and You Can Go to the Wedding Elana Scherr writer Mar 2, 2015 See all 2 photos If you follow the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing page on Facebook. But Ward said it wasnt necessarily a driver-executive package deal. 14, 2012:A Who's Who of drag racing roasts "Big Daddy" Don Garlits in Pomona for his 80th birthday, Top Fuel blowovers, Part 1May 11, 2012:Don Garlits, Jimmy King, Jack Martin, and Paul Logenecker, Pat Garlits: The Great Woman behind The ManAug. I think weve done a great job of that. 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. But Gerry launched the build that allowed Gwynn to drive a scale-model dragster equipped with a joystick-like device (which Garlits referred to as a wobblestick) for steering, one similar to what Gwynn uses to guide his wheelchair. 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. I would go out to the shop in Seffner on my wheelchair, saw stuff out on the band saw and make the parts. Life is not always kind, but we can make it a lot tougher than it really is. Connie Swingle, Art Malone, Tom T.C. Lemons, Emery Cook, and a few others. Shes like, Absolutely. . Were not where we want to be right now, but thats normal. At 87 years old, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits is looking in the rearview mirror - not to reminisce, but at the drivers . It comes with the territory,. With the explosive growth and importance of computer-based simulation in racing, theres as much emphasis on software engineering now as there once was on traditional mechanics. Gundlach, who recently was announced as a finalist for Indys Best and Brightest, previously worked cars that won two championships with Scott Dixon at Ganassi. The cars were later auctioned at Barrett-Jackson for another charitable quarter-million dollars, Garlits said. The couple would have celebrated their 61st anniversary on Feb. 20. Now 86, he lorded over the sport from the early 1960s to the late 1980s, winning every event of consequence,. 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. Ward said the schedule was among the reasons that engineer Ryan Kelly chose to join Rossis car after multiple seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series. Its like nothing Ive ever seen before.. Man this is really a shame, losing his best pal TC and then this bad news. He was defeated by incumbent Democrat Karen Thurman. Its high schoolers. 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. "My dear wife of nearly 61 years left this world and went over to the other side," Don told us. She loved her man with all her heart, body and soul and never thought of anyone else but him, Donna Garlits wrote in a letter. Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is an American race car driver and automotive engineer. He announced for four seasons, from 1988 through the end of 1991. 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. [17] In July 2019 at age 87, he set a new quarter-mile record of 189.03mph (304.21km/h) with Swamp Rat 38, a 1,500 lb dragster with a battery-powered 800 hp electric motor.[18]. Weve got to take care of our people through those hard stretches, but for the most part, its a little less time away, the travels not quite so far. For more on the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida, visit Garlits.com. It can be yours for $800K. That comes from a focus on the culture of the team. 2022 Hall of Fame inductees include Tim Richards, Scotty Cannon, Rick Stewart, Stu Bradbury, Jack Moss, and Jack Ewell. Truly inspiring. 20-14 "Drag Racing History". 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. Both were very nice people. To this roadster he added a 1948 Mercury engine block, a 1939 Ford floor shift transmission, and a 1948 Ford differential and axle. How much he loves IndyCar. JavaScript is disabled. I visited Dons museum on a Sunday one week after Pat passed away. Don was there and I have a photo with him. All of that is pretty much not relevant because the true beauty in this piece comes in the form of the words Garlits uses to describe his wife of many decades along with her love and support. Thanks to Don and our prayers for Pat. Those are the nice things that people want out of family who do this.. This . 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. Family affair: Grandfather a drag racing legend, his grandson the future of the sport MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- 25-year-old Rodney Garlits was born with a need for speed. 27, 2015:Garlits debuts Swamp Rat 14 in Pomona; memories from Woody Gilmore, Don Long, Don Moody, and Wes Cerny. [15] He has since had second thoughts. [clarification needed] He received several injuries from the resulting crash. My dear wife of nearly 61 years left this world this afternoon, Don Garlits wrote in an email to the Daily Commercial on Sunday. 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). Our leadership team was just looking for the best, Scott, who also worked at Stanley Black & Decker, told NBC Sports. 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. Now Garlits and Huff have become, well, fast friends, no nitro included. Garlits in 1987 Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is an American race car driver and automotive engineer. 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Don Garlits, now 91, has earned lofty . Garlits has been working on electric dragsters for about four years now, and he's just as competitive now as he was back in his hey-day. This is certainly an exciting company to work for because the brand is quite well known globally, and that certainly helps from a recruitment perspective. Prayers and and well wishes for both of them. Pat was running the gift shop. Getting Zak more plugged into the team has been a fantastic side effect of this change, Ward said. Otherwise, he might have started that match-race challenge with Huff right there. On October 20, 1987, his dragster Swamp Rat XXX, the sport's only successful streamlined fueler,[citation needed] was enshrined in National Museum of American History, a branch of The Smithsonian museum in Washington, DC. In 2019 at age 87, he set a new quarter-mile EV record of 189.03mph with Swamp Rat 38, a 1,500-pound dragster with a 800hp electric motor. 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