80 Year Old Don Garlits Quest for 200MPH on Batteries

[Theol55]

Still going strong at 80...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvzBkan4j1w#t=181

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[SRT-10 Ralph]

He's still getting it done!

 

[topfueljim]

Don Garlits is a hero of mine. My younger brother died about 2 years ago of a sudden unexpected disease. He and I grew up in the SoCal hot rod scene way back when, and about all we ever really talked about was car related. Since DG is pretty much the Babe Ruth of drag racing, I thought he would like something from the Don Garlits website, so I called to place an order for a book to be sent to him. I mentioned that he was ill and wanted it rushed to him. He got the book with a nice personal note and autograph, but I never got a credit card bill for it. After I while I called and asked what the deal was, and they said that Don said there was no charge, that it was gift from him. When I told my brother that, he literally cried.
That was a really big deal to me, and made my respect for Don Garlits even greater.

 

[Theol55]

Sorry for Your Loss but what a Great Story.

 

[505 V10]

Don Garlits is a hero of mine. My younger brother died about 2 years ago of a sudden unexpected disease. He and I grew up in the SoCal hot rod scene way back when, and about all we ever really talked about was car related. Since DG is pretty much the Babe Ruth of drag racing, I thought he would like something from the Don Garlits website, so I called to place an order for a book to be sent to him. I mentioned that he was ill and wanted it rushed to him. He got the book with a nice personal note and autograph, but I never got a credit card bill for it. After I while I called and asked what the deal was, and they said that Don said there was no charge, that it was gift from him. When I told my brother that, he literally cried.
That was a really big deal to me, and made my respect for Don Garlits even greater.

Don Garlits is the real deal. Class act and super nice guy. Back in 1971, which was the summer after his Lions Drag Strip accident where he lost most of his foot, He was at the summer AHRA event at NY National Speedway on Long Island. My friend and I, 2 15 year old kids were in the pits. Big Daddy was not back driving yet, he had Marvin Schwartz in the seat. Anyway, my friend and I were awe struck that we were standing next to Don Garlits himself. Back then, in the pits there were no barriers, you could stand right next to whomever was there. He was talking to us, he put us to work doing some help out type of things. 2 15 year olds, we were in heaven.
Fast forward to about 10 years ago. My grown son and I are at the NHRA national time trials here in Phoenix. All the NHRA teams attend to shake out their stuff 2 weeks before Pomona. We run across Don Garlits walking around the pits. Startup a conversation, I tell him about the time in '71. He remembers it. What a guy.