Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I see on DRO that Don Garlits , after getting DragPak Challenger # 1, his wife will let him race in stock.
I have always been a fan of his, and his accomplishments. I do wanna be a the first guy paired with him on a ladder sheet,and and then I will print that ladder sheet out and save it.
Div 2 guys ready? We actually might get some TV time with him in there ! Might be good boost for sportsman racing.

http://www.dragracingonline.com/agen...0-x_11-48.html


If that were to happen, that would be a ladder sheet and a time slip that would get framed, as soon I got home !! Here come all the "I beat Garlits..." wisecracks ! If I draw him in rd1, and get a W, by gosh, I will !!




.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Or "I lost to Garlits"......

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Big Daddy doesn't really like losing very much; he may be tough...

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I just saw "Big" in August at a local Celebration and he seemed very alert and accurate in his facts when speaking with a local news person. He had a very relaxed and had a casual approach to his car and fired it for crowds several times a night.

I am sure that if I had been racing as long as he has I would feel the same and would still have that "go get em" in me.

More power to him and I think you are right about the media attention for the sportsman, anything will help.

Just so he doesn't end up on Pinks, he was a little late to Judy Lilly in Denver.

Long Live Big!

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

It would be interesting if some of the big name pros lost their sponsorship and came into Stock or Superstock. They'll see how tough it can be to get past some of these little guys, Paul.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Paul;
I dont think he could stay up long enought to wait for Stock time shot at the end of the day.LOL

Ed

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I'm sure hope they(NHRA) would use a opportunity like that in a better way...

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

As long as they make him get grade points to enter nationals like we do...

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

That man has earned a lifetime Gold Card as far as I am concerned. Let him race anywhere anytiem he wants

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I think there is a past world champ clause. Kinda like if you win Indy you can get in with no Grade Point.

Herb Jr

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

what have you done for Dragracing? He will get in were he wants...He IS the dragracing icon of them all..anything else would be stupid!

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

A few years ago Jeggie and Jason Line ran the Hemi Shootout at Indy. They had no grade points but past world champ provisional got them in. I had heard it was exibition only at selected Mopar events. Its still cool I dont care what anyone says.

Herb Jr

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I hope its true, he has a true passion for the sport. At the Mopar show in Ocala when he fired up one of his old FED's his eyes lit up and when asked questions he was like a little kid at show and tell with stories of the past and answering tech questions in full detail.He seems like a great guy.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I'm all for it .This is one sure way class racing will finally hit the spotlight. Heck they may even have to explain indexes and records and all the good class stuff. You know they will have some explaining to do on the times BIG DADDY happens to lose. You know the car ran faster ,he missed the lite,ect..... I tkink it is great .I just hope he tries to run some IHRA. PS ,look at the TV time we will get .!!

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I agree. Big Daddy running Stock or Super Stock can only help the exposure sportsman racing needs.
Maybe we can get him to hammer NHRA about payouts and entries.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

If he could get Linda Vaughn Mrs. Hurst shifter to put him in the water box that would be the icing on the cake! Don Jackson

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

TV cameras in the sportsmen pits ?Think he'll pit with us ? It would be the bigest draw for stock eliminator since the factory wars.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Somebody needs to send him a practice tree and a bottle of shoepolish for Christmas. Seriously I think it would be cool to see him in a stocker.
Chip Johnson

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Things BIG needs to do = (1) Like legend says practice tree (2) Be prepared to be a good loser , because everybody he runs against is going to try to beat him more than win the race. (3) like legend says practice tree. (4) Get used to mostly crappy parking(probably NOT). (5) like legend says practice tree. (6) Maybe get tee-shirts made up with "I BEAT BIG DADDY DON ". (7) Get tee-shirts made up with "I GOT BEAT BY BIG DADDY DON". (8) like legend says practice tree. Anyone have # 9 and up just join in.This could be fun!!!

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I'm glad he's coming back to Sportsman racing. I can't help but wonder what nhra thinks about all these changes. Pro sponsorship evaporating and old pros coming back to Sportsman racing. 2009 is going to be one long strange trip for drag racing!!

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

(#9) Get used to the tear down barn.

Bill Seabrooks - superfan1

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Well, if any of you going to PRI, see him, ask him when he planning on starting. Tell him he may have a bullseye on his back before he ever hit the switch ! It looks like a lot of people would like to pair up with him too !

I can only see this as a good thing for stock and sportsman racing as a whole, publicity wise.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

How about Garlits in one lane and Jim Bailey in the other.That should be his 1st round compititionAnd all Mopar too.

Ed F..

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Wonder how he will do driving the finish line?

Greg

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

How about Amato or Lahaie joining in? Maybe in a year or two, Tim and Kim. The possibilities are endless and it does look better for the sportsman racers.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I just can't see Garlits learning a new skill......shoe polish and brakelight racing......" OK Don here's what your gonna probably need to do this round as it's likely to be a dbl. brkout.....dump the guy even if your in the lead. OK?" HUH? Dump? What the heck are you talking about? I still love the guy though....he really is drag racings number one icon and it would be cool to see him race this car on a regular basis.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Tim Richards is an old Super Stock racer from way back, from what I have read. His Super Stock-type engine building skills and protocol gave him an edge as a crew chief on Fuelers in his early years, I have heard. He was reportedly a lot more meticulous than the average Nitro crew chief at the time.

I can believe that, given the state of mechanical excellence that exists in Stock and Super Stock "mechanics."

I never saw a mention as to whether Garlits' new Dodge will run in Stock or Super Stock.

Anybody have any info about that?


Bill

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I can't see him cutting up car #001. If it's got the 6.1L it will likely be an SS/FA (or somewhere around that area) and that's a little too fast for a 9" tire IMHO.

I guess what I'm saying is that it'll be a stocker.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Should be able to tell by looking at it, or at least ask someone, at the PRI show in Orlando in a few days!

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I think this is really cool. I remember back in the late 90's when I was running NMCA and Arlen Vanke came to a few races running a 65 NSS Hemi car. He brought a lot of exposure and interest to the class, and I don't think that he has near the following that Garlits does. There I was in my early 20's getting to race against a living legend. I still remember, raced him twice and he went red against me both times. Maybe it is silly, but I will always remember that. I am sure that a lot of people will get to experience a similiar feeling this coming year. Will be fun to watch.

Jeff Day
#3731

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Jim Bailey was a stout runner in IHRA Top Fuel. I'm sure he could tell you himself how much fun Stock is! His A/SA Dodge is immaculate. (There's a pic on his website, www.finishedracing.com)


BTW, I thought it was really cool when world-renowned Stock Eliminator driver/builder Billy Nees came to Beaver Springs for a bracket race. After a few cussings, he took me under his wing and got me started in Stock.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

A few years a go I drove a friends stocker at a couple pro am races.. It was neat to make a time run with jim bailey..(friends dont have to know it was in a stocker and not a top fooler).. LOL

Be neat to see big daddy in a stocker, be even neater to see him win in one..

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Michael,

A few cussings! That's all you got? Billy must have gone easy on ya!

Back to the thread at hand. I wonder how they will pit Don Garlits if he does race one of these cars. Doesn't seem like they could pit him in the Sportsman pits because of the fans.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Good point. He also might be one of the older stocker/superstocker's @ 77 going on 40, which is inspiring to say the least.

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

I've heard a rumor about Jim Bailey going after a new Challenger as well. It would be a cool to see a couple of ex-Top Fuel racers (Big Daddy & JB) going at it in a heads-up, class run-off. Sorry Big daddy, but my money's on Jim!

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

MATCH RACING Stockers ?

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

A couple of Top Fuel racers? Better watch 'em at fuel check! lol;):p

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

>>>"Better watch 'em at fuel check! lol"<<<

and THAT'S more truth than poetry.... lol!

Bill

Re: Garlits to race Stock in 09 ?
 

Well, you might, if one of them puts you on the trailer.... :)