Bob Glidden
 

anybody know why he withdrew from competition?

Re: Bob Glidden
 

bob fainted after completing his 1st qualifier when getting out of the car and hit his head reportedly getting a cut they transported him to the hospital and he stayed overnight . he was released friday morning and is resting.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

I hope he is OK. In my book he is the Man!! I so much enjoyed seeing him at the old point meets where they ran the Pro"s. Rest up Bob, we need you back!!

Re: Bob Glidden
 

I was in the stands on Friday at Indy this year when Bob made his first run in Cunningham's car...you simply would not believe the reaction, seems like everybody was on their feet cheering. He didn't qualify but on that first pass he stayed with an out of shape race car about as good as anyone I've ever seen, doubt he even missed his shift points 100 RPM....Bob is the man...

Re: Bob Glidden
 

I go to Indy every year for all 6 days, so I also saw the run that you are referring to. I agree completely that the crowd reaction, and his driving, were simply great. Bob is the man and he always will be the man!

Re: Bob Glidden
 

I have heard from one of Morgans crew members that Glidden is in rather serious condition and still in the hospital. My prayers go out to one of our sports best and greatest drivers. Jim

Re: Bob Glidden
 

x2 Jim....Get Well Bob, and GOD BLESS YOU TOO!!!

Re: Bob Glidden
 

He was released from the hospital yesterday after a nights stay. He is probably back in Whiteland by now.... This came from Billy Glidden...

Re: Bob Glidden
 

That's great news. I gotta make a phone call then! Still praying for his quick recovery. Jim

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Here is the information directly from Billy. Not sure why Cunninghams crew would be saying he is still in the hospital.....:confused:

Dad is out of the hospital now, and very tired, he is going to get some rest on come home for a few? Days, weeks, I really do not know, then head to Cunninghams to look for more hp. He required several stapples to connect his head back together, but he is a tough old fellow, and will work right through it, I truely do thank each and every person here, for the well wishes. Dad is really greatful for the nice replies also, he just really disappointed that he can not finish this race. They had found a little more power and he was anxious to continue towards making the show. Thanks,BG

Re: Bob Glidden
 

This afternoon I was listening to audiocast & they were talking to Bob and he was back at the track.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Thats good to hear. You can't keep a racer from the race track!!

Re: Bob Glidden
 

I hope he is OK.:)

Re: Bob Glidden
 

He has astounded and amazed me multiple times in my life, but to ME the most amazing thing he ever did was to win the NHRA Pro Stock World Chamionship with a small block Mopar at a time when guys like Dick Landy, Butch Leal, Billy the Kid Step, and, the Rod shop (not positive about that one) were all building copycat cars and not ONE of them ever won a single National event with that motor (to my knowledge), and the following year, he returned to Ford and won the National Championship, again! That may be the year when he went a whole year without getting outrun. I think he redlighted at Denver, and that's the only race he lost. But, nobody actually outran him...


At least, that's the way my so-called brain remembers it.

It's not for nothing, that they call him "Mad Dog!!!" :)

If any or all of this is wrong, I apologize; my memory is not the best, these days... please correct my errors.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Bill,,,,No need to apologize,,I've got more gaps in my memory than in my teeth, so I know what you mean. For the record,,,1977, the last year for Glidden's Pinto,,"78 the first Fairmont appears, and goes on that incredible win streak,,'79 the switch to Mopar and he runs the Arrow to another championship,,followed, in '80, by the second Fairmont, that lost the championship to Lee Shepherd.
I've got a great upper end shot of these two cars near the finish line at Seattle that year that is one of my favorite photos that I've taken. That was one of the great rivalries in racing thats mostly forgotten about nowadays. Take care.
Danny Durham

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Bill,,, Of course,,after I hit the send button, I decide to "check my memory" and on the NHRA stats column, it clearly shows that Bob Glidden did indeed win the "80 championship, and Lee Shepherd started his streak in '81. I knew he won 4 of them before his death in '85,,but my math was off,,at least thats my story and i'm sticking to it!
Sorry for the goof fellas,,,,,Danny Durham

Re: Bob Glidden
 

He did Ford and Dodge and no much luck with GM but who cares, he got the championship for so many years. He could take a bicycle and make it fly!!!

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Thanks, Danny!!! He's a phenomenon, all right!!!

I once heard that he built his engines ON THE FLOOR, so as not to have the cylinders subjected to the streesses of an engine stand (no egg-shaped cylinders). I wonder if that's true?

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Not sure if that's true (could be) but I saw him put a motor together on the ground in Seattle once. Hurt the good motor in the car and needed a backup. Certainly a one of a kind guy.. Best there ever was or will be with the fans as well.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Its very true.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

This true and as far as I know Billy does the same thing... For those that don't know, Billy runs one of Bob's old Boss P/S motors on N2O in the XTF class of the ADRL. He runs very well and has been low 3.90s in the 1/8th.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

For guys too young to remember, we used to all go to the staging at the same time. At pomona when he first ran the Arrow, I overheard a guy ask him how in the heck he made it run that fast right off. Bob said "they all like the same things, makes no difference what name is on the valve cover." One of my favorite quotes.

I was in tech line at Indy next to him when he brought the Monza out the first time. We got to the head of our lines (around the paved oval track next door) at the same time. Everything was shiney new but the carbs. They looked a little out fo place. Story I got from a good friend of his was that on the Monza not being fast enough was after he sold the car as a roller to John Lingenfelter he found in the rush to finish the engine for Indy he missed the TDC mark, throwing the timing way off. I was suprised at it's performance, don't think it even qualified at that race.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

One of my memories of the Monza was when we first saw it out here at Seattle after Lingenfelter got a hold of it. This was during the Grace Cup days. It was a rough looking piece, with a lot of duct tape holding it together. It kind of surprised us how thrashed the car was. Just an observation at the time.
Danny Durham

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Is that when Lingenfelter had the cleveland in it?

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Sorry Cam,,,,I don't recall what engine John was using that weekend. Hopefully someone on here will know.
Danny Durham

Re: Bob Glidden
 

It was the Ford Cleveland. The Ford canted valve head was faster due to the min. allowed head rules at that time from the beginning.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

To go along wth what Ed said, Bob referred to small block Mopar engines as being nothing more than a Chevrolet with funny looking rocker arms. That's great stuff.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

At Seattle that year, I heard Bob answer the same question with: "I made it think it was a Ford". The reporter followed up with asking him how it ran so fast while dumping the chute between 1000' and the finish line and Bob says " You know that little spring on the pilot chute? When it comes out, it gives the car a big push." The guy just turned around and walked away with a disgusted look on his face.

Classic Glidden!

The Monza had a Jack Roush engine (at least for a while), when John was running Comp with it.

Re: Bob Glidden
 

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...nzaatMilan.jpg

Re: Bob Glidden
 

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...den/Monza2.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...den/Monza4.jpghttp://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...den/Monza3.jpg

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Re: Bob Glidden
 

Re: Bob Glidden
 

The guy that Bob is running in the other lane is me . It was taken at Indy. And yes we used stock dampers back then and the outer ring would move on athe hub throwing the timing mark off.
Rich Simone