fletcher beats garlits!
 

that had to be a thrill af a lifetime, even for the winingest sportsman racer in history!
mr garlits was definitley in it to win with a .007 bulb.

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

good for him,glad to see someone take out one of the new under rated cars..dont know how big of a win for dan it was though,he has won alot...

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

No disrespect to Don Garlits, but Dan Fletcher has won nearly twice as many national events as Garlits has. Plus most of the National Events Dan has won have been 7 round races. Not 4 round races like Garlits had won in Top Fuel. I'm not trying to take away from Don Garlits accomplishments or the many innovations he has introduced to Drag Racing. We'll just have to see how he does on race day when he has to put a dial on his window.

Ryan Horensky
C/SA 1273

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

it is sad to see someone like him dial in. it is like french kissing your grangma.

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

He hasn't run far enough under to qualify anyway, has he?

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

I'll bet that Big Daddy has more heads up runs than Fletcher. Big Daddy don't need no shoe polish.....until now that is.

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

In Don Garlits defense, back in the 50's 60's and 70's the total national events between NHRA,IHRA,AHRA,UDRA etc. didn't even total one season of NHRA's current (which is 24) national event schedule. You have compaired apples to oranges. It was a completely different time.

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

I don't know why Big's car didn't run 10.0's like the others but he sure can cut a light when he needs to. Too bad he isn't in the field. I'm sure Don Garlits has rarely qualified lower than 10th and sure not 149th!

In Garlits most active years there weren't very many national events but that hardly meant he raced just a couple times a year. Read his book "Big Daddy". I'm not sure anybody before or since had a race and travel schedule like that where the engine had to be rebuilt inside the trailer going down the road because the 40 hours of straight driving was barely enough time to get to the next race.
24 events wasn't a season, it was more like a month!

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

Tom: I am glad to see that someone still remembers what it was like to race in the 60's and 70's. You are correct there were not a lot of national events. NHRA was the game until AHRA came along. But race tracks ran every night. And every SUNDAY!! And you did not only have to be a BIG name the track had to have cars to run. You might race in our area of North Carolina you might race in Georgia on Monday Night and Capital Raceway on Tuesday. I have seen a match race scheduled as you stated. I have also seen engines washed in a bathtub of varsol at the Holiday Inn assembled and raced the next night 10 hours away. I really wish the old man all the best. I really hope that all of this stir does exactly what it is intended to do get some interest in the cars. Let's see a 10 car match race with Mopar, Fords and maybe the Camaro. Might be a crowd pleaser.

By the way, good job Fletcher thats what Big would expect you to do. Go get him no matter who is in the other lane. Ya'll have fun up there.

Re: fletcher beats garlits!
 

I think "Big Daddy" deserves all the respect he can get. You got to give the guy a pat on the back to step into stock eliminator, that is as far from where he made his name in drag racing, (top fuel) as apples is to oranges! Fletcher is one serious gun slinger and has definately earned his rank in the sportsman world. I don't think Gartlits, Force, Glidden, The Snake, or any of the top pro drivers would feel comfortable staging beside Fletch or anyone of his caliber, but you got to give him a pat on the back for being there! Sportsman racing needs all the hype and promotion it can get and thank goodness Big Daddy is doing his part! Don Jackson