fletcher beats garlits!

[Tom P]

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!

[chris3racing]

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.

[Bench Racer]

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

[Bernie Cunningham]

What a shame that 'BIG' didn't make the field. C'mon guys, it would have been the greatest thing for stock elim. in years !!!!!!!!!!!!

What went wrong?? Seems the other '09 challengers ran really well but his is a turd. Ya gotta think that Mopar was in pretty deep but his car is the slowest of the bunch.

Would've loved to been there in the staging lanes for class, a couple of legends shooting the **** and talk'in about ?????????????????? WTF, the old man can not be intimated by your ***, .010 RT ain't good enough LOL. I don't care but that is some funny **** right there !!!!!!!

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Bench Racer

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

You must be a youngster, you really believe that the best racers the NHRA ever had would be afraid of lining up beside some nobody, sportsman driver that they never heard of? How silly!

[denny harvey]

im sure when big looked into running stock,the people around him told him all about fletch and others.asking respect for big by disrespecting some other fine racers is just nuts man...denny

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by denny harvey

im sure when big looked into running stock,the people around him told him all about fletch and others.asking respect for big by disrespecting some other fine racers is just nuts man...denny

I agree with that for the most part . I'm sure Big knows who Dan Fletcher is. He's a CAR guy. I'll bet he reads the ND cover to cover,..not like some of the other fuel queers.

[Greg Hill]

If I was Don, I would be pissed at Chrysler for not giving me a good tune up. All the other Challengers ran fast.

[Craig Dawson]

Big Daddy has to have the most pressure on him of any of the 09 Challenger racers. I talked to him briefly at Cordova the week before and I could see it in his face and hear it in his voice. I wouldn't want to be in his position.

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Greg Hill

If I was Don, I would be pissed at Chrysler for not giving me a good tune up. All the other Challengers ran fast.

My A/FS Shelby was running really good. I took it to Pomona to lay down a really good number. #1 qualifier shouldn't have been a problem. Especially since I just received the super secret computer straight from MOPAR for that exact purpose. All my qualifying runs were crap. Something like a 14.7 best. I won first round with it still spitin' and sputterin'.
On the return road it finally clicked. "it has to be that super secret part!"
2nd round I had the old computer in. Same 14.7 dial. I knew it was fast, just not that fast. I was all over the breaks and ran a 13.7 @ 72 MPH (30+ MPH scrub). Worst break-out I've ever experienced!

Not my first bad advice from MOPAR but definitely the last. BIG just needs to cut the ties and find somebody that knows what they are doing. He should have the fastest not the slowest Challenger in the country. Too bad.