In Their Own Words - Bob Glidden

[Rich Biebel]

I love the guy and his hard work ethic and always did.....and the straight forward stuff he always would say.
I can recall thinking how great it was to see him in the Ford commercials they made with the "Have you driven a Ford lately" theme. They often played that commerical during NON auto racing related shows and I thought that was something to see!
I always stopped by his pit area and without a doubt would find them hard at work when many other teams were no where in sight.

I was in the tower at E-Town when he won his last event. E-town about 1995. He beat Yates and really did not have the fastest car but won anyway. He was as happy as can be down on the starting line after the race and Rusty Wallace was also there....Everyone really loved that win that day as the crowd was totally on Bob's side......We got to help him celebrate that win that day and I enjoyed that immensely.....

[Strittan]

Here's that win against Yates.

[rick lester]

Hero? No, he is not a hero.......he is a GOD! I have been a huge fan of Bob Glidden since I can remember, Jack Roush too.

[jmcarter]

Got to see Bob's return to Pro Stock at Indy in 2010...in his very first run he saved a run and put up a decent number on the board where 99.9 % of his competitors would have aborted the run or crashed...it was unbelievable. When he came back up the return road there was probably the most cheering for a racer that I've ever heard. People were standing and yelling...think in Indiana he may be a God. In my book he and Big are at the very top of the heap...

[Superfan1]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

Got to see Bob's return to Pro Stock at Indy in 2010...in his very first run he saved a run and put up a decent number on the board where 99.9 % of his competitors would have aborted the run or crashed...it was unbelievable. When he came back up the return road there was probably the most cheering for a racer that I've ever heard. People were standing and yelling...think in Indiana he may be a God. In my book he and Big are at the very top of the heap...

I go to Indy every year; but 2010 will always stand out because of Glidden's return. Concerning his first run, I agree with you 100%; the car made a hard move to the wall and he pulled it back into the groove and never lifted. I also agree that 99.9% of his competitors would have aborted the run; unbelievable describes it perfectly. As you stated, the crowd went nuts; an unforgettable moment!

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by D.Johns

The other incredible thing is everyone has a Bob Glidden story.

We had bought a T-5 transmission out of Gliddens old super coupe(turbo) T-bird for my brothers mustang. We didn't realize it was Gliddens old car until we pulled up to the place and realized the guy worked for Glidden. My first pass down a racetrack years ago just happened to be down Indy in the same lane that they hung the sign naming it Glidden drive.

Born and raised in Indiana being a Ford guy and being into drag racing you can't help but be a Bob Glidden fan. Then I met him, WOW!! Everyone is family!! Great guy! I feel extremely fortunate to have seen some of the greats race but unfortunate that I haven't been able to see others.

Connecting with the fans is the other half of the racers job not just racing but investing in public relations.

Got my own. When I was a kid, Both Bob and his brother Richard were family friends of cousins of mine that lived in New Whiteland. I met him when he was just getting started. Later in life, his brother and I worked together at the old Arvin Plants in Greenwood and Franklin. When he won his first Pro Stock title at the Nationals in 1973, a bunch of my Uncles and cousins were all talking about him.

Another irony, later as I began racing myself. I was in search of parts for my own 67 Mustang. That search led me to Danny Crawley's shop. He had bought both of Gliddens old SS Mustangs. I bought a couple of Doug Nash transmissions, some spools and other assorted pieces that came out of those cars.

[Tod Lane]

Originally Posted by D.Johns

The other incredible thing is everyone has a Bob Glidden story.

We had bought a T-5 transmission out of Gliddens old super coupe(turbo) T-bird for my brothers mustang. We didn't realize it was Gliddens old car until we pulled up to the place and realized the guy worked for Glidden. My first pass down a racetrack years ago just happened to be down Indy in the same lane that they hung the sign naming it Glidden drive.

Born and raised in Indiana being a Ford guy and being into drag racing you can't help but be a Bob Glidden fan. Then I met him, WOW!! Everyone is family!! Great guy! I feel extremely fortunate to have seen some of the greats race but unfortunate that I haven't been able to see others.

Connecting with the fans is the other half of the racers job not just racing but investing in public relations.

Whiteland, where I was born by the way, had three Pro cars all along the same road. Glidden on the corner, Charlie Reed with a Vega next door, then C J Rayburn who had a Hemi Duster.

Hey Bob, get off the computer and work on the firebird lol

[CycloneFE]

I met Bob at one of the D3 meets when he was testing. I asked what he was working on and he told me, which was pretty much over my head, then later I saw him in the lanes and asked if he had made progress. His face lit up and you could tell he knew I was genuinely interested. We had a small conversation and he went on out. Very real person.

[b.guggenmos]

I have a couple Bob Glidden stories. I used to arrive at the track to watch eliminations before the gates opened. As soon as the gates opened I would seek out Bob's pit area. He would have the car in a million pieces with parts everywhere along with cigarette butts and empty coffee cups. Many of the other tems did not even have their trailers open yet. He really did work harder than any other team.

When he was a crew chief on the DSR team I took my old vhs tape of The Bob Glidden Story with me to see if I could get him to autograph the box. He got a real chuckle out of the old tape and we chated for awhile and he said he had to get back to work. I said thank you as he walked away. He turned back around and said "no, thank you for being a long time fan. It is people like you that keep me going".

That video is great. I really wish Bob would do a book on his life. It would be a great read. Brian

[bill dedman]

Originally Posted by b.guggenmos

I really wish Bob would do a book on his life. It would be a great read. Brian

The man simply has NO EQUAL in the racing world, in my estimation.

There are lots of examples of his amazing talent as a racer/engine builder, but to me, one of the most "telling" episode centered around the 340 Mopar-powered Plymouth Arrow he ran for one season.

He took a combination that had never won an NHRA national event, and with virtually NO R & D time, won the NHRA Pro Stock World Championship with it. There were all kinds of copy-cat cars built by a whole bevy of high-ranking, successful, Mopar racers, but if I remember correctly, not one of them ever won even a single NHRA national event with that 340/Arrow combination!

As I said, Bob won the World Champioship with his.

It's not for nothing that they call him (reverently) "Mad Dog."

Nobody did it better...