There were many great moments at the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello awards show, but there was nothing that came close to the speech that Don Garlits made while accepting his NHRA Lifetime Achievement award. This was an amazing recount of people who helped him in his career, stories of the development of the rear engine dragster, and the most incredible part, his connection to champion top fuel crew chief Richard Hogan. In a plot twist that very few of us in the room saw coming, Garlits talked about how he had idolized Hogan’s dad as a kid and how Hogan had actually worked for him in the 1970s as a helper and crew guy. The room was spellbound. I’m not making that up because I was in the room and every word was worth listening to.
I’m an unabashed fan of Garlits. I think he’s the best of all time and have likely said it here on BangShift six or eight thousands times. This speech is everything I love about the guy. It’s slightly verbose, it is respectful and self-aware of history, and it is proof positive that this guy is one of the neatest people to every walk the face of the Earth in the last 100 years.
As Steve Evans once said, “The man IS drag racing”. He is the greatest, and no one will ever top his career or accomplishments. Ever.
Amen Steve Evans!
Long live the king of drag racing “Don Garlets”
Thanks for posting
outstanding……
None any better………
I first saw Garlits at the 1964 Nationals, and one of my fondest memories was the 1973 PHRM meet at Martin, Michigan. He ran the quickest ever e.t. in Saturday night qualifying and the lights went out. They rigged up a p.a. and he came on and took credit for blowing out the power, who could argue? I’m sure every drag racing fan (at least those as aged as me) has similar stories. He’s no goat, but he is THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME.
im a fan of Don Gartls He was in Nebraska promoting his fluid drive
dragster, we simply walked up to him and his crew and visited for a half hour
also impressed with his great museum , lots of swamp rats!!!