Earlier this week we showed you a 1980s interview with NHRA pro stock legend Bob Glidden from a television show called, “The Great Racers”. It was an awesome look into the man and his life when he was at the literal top of the sport. Today we bring you something similar but very different. This is another long form interview with Glidden but this time it is as the man lives his life today. Retired, long past his days of competition but still sharp as a tack and as awesome a matter-of-fact storyteller you will ever hear.
Where Glidden may have been somewhat guarded when in the middle of his dominating career, he is not that way in this interview. He tells stories about his racing days, talks about what he feels were the things that worked in his favor, talks about the one driver that intimidated him, and the multiple cars and even brands he drove for. If you don’t know there were brief flirtations with Chrysler and then a very short tenure in a Chevrolet for one race as well.
There’s a very interesting recounting of his legendary and horrifying crash at Atlanta, and he speaks openly and in-depth about it all. There’s a maddening story about his Wallys and an attempt to sell them. His response to that is pretty awesome.
Perhaps the coolest thing about Glidden in this interview is his matter of fact nature and the approach he had to the sport. This was how he supported his family. He describes being bad at golf but not caring because it does not cost him money. Being bad at racing would have and that would have been unacceptable.
This is an amazing watch.
Click the image of Bob Glidden to see a spectacular interview about his life and times
That was a good interview with a great racer. Often it makes me long for the old days before all the electronics though…Sox, Glidden, Jenkins, Nicholson, Shepard, Carlton…those days will never be repeated.