Best Auto Racers of All Time

Best Auto Racers of All Time — page 5
DON GARLITS 6 Imagine winning the first official race you ever entered Now imagine you were driving a car that you built Long before he became known as Big Daddy Don Garlits did just that in 1955 at age 23 Three years later Garlits moved to the big-time circuit of drag racing He drove the first of 34 race cars he would nickname Swamp Rat Garlits won 144 races overall and 17 season championships including eight in the NHRA National Hot Rod Association Garlits had many firsts in his career He was the first man to drive a top fuel dragster to speeds more than 200 mph 322 km h He was the first to mount a wing over the engine Then he became the first driver to go faster than 250 mph 402 km h Garlits also developed the first full-body fire-resistant racing suit He was a true pioneer Big Daddy remained a fixture in drag racing for more than 40 years