Craziest Incident In Drag Racing History? The Garlits' Blowover And The Events Surrounding It

[@timothyautry1171]

Yes, definitely want to here these stories. We're all getting older, so these stories are extreamly important for future generations. Please keep them coming!

[@SorryGuys-eighty-8]

to heAr these stories are Extremely important

[@keithshepherd4693]

You really need to have Don on your show..

[@ryurc3033]

Honestly I don't see that going well. They are both crazy old guys, I like both of em, but I see them butting heads like a couple rams stuck in a pen.

[@kennethlee1031]

That would be epic !

[@TheSinkingGarage]

I bet The Farmer would be up for it. He still comes out to GLD.

[@trianglemountainmotors1210]

Actually, that’s a great idea and not just Don… Shirley would be a good guest.

[@budspaulding7121]

He would do the show, for sure

[@georgejsalomskasiii3048]

I was 7 when this happened and was at that show. And it brought chills all over just seeing that again. Engkishtown and ATCO were the tracks closest to us in Philly and I have fond memories of both. Thanks UTG. Blast from the past

[@guncotton1950]

I met Don Garlits and was able to have a short talk with him at a speedorama show in Toronto Ontario early mid 90s - he was very soft spoken and modest a nice person i thought

[@ricks.4260]

When he drove out of the smoke he stopped right in front of us . Unforgettable !

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

Since I'm older than Tony, these re-telling of history is marvelous. I know others like a 12 horsepower Jeep, but this is Tony in his element. More, please.

[@McCuda]

Those little details of your drag racing stories make all the difference. Love hearing it.

[@patrickspringer6534]

Keep on telling stories. I love it. I watched Eddie Hill in the Super Shops car blow over at the Winter Nationals in 1988 or 89, I don't remember. That was crazy to see it live. Definitely keep telling stories, especially about fuel cars. Keep up the good work. Greetings from LA...Lower Alabama.

[@tomfry131]

I could listen to this stories all day long have a merry Xmas tony

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

The ability to tell a story that immerses you in it is a lost art. I agree 💯 percent!

[@tomfry131]

Thanks for listening to your viewers and give us more of these stories. In my opinion these cars sound and run the best they ever have

[@ndirt2512]

Loving the old drag racing videos. Thank you

[@madmh6421]

Makes me sad that I am not in the 1960s, young again, and at the drag strip! Man, those were some good times!!!

[@sski]

F-N Amazing!! I remember this because of how unique it was and how broadcasted it was at the time. So cool that you were there to see it. That's a piece of history.

[@MrTheDudeSan]

We definitely want more Uncle Tony bedtime drag racing stories. As a brit we don't got many dudes like that round here it's awesome learning about the mad history of dudes going fast. Also Tony, did you ever get into motorcycle drag racing and nitro bikes? Or do you keep bikes for corners and cars for straight lines?

[@danstewart8218]

It's nice hearing the stories isn't it? I'm a brit too and we went to Santa pod in 88' (somewhere then) I think and saw the top fuels when they came, people just haven't any idea how f*cking RAW they were. You'd stand 8 ft away and the air was choppy and weird and the noise punched you in the chest. Incredible!!!

[@Cantthinkofahandle117]

I ♥️ story time with Uncle Tony. 😊Keep them coming!

[@michaelbuteau4183]

You keep telling Drag Racing stories, and I'll keep showing up to listen to them, cause they're awesome. And add as many clips as you can find, they're really, really cool. I was at the 1973 winternationals at Beeline dragway in Arizona. We're surely and Big Daddy broke the 250 mile an hour barrier, very fun day. I was 13 years old. I was hooked on drag racing ever since.

[@MrMopar-440HP]

I remember the incident where the transmission blew on Don’s car in ‘70 taking half his right foot off . After that he was instrumental in designing the first rear engine Dragster.

[@haworthlowell805]

@@MrMopar-440HP There were several beford his; Don just figured out how to make them work.

[@horsedrag2468]

Garlits believed the car builder (driver) was the only one qualified to judge safety issues. We went to his "National Challenge Race in Tulsa in 1973 and I asked him where's tec inspection. He asked if it was all there, I said yes, he responded, you just passed tec.

[@GregBallard-e1p]

The early 80's drag racing remain some of my best teenage memories. Keep the story's coming.

[@TimothyArnott-m7z]

Hey Tony, Tim here.....yea, I was at the '87/'88???... summer nats....here comes Eddie, no sponsor......didn't even knew who he was......just said TEXAN on the side.....tiny aircraft tires up front.....launches, at the 1/8th started a big wheelie, pedaled it, set it down, and went thru the traps at 250......I had my camera, but was to shocked and awed to click a damn thing........will never forget.....MAN E-Town was the shi%........glad I'm a Jersey boy, and got to see this stuff!!.....TY brother, MERRY CHRISTMAS, and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you, Uncle Cathy, and ALL of urs!!

[@justinpakarno4346]

Gasoline is for cleaning parts, alcohol is for drinking and nitromethane is for racing!

[@chrisl7511]

Story time with uncle Tony is some of my favorite content. Love hearing the behind the scenes stuff from the golden era of racing.

[@gcaprice406]

Jeez, what a great story. Glad you shared/ preserved this on KZbin.

[@mannye7346]

I remember that when I was a kid. Crazy. I miss West Hampton too. We always joked that it was downhill. Everyone was just a smidge faster there than Englishtown.

[@roryhennessey1983]

West Hampton Long Island?

[@6bblbird104]

Westhampton DID have better air. It was literally at sea level.

[@mannye7346]

@@6bblbird104 A little salt and sand never hurt combustion either 😆

[@mannye7346]

@@roryhennessey1983 Yep even though it was actually in South Hampton LOL. I think it burned down, then the town closed them up for good in the early 2000's. LI has been hurting for a dragway ever since.

[@JustPlaneNutzRC]

@mannye7346 I miss the old Westhampton track too, so many fond memories racing at the strip. It's a damn shame, we've lost all of our racing history here on Long Island.

[@flinch622]

Priceless footage - maybe the most insane thing to happen on four wheels.

[@rageracing6435]

I have a signed poster of that blow over. Thank you for telling your awesome story. I haven’t heard some of those details before. Keep them coming!!

[@dodgeboy5150]

Great stuff brotha! Your passion for this is contagious! Please keep the stories coming! Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[@williamstamper442]

Tony im pretty sure this exact event is where the term "stupid shops" started. Seriously. Don was fearless and actually did finally control the car and there was nothing stupid about the whole thing, but ridiculous did apply

[@BenjySparky]

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, Tony!

[@KR-qs3rt]

Tony... That was one of your best videos ever.. I couldn't wait to hear and learn more.. Thank you Thank you.

[@BigBlock-wf3mh]

Great stuff UT, keep it coming! 🏁

[@charlesgall7829]

Love these! More ! I was working and starting a family during this period so this is all new to me! Missed a lot .

[@thomasburch-fx7fc]

He still has the front end and wheels on display at his museum. The man never threw anything away!

[@Darren-r9b]

Yes! That's what amazed me the most, just as you say...saw it for myself. All them little aluminum pieces in the glass cases.

[@vwandtiny3769]

the two rings of glare in your glasses is hypnotizing.

[@kevinmccarthy3379]

This is by far my most favorite utube video. I really enjoyed the part where you explained how you were a human shield for the race car engine and then ran over your own foot explaining how you got to be trackside and witnessed 1st hand this event I never knew about. Yes Tony keep sharing This type of content is priceless.

[@nick_captain_slow]

I'm glad that I was born in California in 59 and grew up there. Cali probably had the most drag strips in the states at that time and hearing all these names brings back found memories. Keep telling these stories please.

[@thunderstruckter666]

These stories are great!!! I'm too young to have been there so hearing them from you is awesome!! Greatest car channel on youtube 🤘

[@MVPisME383]

God i wish id been born 30yrs sooner, I was born in 90 and I'm envious of your generation

[@nicksauer6749]

In about 1989 I saw Garlits at the Bakersfield March Meet. On one run, Garlits lost control and went sideways off the line. Pretty common, but the amazing thing was that he regained control and went on to win the race. Respect.

[@johnk3386]

I remember watching that! Epic

[@timrayburn2461]

Great vid and thank you Tony

[@nocturnalmayhem0]

i remember seeing the car with the monostrut at darlington dragway wayyy back in the very early 90s then we left cuz the nitro cars scared me so bad i cried lmao i was only 5 or 6

[@jerryzotta4482]

Of course I wanted to hear your story since I was at that race too on spectator side right at midtrack. If I remember correctly, Garlits was going for a new ET record which was 5.34. People kept asking if he could repair the car at the track but it looked like a banana! Still gives me chills!

[@kennethcohagen3539]

I worked in Auto Parts at that time and got spiffed to the drags every year throughout the 80’s. It was a blast seeing all the improvements to the cars. I met Joe Amato and Dan Pastorini at one event. Joe was nice, but preoccupied. Dan had lost an earlier round and was willing to sit and talk with us at lunch. He was a very cool guy. One of the guys asked him what he liked better, Football or Drag Racing. He Drag racing beats the hell out of Football!

[@georgeszucs583]

That was one of the tricks of the Mopar Super Stockers then. When the Corvettes were allowed to run solid rear axles then, the Mopars wanted their scoops attached to the hood and not to the engine.

[@airmotivewelding8012]

I Love drag racing story telling and you nail it man, more would be great!

[@justinschmidt9180]

I really like these stories!! Please do some more on this !!! When I was a kid I had a poster of that car on my bedroom wall as well as BOB glidden and Darrel alderman and Dave Schultz. This is awsome

[@buckeye8480]

I was just at Dons place first of November in Ocala Florida, he puts on a good annual show at his musem. He just hangs out and talks with everyone. Tony you should bring a car and check it out next year. Three day event. I can’t imagine there’s a better collection of drag racing history anywhere.

[@kennethmctavish248]

Merry Christmas tony great story

[@fredrichard2814]

We all love the stories so much enthusiasm. What a great Christmas present for all your viewers.😊

[@Doosterify]

I went to that race but did not get to the track until Saturday so I missed the blowover. This was the first time I ever saw fuel cars run. Amazing.

[@427Vette]

Saw it on TNN way back then! Most iconic ✨ moment of drag racing and for Big Daddy ! the way he drives out the smoke and starts waving! wow 😳

[@Mushin-Flowstate]

What an amazing story that I have never heard before. I appreciate all of your content, and glean whatever my brain can from it, but I must say that storytime is a favorite of mine.

[@don66hotrod94]

I recently received a Drag News article from November 1964 that showed my now deceased brother in law's fuel dragster as one of the first to run consistent 200 mph runs. I had no idea he was part of this drag racing history. So, yes, please tell more stories Tony.

[@roycrownover2349]

Yes......love to hear more from your perspective as most of us were lucky to get to at the very best just one National event per year as a spectator.

[@karlmerriam]

I was there for that race. Sitting at about the eighth mile on the parking lot side. Garlits got out of the car just about right in front of me. Still have the pictures I shot, one with the car about half mast and one with the car coming back out of the smoke, plus a pic of Garlits after he got out of the car with his arms in the air. Incredible event, I'll never forget it. I met Garlits at his museum back in 2003 and we talked about the blowover for a few minutes. Oh, and it was Darrell Gwynn in the tower lane. RIP Raceway Park

[@nitromyke]

Those stories are great! More UTG memoirs !!

[@horatiohooligan1706]

I was there 86 Summer Nationals.

[@jack-k6z7n]

ME TOO

[@elmerfudpucker3204]

I remember all this. It's good to rehash some of it through someone that was right there in the middle of it. When Garlits showed up with that enclosed cockpit and small tire front end, everyone was caught off guard. When He started laying down the times that he did, I remember everyone questioning it and trying to figure out how to use it.

[@mikeg4163]

Notice how he top fuel car of today is a close resemblance to what Don was doing in the 80s. He was WAay ahead of his time.

[@JamesHolbrook-eh5sp]

If you're ever in Florida, be sure to check out his drag racing museum at Ocala. Well worth a couple of hours at least. I wanted to wear a big overcoat and sneak out with a couple of cool old engines shoved under it.

[@AtZero138]

"Tales from the GEARHEAD MONK!!! Nostalgia Rules.. !!

[@kennethcohagen3539]

I love how Don had the presence of mind to stay on the throttle when he was going backwards instead of hitting the brakes. I saw this live on TV, and it still is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.

[@kg6itc]

We want more drag racing stories!!!

[@donaldhalls2189]

That was cool glad it turned out well, thanks for sharing, all the best to you and your loved ones, Have a Merry Christmas

[@JasePatriot7553]

I saw the Chi-Town Hustler do a 1/4 mile burnout at Edgewater Sports Park in the 80's !!!

[@georgeszucs583]

I lived at Edgewater and it was a favorite track of the ChiTown Hustler.

[@christophersanders5007]

The wildest blow over I ever saw was Eddie Hill at Pomona. As he started to blow over he pulled the shute, and the car went airborne off all four tires across the finish line.

[@sherrytop2591]

My era of drag racing. Before in 1988 I went to my first dirt spring car race and got hooked for 30 plus years. Thanks for bringing back the memories, like Joe Amato having chrome cage hoops on his cars until NHRA banned them because the chrome messed with the sonic testing. At least according to one of the magazines at the time.

[@orionbirch2705]

So interesting Mr. Tony, real history is valuable. Plus you have a precious perspective from participating. And the car magazine writing experience gives you credibility; Mr. Tony maybe you could make mini documentaries using the magazine style for the video. Probably more images, when you say a cuda with a shaker I know it's special but I can't exactly visualize it all, a picture would improve that. Now it's like a magazine article with no pictures. ( Remember those Crumb drag cars style where the tires were huge perspective and the engine?) The drag car flipping is awesome, makes it so much easier to listen with clear understanding. Maybe hire a video editor to add in footage and images when you share your 'stories'. The cost of paying them would be made up for by viewing, I would say. As they are, these type of race and car history videos are great, good job!

[@LawrencePantel]

Absolutely entertaining stories of history. Keep these coming. Could you do a video of tire technology? Compounds, size, pressures, and burnout origins? Thank you for sharing these experiences.

[@codynormand158]

This is Gold. Please continue to pepper in these stories

[@SavingChevys73]

You need a second channel where you just tell us nitro stories. I'd like to hear them all.

[@donaldcoakley9368]

Yes more stories. I absolutely love them. Thanks.

[@michaelohman4980]

Your enthusiasm is contagious! Great story from 4 decades ago, and you're a mopar fan!. Keep up the fantastic work, from central Victoria Australia 🇦🇺 👏 , have merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 😀. ...

[@briansenecal3071]

I was there my brotherman. I was a youngster sittin on my BMX bicycle (That i blew thru the ticket gate to git in for free) hanging on the fence to witness that first hand, (The Garlits blowover)when back in time i lived down at the end of Union Hill Road on Tennent Rd. Then moved to Beechwood near Toms River hangin around RT 37 at the Caldor parkin lot and VHS taping runs from the bushes down Double Trouble Rd. Git u some of that my Brotherman.😀👍

[@322skimteller]

You could write a book , Some of the personal accounts are gold

[@HomeTipsAndTricks]

One of, if not the outright BEST, videos you've presented. Thank's Tony! Whew!

[@anthonyrowland9072]

Garlits pulled some 1966 type stuff in 1986.

[@LeeKirk-v6n]

Seriously you need to start doing like a Tuesday night ‘drag race story time’ with Uncle Tony. I’d tune in for that, who wouldn’t.

[@rchydrozz751]

I saw Don about this time, not too far from my house at Suffolk raceway in Suffolk Va. Times were different then. Just him working on the dragster, not a large crew doing their thing like now days, no ropes to keep you out. You could stand back a ways and watch as he worked on the car.

[@alsguitars5127]

That was a good story. What a crazy time in drag racing. Give us some more.

[@squishycakes9087]

Love the drag racing stories Tony. You should make them an annual Christmas Special in December

[@Ricks408]

It's like a hit of ya favourite drug... thankyou Uncle Tony. Love the stories of a time before me... when MEN were REAL MEN. Its always enlightening and I enjoy your story telling. If I don't drop a line before Christmas I'll do it now, Have a Merry and Safe Christmas to You and Uncle Kathy and extensions, Stay Safe. We need YOU!!

[@nicholasagnew2792]

92 and going strong baby!

[@tombirkholz3230]

I was watching the race live on tv. That was incredible! When they interviewed Garlits they asked if he was ok. Garlits answered “just my feelings are hurt is all”. 🤣🤣🤣

[@lildandelion1432]

I love these stories, keep em coming! Also a Jersey native. 30 minutes from Englishtown.

[@Thunderbird1968]

Wow getting fancy with the thumbnails! Very interesting video!!!

[@tonypace2009]

Love it . I got pit pass at the baytown , this was about the time Eddie Hill made his record run . Realy great time met john force for a second anyway . Ironicly the main thing s I remember other than the john force few seconds was a dragster had its shoot come open before the midtrack camera platform and still ran a 6 second pass ? Also saw a econorail I guess is the term very short wheelbase dragster running a pontiac 4 cylinder to a 6 second pass. One of my coworkers tried filming the top fuel with a fancy video recorder. He only caught the cars stsging no matter what he tried he couldnt get one of them in the video ? Never realized it takes at least 3 cameras to catch film a run . Oh also getting remembered by one of the lonestar racing regaurding my old 1972 chevy LWB truck after like 13 years . They had a shop in longview before moving to tyler . It doesnt beat meating Marty Robbins and getting to see him race at texas speedway as a kid but defitnly up there.

[@professorginz2379]

I always had to get rid of fuel as the car went down the track? The truth is the last car I had (the former yankees dragster) I initially tuned myself. I had no tune-up for a modern car, as I had only raced NTF up until then. Gerry Gwynn gave me some tune-up info, but it was incomplete. I used the Racepak sample test run data to see what the car should be doing when. After I compared my data with what the sample run looked like I could see my clutch wasn't coming in fast enough. How could I figure out how much pnuematic bleed I would need to approximate the numbers I saw on the sample run? In my garage I put a 12' piece of pipe leveraged between the clutch can and the pressure plate and pushed it as hard as I could until the canon let thye clutch in about the same time as the sample run. We took the car to LACR and it worked. We were only doing 100' tests, but the car went 60' faster than the sample pass did, and was competitive with the fastest cars of the time (about 1 second), and it was going around 100mph. It may have been the fastest 60' time ever run at LACR. It tore a chunk of concrete about a foot in diameter right out of the starting line. After that Bill Shultz came on board and I had a more experienced tuner to rely on.

[@kenfrazier616]

Tony Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and the crew. Know the 20th of January will restart America to be one Awesome place to be. Knowing your channel will grow even more

[@Frank-mt4qf]

love uncle Tony love the old classic drag racing stories englishtown NJ baby

[@thezombie7839]

That's awesome. I was a like 12 years old, but I remember that. The next year, Swamp Rat 31 blew over on him and he wasn't quite so lucky. I think he had a couple broken ribs. He has that car at the Garlits museum in Florida. My dad took us there around 1990, and I still have the Don Garlits' Museum of Drag Racing sticker on my old Matco toolbox. There's an inaugural Brickyard 400 bumper sticker on it, too. Ahh, the memories. I can never get rid of that box.

[@workingguy-OU812]

Great stories, thank you so much for including the video clips of the event

[@xxxxrock32xxxx]

I enjoyed that, thanks. When are you going to do another colab with the Zookeeper?

[@markc5593]

"On any Sunday", great movie. The sign behind Tony.

[@bigunone]

According to his book he read a paper by some French aerodynamic engineer on punching a hole and drive through the hole. According to his book he backed off but it just kept coming up, after it came down his foot came back down using the rear tires to brake it. Dale Armstrong was a wizard

[@rickardlundquist1882]

Great story Tony, your storytelling and details are very interesting and cool to listen to. Keep em coming but brotha man time to mic up. Merry Christmas 🎅🚗

[@craigtittsworth9440]

Wow, what a COOL story! Thanks so much ( especially the race video.) Keep um coming.

[@bigmachdaddy]

Born and raised in Central Jersey. Still here. I was 6 when this happened. Really miss E-Town since it no longer a drag strip.

[@jamesblair9614]

The previous owner of my 70 Hemicuda did the same thing to the shaker, some enormous bolts brazed to the underside of the hood, that lined up with the holes for the shaker drain tubes. This was done when the car was still relatively new. The shakers were totally impractical, so much work to just uncover the carbs.