Big Daddy - '70 Indy
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The Swegian
Nitro Member
Not sure here, but wasn't Big still recovering from the Lions incident when Indy took place in 1970? Maybe the picture is from '69?
The Swegian
Nitro Member
Never mind, I already found my answer. Garlits lost in the 3rd round to eventual runnerup Nicoll. The Big Go marked his return to competition.
Bullet
Nitro Member
Didn't Big make his return in the rear engine car?
90-percent
Nitro Member
My guess is that the Lions incident is maybe 6 to 9 months in the future. But, that does look like the car Big Daddy sawed in half at Lions.
-90% Jimmy
-90% Jimmy
The Swegian
Nitro Member
No, he didn't debut that car until the Winternationals in '71. That's why I was initially thinking the date of the photo might be incorrect. I wrongly assumed that he never raced again with a front engined car.
The Swegian
Nitro Member
Lions incident occured March 8, 1970.
Bob K.
Nitro Member
Garlits repaired the car that cut his foot off, and ran it until he brought out the rear engine car at the AHRA Winternationals and won the NHRA Winternationals in Feb. 1971. He later sold it to Connie Swingle or just let him go race it. That part I'm not sure of. I remember him racing Snake in a match race at Fremont in 1970. BK
none
Nitro Member
- Thread starter
- #12
Hey, you guys, that pic could well have been taken in '69. I honestly don't recall. I never indicated the dates on my slides, and they all sat in a box for years, until recently scanned. And it sooo long ago...
Maybe this pic, also posted in another thread, will give a clue. It was taken at the same time.
I didn't know that Garlits rebuilt that car, prior to the RE debut.
Maybe this pic, also posted in another thread, will give a clue. It was taken at the same time.
I didn't know that Garlits rebuilt that car, prior to the RE debut.
Kat
Nitro Member
I just looked at my photos from the Don Garlits Museum. It was Swamp Rat 13 that was built in early 1969 and as stated earlier exploded March 8, 1970. it was a two speed planetary transmission that caused the accident. The car at the museum is the original that was rebuilt and run after that. I have pictures of it in the museum but the file size is too large to be posted and I don't know how to make them smaller.
Ken
Ken
Watchman
Nitro Member
here is an answer from Big daddy himself
The car was repaired and sold to TC Lemons, Swingle drove it for several
weeks and then I got back in the car and finished the season. TC then sold
it to Art Malone, who drove it for a couple of years and sold it to a Comp
racer. A few years later I saw the car at Desoto Speedway and offered the
guy $300,00 for the chassis, it was sporting a Chevy at the time. He sold it
to me and I put it back like it was on that memorable day.
Don
thought you might like to hear it from the man himself
mike
The car was repaired and sold to TC Lemons, Swingle drove it for several
weeks and then I got back in the car and finished the season. TC then sold
it to Art Malone, who drove it for a couple of years and sold it to a Comp
racer. A few years later I saw the car at Desoto Speedway and offered the
guy $300,00 for the chassis, it was sporting a Chevy at the time. He sold it
to me and I put it back like it was on that memorable day.
Don
thought you might like to hear it from the man himself
mike
