My apologies if this is a duplication but I thought I'd post it up if for no other reason that this short video portrays one of the most profound moments in all of drag racing - the Don Garlits accident at Lions that changed Top Fuel racing forever. Larry is the guy in the black cowboy hat who's assisting right after Big Daddy's exploding clutch sawed his car in half, taking half of Garlits' foot with it.
Larry Sutton - Lions 1971 On That Fateful Day (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter twostep
- Start date
I saw this happen; thought Garlits had been killed. As devestating as it was, we were seeing history & didn't know it. Was at Lions in 1971 when Garlits debuted his version of the "back motor" car. Even the Snake thought he was nuts. Grand Premiere 1972 - Prudhomme won the race in a rear engined car. Can't think of anything else that changed drag racing so much.
I'm all ears...tell me what it was. The new 2 speed? I've always been told it was the clutch but apparently that's incorrect .
Yes, it was the "Garlitsdrive" two speed.
I was at the explosion of the transmission investigation. the trans was made by (some manufacturer called) MASTER ???. the drum that held the clutch pack and gears, was a rolled steel plate, not a tube and welded plates at both ends . it had a seam that was wielded and it appeared that the weld failed. that is the part in some pictures flying to the left. all of the transmission parts are now in the Garlits Museum. with the restored car, I saw it in 2017 at my hall of fame induction. I am so glad I was able to save Tim Ditt's life that day. Yes that day changed drag racing for ever. thanks to Don on perfecting the handling of the rear motor car.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter
That lends credence to it possibly being a Quartermaster two-speed drive, not something that was built at Big's shop. Or, perhaps they're the same?I was at the explosion of the transmission investigation. the trans was made by (some manufacturer called) MASTER ???. the drum that held the clutch pack and gears, was a rolled steel plate, not a tube and welded plates at both ends . it had a seam that was wielded and it appeared that the weld failed. that is the part in some pictures flying to the left. all of the transmission parts are now in the Garlits Museum. with the restored car, I saw it in 2017 at my hall of fame induction. I am so glad I was able to save Tim Ditt's life that day. Yes that day changed drag racing for ever. thanks to Don on perfecting the handling of the rear motor car.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter
TopFuel@Lions
Nitro Member
1970
Harry, I think it was both. Garlits designed the car while in the hospital. TC Lemons realized the handling had to be changed (the steering ratio) and away they went. I think there were 3 rear engined cars in 1970 that all went straight, but none of them had the Garlits reputation or power to make a big splash. Gotta wonder, if Garlits hadn't brought out that car, would someone else have done it and made history anyway?
Randy
Nitro Member
First national event I ever attended was the 1971 Winternations at Pomona. In 1991, I entered TA/FC for the first time at a national event. Bob Frey came by my pit and asked me about the first time I ever attended a national event and what I remembered the most about it. I told him about the 1971 Winternationals, and what stood out to me was Don Garlits "had the funny looking dragster out there because the engine was behind him. But he went on to win the race..." No wing, and the car rocked back and forth on the rear tires whenever he rev'd it up. Scary looking.
What I remembered about Garlits' car was seeing the blower belt turning on the engine. Had seen that on front motor cars, but it just stood out to me on Garlit's car. I guess cuz it could be seen easier. And the engine right behind Bigs head and right next to the rear end. That car wasn't that long - a S/C car of today is a bit longer. And last, Garlits winning in the bad lane - the left lane, which was always the lane everyone went up in smoke. Wow, it was so strange seeing that car when it debuted at Lions and then he won a lot in 1971 including Bakersfield.
Garlits made a joke, said that (because he could see so much better in the back motor car) he saw a 3/8 bolt in the lights as he made a run. heh
Garlits made a joke, said that (because he could see so much better in the back motor car) he saw a 3/8 bolt in the lights as he made a run. heh
