TopFuel@Lions
Nitro Member
It makes me feel old. 50 years ago, March 8, 1970, the sport changed forever. The track was the greatest weekly drag strip ever known, the unequaled Lions Drag Strip in Wilmington, California. It was the opening AHRA National Event of the 70 season. As usual at Lions it had a pit full of cars with over 100 total nitro consuming entries. 100!
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits was ripping thru the field running a AHRA association record of 6.57 along the way. It was the final on that fateful Sunday afternoon in So-Cal. He was going to face Richard Tharp in the wicked fast Creitz-Donovan entry for the marbles.
That time of the year the weather was cool and crisp, it was ripe for nitro, and as usual and of course, the Lions track was right with bite-galore. Dad and I were in our seats and the final was at hand in front of the usual packed house at the "Beach."
We all know that Garlits 2-speed va-voomed in a thud that I'll never forget. Pieces of the quarter-inch cast steel transmission case went flying everywhere. Some pieces just missed Tharp's noggin', some flew in the left side stands and caught a fan and nearly severed his arm. We all have seen the photos and still shots of Garlits getting launched and bouncing. A broke left leg and a severed right foot arch. During his stay at Pacific Coast Hospital, there he thought up the idea of the mid-engine car and the rest is history.
When he came back to So-Cal for the early season races of 71 after testing his ride in Florida, he came back to Lions, he was runner-up to "Mr. C" Gary Cochran, went to Orange County for the All Pro Race, was runner-up to Cochran again, then went to Pomona and won the Winters over a broken Kenny Safford in Larry Bowers rail. Then cemented the concept by out driving, not overpowering, the ultra-stout field at the March Meet beating Rick Ramsey in the Keeling-Clayton-Ramsey digger with a giant holeshot winning the title with a 6.71 over Ramsey's low e.t. tying 6.64.
That was all she wrote for 'my' front-engine fuelers.
50 years ago, Sunday March 8, 1970, the game was changed at Lions.
[email protected] history was made at 223rd & Alameda.
Talladega Short Track Announcer
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits was ripping thru the field running a AHRA association record of 6.57 along the way. It was the final on that fateful Sunday afternoon in So-Cal. He was going to face Richard Tharp in the wicked fast Creitz-Donovan entry for the marbles.
That time of the year the weather was cool and crisp, it was ripe for nitro, and as usual and of course, the Lions track was right with bite-galore. Dad and I were in our seats and the final was at hand in front of the usual packed house at the "Beach."
We all know that Garlits 2-speed va-voomed in a thud that I'll never forget. Pieces of the quarter-inch cast steel transmission case went flying everywhere. Some pieces just missed Tharp's noggin', some flew in the left side stands and caught a fan and nearly severed his arm. We all have seen the photos and still shots of Garlits getting launched and bouncing. A broke left leg and a severed right foot arch. During his stay at Pacific Coast Hospital, there he thought up the idea of the mid-engine car and the rest is history.
When he came back to So-Cal for the early season races of 71 after testing his ride in Florida, he came back to Lions, he was runner-up to "Mr. C" Gary Cochran, went to Orange County for the All Pro Race, was runner-up to Cochran again, then went to Pomona and won the Winters over a broken Kenny Safford in Larry Bowers rail. Then cemented the concept by out driving, not overpowering, the ultra-stout field at the March Meet beating Rick Ramsey in the Keeling-Clayton-Ramsey digger with a giant holeshot winning the title with a 6.71 over Ramsey's low e.t. tying 6.64.
That was all she wrote for 'my' front-engine fuelers.
50 years ago, Sunday March 8, 1970, the game was changed at Lions.
[email protected] history was made at 223rd & Alameda.
Talladega Short Track Announcer
