Even as a kid in the late 60's I was a huge drag racing fan and 'Big Daddy' was already an icon in the sport. As he was also a Florida native it's easy to understand why he would be one of my hero's.
Top Fuel dragster have always been the kings of the sport, and have always been the fastest wheel driven vehicles in the world. Garlits was a pioneer in the sport as well as an innovator and has produced head turning and race winning cars, as well as ones that changed the sport forever.
His greatest contribution though has to be the rear engine design. Up until 1970 Top Fuel drivers sat behind the engine and directly on top of the clutch assembly and rear axle housing. In 1970 Garlits experienced a catastrophic clutch failure right off the starting line the resulted in the car breaking in two and the loss of part of his right foot.
Rather than quit the sport he loves, Garlits turned the drag racing world on it's head by designing and building the sports first rear engined top fuel car.
What followed was a long line of very innovative and successful dragsters that kept the competition wondering what would come out of Florida next.
Garlit's was always a showman and was always fast, even while crashing! One of his cars now resides permanently in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.
After a brief retirement Garlits built what has to be the epitome of the Top Fuel design. While retired and working as a television commentator Garlits realized that the then current top fuel teams weren't fully taking advantage of aerodynamics and designed what has been dubbed "The Mono Wing" car, Swamp Rat 34.
The car was so fast that the NHRA outlawed many of the design features in an effort to slow the cars down! Garlit's retired again and now operates the museum full time.
We left the museum after several hours (thanks girls!!!) and headed out on the back roads of central and northern Florida.
