CPTV NEWS - 30 YEARS AGO TODAY, DRAG RACING'S MOST FAMOUS BLOWOVER
Today is National Don Garlits blowover day.
At the 1986 NHRA Summernationals, then held in the sweltering New Jersey July heat, Garlits ran the quickest elapsed time in Top Fuel history during Friday qualifying with a 5.343. A day later, July 12, in an attempt to back up the record, Garlits Swamp Rat XXX went into a power wheelstand which he couldn't recover from. The aftermath, Garlits dragster was minus a wing, and with an engine under fire headed back toward the starting line. The veteran Garlits had the presence of mind to hit the kill switch and bring the dragster to a safe stop.
In Garlits words, "The car went up on the rear wheels, flipped over onto the wing stand, knocked the wing off, skidded down the track on the wing stand, turned around, did a 180, came down on its side going backwards, bounced up, hit on its wheels, and, because of the impact. I floorboarded the engine while bracing myself. The car shot forward back towards the starting line and I shut it off: Spectacular!"