Bob Glidden’s return to the Indianapolis quarter-mile resembled something more like a rodeo than a traditional run in a Pro Stocker. As the first car out in the first session of NHRA U.S. Nationals qualifying, Glidden launched and immediately the car swerved to the right before the ten-time champion finessed the bucking Mustang back into the groove for a 6.78 elapsed time.

With nine Indy victories in 15 final rounds, how did the ten-time NHRA Pro Stock champion prepare for his first Indy since retiring from active competition in 1994?

Just like any other race. His full thrust of preparation went into the car.

“You just get up like you get up every morning; go to the racetrack and do what you need to do and that's it,” admitted Glidden.

Bob Glidden’s return to the Indianapolis quarter-mile resembled something more like a rodeo than a traditional run in a Pro Stocker. As the first car out in the first session of NHRA U.S. Nationals qualifying, Glidden launched and immediately the car swerved to the right before the ten-time champion finessed the bucking Mustang back into the groove for a 6.78 elapsed time.

With nine Indy victories in 15 final rounds, how did the ten-time NHRA Pro Stock champion prepare for his first Indy since retiring from active competition in 1994?

Just like any other race. His full thrust of preparation went into the car.

“You just get up like you get up every morning; go to the racetrack and do what you need to do and that's it,” admitted Glidden.

No mental psyche, no physical fitness and no meditation.

“Well, I'm too old to exercise,” he said with a chuckle. “If I did I wouldn't be able to come to the track and I'm not smart enough to think. If I don't think I can't get in trouble.”

But, sometimes opening his mouth can lead to a sticky situation. According to car owner Jim Cunningham, on the Tuesdays following national events he could always count on a call from Glidden.

“Yeah, I’d get back on Tuesday and he’d call regularly,” Cunningham said.

Glidden would call Cunningham to ask him why he couldn’t drive. The two older gentlemen would then exchange pleasantries of the unprintable kind, including a few f-bombs.

“Then I told him he needed to come down here and make it run instead of calling me,” Cunningham added. “I talked to him on a Saturday and told him he needed to come to the shop on Monday. By chance my wife and I rode by the shop on Sunday, and there he was sitting in the car. He told me he’d been waiting for three hours already.”

Glidden looked over the shop and met with the team and the two agreed on a deal. However, when it came to money, Cunningham had one stipulation – Glidden had to drive.

“I figured if he was going to call me up and criticize my driving, I wasn’t going to be there to get yelled at by him in person,” Cunningham said with a smile. “He was going to have to drive.”

After a few runs in the car, Cunningham smiled as he pointed out Glidden came back and apologized.

Make no mistake about it, Glidden is having the time of his life. And even better, he’s got a young core group to pass on a bit of the Glidden expertise.

“Jim's got some really good people,” said Glidden. “Marcus isn't as young as the other guys; but Brandon and Dean and Joe – they're all young people and gung-ho, ready to go after it.”

Cunningham’s reward for doing this deal is simply having one of the greatest drivers in Pro Stock history in his camp.

“I think this is great and I am excited just having him around,” Cunningham explained. “I hope we are the best kept secret in drag racing. Bob says five races and we’ll be right up there with them. I believe him too. He’s already made a big step forward.”

Glidden was 19th quickest among 29 who made qualifying attempts; .129 seconds out of 12th.

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