A CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR DARWIN DOLL
The year was 1963. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the U.S. President and assassinated in November of that year. The Vietnam War began ramping up, and Zip Codes were introduced by the Postal Service. For us car guys, an AC Cobra made its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Closer to our drag racing world though, the NHRA formally announced the inaugural group of Division Directors; Darwin Doll, Buster Couch, Bob Daniels, Dale Ham, Darrel Zimmerman, Terrel Page and Bernie Partridge.
In December of 2020, we lost the last remaining member of that group, Darwin Doll when he passed away, but not before leaving a legacy that will last forever more. A crowd came together in April to pay homage to the man who had given so much of his life to the sport he loved. As a side note, 1963 was also the year Darwin and Pat Doll were married which began a partnership dedicated to our sport.
As one of the original Division Directors, it was Doll and the six others in addition to Wally Parks and Jack Hart who set the tone for the future of the NHRA.
“Darwin had a magnetic personality to which people drew close to him for his knowledge,” said Racers For Christ’s Tom Brown. “He loved motorsports and it was what he was all about.”
Fittingly, the celebration of his life was held at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR) in Mechanicsburg, PA, a place Doll was so instrumental in bringing drag racing under its roof.
“There were some displays of drag racing here,” says Jeff Golden, EMMR’s drag racing coordinator, “but it was Darwin who really spearheaded the move to include drag racing amongst the many circle track displays we have. In fact, the Museum was also the sight of Darwin and Pat’s celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.”
The celebration of life also included the mention of the many other notables we have lost over the past year; John Baughman, Dick Estevez, Bunny Burkett, Dave Bishop, Dink Bishop and others who we apologize for have missing, but altogether it was quite a moving day.
“Darwin helped shape my career,” said Bruce Larson, the 1989 NHRA Funny Car Champion. “I was running my Cobra in the handicap classes and was getting beat by running too fast. Darwin suggested I move up to a pro class and the rest is history for me.”
History is one of those things which is so vital to our existence. Remembering where we’ve been can help shape where we’re going. Doll understood that and along with his wife Pat by his side, the two would continue to promote the sport in addition to remembering the past. It was the Dolls who formed the National Nostalgia Drag Racing Association dedicated to recognizing the many pioneers who set the pattern for the future of the sport. In 2004, Doll formed the Legion of Honor, a hall of fame which has honored many of the leaders in our industry.
“As far back as I can remember, it was always Darwin and Pat together who did everything in their power to advance our sport,” added Larson.
Beaver Bob McCardle explained how instrumental Doll was in the sanctioning of his “new” track, Beaver Spring Dragway. “Darwin was forward-thinking in everything he did,” said McCardle, “and always open to new ideas which would benefit the sport, assuring it would stay for generations to come.”
Besides his stint as Division Director, in 1981, Doll resigned from the NHRA and moved into an almost similar position working for good friend Roger Penske running Michigan International Raceway and the Pocono 500 Indy Car race. Doll also served a short stint as the president of IHRA, with each move proving his net worth to motorsports in general. During those times, it was Doll who was so instrumental and creative in pioneering a number of things which are still in use today. It was Doll who came up with the idea for a Division logo, the first Division to have a year-end banquet, the first to have a Division Hall of Fame, the first Division to host a Bracket Finals, and many more things which have become a standard in our sport.
His career in motorsports began after serving in the Air Force during the Korean War. “A friend of mine had purchased a brand new 1957 Chevrolet with a 265-inch engine,” Doll said in a 2019 interview. “He asked me to drive it at Lancaster Dragway and that was all it took to get me hooked on the sport.”
A member of a number of Hall of Fames, the Dolls will always be remembered for what they have done. Their history and legacy will not be forgotten.
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— Competition Plus (@competitionplus) December 30, 2020