Drag racing in Bradenton, Florida, USA: 50th Annual Snowbird Outlaw Nationals presented by Motion Raceworks – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by YES Market Media
The “Big Daddy” Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing honors all of the sport’s pioneers in addition to his illustrious career.
“I like people to come see what we had to work with, to start with, and what actually got this sport going,” says Garlits. “There was no money for years and years. It was something like a hobby. That’s why my wife started it.”
Garlits possesses recognizable artifacts from every period of the nearly 100-year history of drag racing in the United States.
“People see us off the interstate and the building doesn’t look very big from the outside. And then they come in and they walk around and they see everything that’s in here and they go ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t think you’d have all this in here!’,” says Chuck Keppel, general manager of the museum.
Garlits fulfilled his ‘Big Dcaddy’ moniker for many years. Having driven a car over 180, 200, 250, and 270 miles per hour, he was the first guy to do so. His astounding top speed was 323 miles per hour.
Possibly the most significant change Garlits brought to drag racing was in the location of the engine. “Slingshot” engines were positioned directly in front of the driver up until 1970.
In an accident that claimed several lives, Garlits nearly lost half of his foot.
Thus, Garlits started creating, racing, and triumphing with a considerably safer rear-engine dragster, which has since been the norm.
For the past 40 years, the museum has inspired both seasoned and novice race fans.
“We’re getting to an era where you have younger children, and a lot of them aren’t familiar with racing or follow racing. So, if they come in here, they get an idea of what the sport is about and how it started,” says Keppel.
Garlits hopes that after seeing his life’s work and passions, guests would take something small home with them. “An appreciation for really hard work,” he continues.
Located in Ocala, directly off I-75 exit 341, is the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
