Don Garlits
From Bob Barry's Unearthed Interviews by Bob Barry
April 8, 2026 · 7 min · Season 1 · Episode 339
About this episode
This episode features Don Garlits, a pioneer of drag racing who transformed the sport into a national phenomenon.
Strap in and fire it up. This podcast has the man, the machine, and a quarter mile of pure nerve. They call him Big Daddy Don Garlits, the pioneer who changed drag racing forever. He was a multiple world champion, founder of the legendary swamp rat dragsters and a hall of fame icon, whose name still echoes down the strip every time the lights drop. Garlits helped turn drag racing into a national spectacle – speed, science and fearless determination. (Photo shows WOKY's Barney Pip and I with our trophies won at the Great Lakes Dragway.)
People in this episode
Host: Bob Barry
Guest: Don Garlits
Topics covered
- drag racing
- pioneers
- automotive history
- sports
- championships
Keywords
- drag racing
- Don Garlits
- swamp rat
- champion
- automotive history
- speed
- fearless determination
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: swamp rat dragsters
Places: Great Lakes Dragway
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