The “Nitro Revival” scheduled to be part of Laguna Seca’s second annual Spring Classic meeting, set for the weekend of May 18-20, just got a big boost with the announcement that Florida-based “Big Daddy” Don Garlits (above, Dave Kommel photo courtesy of Nitro Revival) will make a rare trip to the West Coast to take part in the event.
Garlits is, of course, synonymous with drag racing as the legendary Top Fuel Dragster driver and builder accumulated 144 wins, 17 championships, and numerous performance records in a career that dates back to 1950. He is one of drag racing’s greatest innovators, and will meet and greet fans and “cackle” his famed Swamp Rat III dragster that was completely recreated for Sonny Messner. The third incarnation of the Swamp Rat dragsters built by Garlits was his first dragster built with chrome-moly tubing, and the first car to break the seven-second barrier, logging a 7.88-second elapsed time for the quarter-mile in 1961 with Connie Swingle behind the wheel.
Nitro Revival activities will take place on Saturday, May 19, including a “Line of Fire” mass fire-up in the paddock, push start demonstrations, and “Ace’s Place” hot rod corral. Drag racing personalities set to appear include Garlits, “TV Tommy” Ivo, Herm Petersen, Marvin Graham, Jerry “the King” Ruth, Tom Hoover, Ed “the Ace” McCulloch, Tom Jobe of the legendary “Surfers” team, Richard Tharp, and many more. A list of entries and personalities and other event information are available at www.NitroRevival.com
“We are pleased to have ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits, perhaps the most revered name in our sport, headlining a fantastic group of personalities at Nitro Revival,” said event producer Steve Gibbs. “We look forward to the dragsters, hot rods and people who will make this a great event. Nitro Revival will bring a unique car show with unique vehicles celebrating drag racing to an iconic facility.”
For complete information about the Spring Classic please visit www.MazdaRaceway.com
