“Big Daddy” Don Garlits became the first drag racer credited with breaking the 200 mph barrier in the quarter mile on August 1, 1964, at Island Dragway in Great Meadows, New Jersey. Driving Swamp Rat VI-B, Garlits recorded a speed of 201.34 mph under NHRA supervision, pushing Top Fuel drag racing into a new era. The achievement came at a time when racers were learning how to manage rapidly increasing horsepower, tire technology and chassis stress in front-engine dragsters. Garlits would later help revolutionize the sport again with the rear-engine dragster, but his 200 mph run remains one of drag racing’s defining milestones.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.