Don Garlits and the Explosion That Moved the Engine Behind the Driver

In 1970, at Lions Drag Strip in Long Beach, California, the transmission in Don Garlits’s dragster exploded under him and took off part of his right foot. The car was Swamp Rat XIII, and like nearly every top fuel dragster of the day it had the engine in front of the driver.

Swamp Rat XIV

While he recovered, Garlits built Swamp Rat XIV with the engine behind him. Others had tried rear-engine dragsters before, but his was the one that worked. It won the Winternationals in 1971, and the rest of top fuel followed.

Big Daddy

Garlits was the first driver officially over 170, 180, 200, 240, 250 and 270 miles per hour in the quarter mile. His cars all carried the Swamp Rat name.

He was born on January 14, 1932, and at 94 he is still at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala.