Hot Rod racing has been around for nearly a century. This sport has captured many generations of competitors, fans and spectators. Here is a look at the most famous Hot Rod Racers who had ever driven across a track.
Donald Glenn Garlits “Big Daddy”
Donald Garlits had been driving Hot Rods since the early 50’s. He has won 144 major open events and a whopping 17 national championships. Gartlis was a famous racer who had many sponsors and a lot of fans. He has driven within many competitions throughout the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. He retired a few times only to return to the track again and again. “Big Daddy” is considered the best Hot Rod racer in the history of the sport.
Don Prudhomme
In his prime, Don Prudhomme was considered one of the best drivers in the game. Back in the 60’s he was so good that he even defeated the fearless Donald Glenn Garlits. Prudhomme was the first drag racer to sweep the NHRA Winternationals and Nationals.
Other great feats accomplished by Prudhomme includes winning four consecutive NHRA Winston Funny Car championships, the winningest nitro fuel racer during the 60’s with 49 victories and he had recorded the first five-second Funny Car run, a 5.98 at the 1975 NHRA World Finals. This guy was truly a legend in his day.
John Force
Former Hot Rod racer John Force was truly a force to reckon with during the 70’s and 80’s. He has won 11 Winston championships and an unprecedented 98 national events. Force was named the only drag racer national motorsports Driver of the Year in 1996. Other notches on Force’s belt includes 16 final round within a season, 13 wins within a single season, 65 round-wins in a season, 153 career final rounds, 755 career round-wins and most rounds run at 1,006. Now he has three daughters who have joined the family business and are making their own names in the racing circuit.
Shirley Muldowney
Shirley Muldowney is a smart, talented and beautiful lady who used to be one heck of a driver. In the late 60’s and 70’s she defeated many men on the track and became a dominant force in the field of Hot Rod racing. Muldowney won 18 NHRA national events and competed for well over 40 years. Her participation in this sport helped to open the doors for female drivers everywhere. She has won numerous awards and has been designated one of the greatest racers of all time by the National Hot Rod Association.