1974 Dragster

Don Garlits' 1974 Wynn's Charger Dragster

1974 American Hot Rod Associated and National Hot Rod Associated Champion, Top Speed 247.25 mph.

All forms of racing required specialized equipment, but none is so specialized as the all-out drag racing machine. This car was built by Don Garlits, at the beginning of the 1974 season, for the express purpose of covering one-quarter of a mile (from a standing start) in the shortest possible time. To achieve this goal, as much of the weight as possible is located near the driving wheels but the chassis is extra long - this car has a wheelbase of 240 inches - for directional stability.

The engine, built by Keith Black, is an aluminum copy of a Mopar Hemi with Dodge aluminum heads. The displacement is 501 cu. in., it has port injection and a Roots-type blower. Burning a mixture of 90% nitro-methane and 10% benzine, it produces approximately 2,000 horsepower for brief periods. In actual operation the engine will run for no more than 20-30 seconds at a time. This includes the "burn-out" (VHT Traction compound is poured on the tires after which the driver deliberately spins the rear wheels to ignite the compound and cause the heat to further soften the already gummy, specially-made Goodyear tires), warm up, and the actual run down the course.

This particular car was used by Don "Big Daddy" Garlits during the 1974 season and won the American Hot Rod Association meets at Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Green Valley, Texas; Kansas City, Kansas; Fremont, California; Orange County, California; Phoenix, Arizona; and Dragway 42, Ohio. The car was 1974 A.H.R.A. Champion and finished the season by winning the National Hot Rod Association Super Nationals at Ontario, California. Top Speed for the car in both A.H.R.A. and N.H.R.A was 247.25 miles per hour, with an elapsed time for the standing start quarter-mile of 5.78 seconds.