R.I.P. As a Ford guy growing up in the Diamond P sports era he like a super hero. Additionally, Glidden drove three different cars in 1975 while winning this title including the old Pinto that he used to kick ass at the end of the year. By NHRA.com (Whiteland, IN) -- Pro Stock icon Bob Glidden, one of the most dominant forces in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, died on Sunday. Further on hidden nitrous, the Wayne County guys were supposed to have had adummy battery and cables which concealed their system. The 2023 Genesis G90 Shows Sedans Still Matter, Horner: FIA 'Got a New Couch' From His Team's Fine, Why Ford and GM Truck Production Has Stopped, Alonso, Aston Martin Put Red Bull on Notice, Autoweek Racing on TV: February 27-March 5, Known as Mad Dog for his tireless work ethic, Video: NFL team celebrates touchdown NASCAR style, NASCARs Old Man ready to come off the road, Why Tony Stewart Refuses to Race Wife Leah Pruett, Tony Stewart Commits to Full Season Racing in NHRA, Alexis DeJoria Unveils Her 2023 NHRA Funny Car, 10 Racers Ready to Make Big NHRA Headlines in 2023, Merger Gives Tim Wilkerson Best Shot at NHRA Title, Mercier's Top Fuel Team Is Tale of Two Countries, Camrie Caruso Beefs up NHRA's KB Titan Racing, 10 Wishes to Help Improve the NHRA in 2023, How Top Fuel Dragsters Crank Out 11,000 Horsepower, 10 Biggest Breaks That Defined the NHRA in 2022, Hall of Fame NHRA Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden dies. The rules said they couldnt acid dip the body to reduce weight. When Bob Glidden was inducted as number four on the NHRA's Top 50 Drivers list, panelist Bob Frey said of Glidden's talent, "There never was, and probably never will be, a more dominant driver in our sport." On Sunday, December 17, Glidden died at age 73, after being admitted to an Indianapolis hospital for an undisclosed illness on December 5. With that success he managed a second place finish in the standings behind the one and only Dyno Don Nicholson. In the summer of 1978, Glidden embarked on one of the sport's legendary winning streaks that included nine straight national event victories and stretched a complete calendar year. 10 minutes I still have the pictures from that meet ,people like that are hard to come by these days.. Bob Glidden, who died Sunday at 73, won 85 Pro Stock national events and 10 season championships and was a fixture on the SoCal drag racing scene. We met Bob and family at Memphis in the late 80\s, he was a lot of fun to talk to and very focused on the task at hand, he was a very approachable racer that always had time for an admiring fan. Then in 1980, at Englishtown, New Jersey, Bob and Etta attracted a crowd around their pro stock pit area. We all suffer with you and Thank You for all you do. The best of all times. Upon his moving to the professional ranks, Glidden quit being a full-time mechanic and sold his two Cobra Jets to buy a Pro Stock Pinto from Wayne Gapp and Jack Roush. When NHRA pretty much called the Gliddens liars when they explained how they did it, Bob said they couldn't find nitrous unless it was in a bottle painted blue. Glidden sometimes came along with CJ. Ford Motor Company Director Edsel B. Ford II said of Glidden for me, Bob represented what drag racing was all about during his era. All rights reserved. Met him briefly at Seattle when they were running the Arrow. Bob "Xman" Williams#2096 Super Streetanother SRA member"Chance Favors the Prepared Mind". He will be missed. He did it all himself. Surely will be missed by all who follow the sport. Top Rated Plus . John Force, left, celebrates Bob Glidden's induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Pro Stock icon Bob Glidden, one of the most dominant forces in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, died Dec. 17. By NHRA.com (Whiteland, IN) -- Pro Stock icon Bob Glidden, one of the most dominant forces in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, died on Sunday. All Rights Reserved. Glidden began his drag racing career in the 1960s in a Ford 427 Fairlane. Picking up the win streak that began at Indy in 1978 Glidden went on to win 14 races and 50 rounds of competition in a row. He was dominating with five number one qualifiers, he set low ET a half dozen times during the season and all the while, NHRA rules makers were adding weight to his combo, moving weight from others, and basically playing musical chairs to keep things in balance. After battling illness, word spread across Facebook on Saturday that he had died, but that was refuted . Time left 12h 35m left. The worm turned for Glidden during the 1984 season when he debuted the aerodynamic Thunderbird. Digital mapping, computer modeling and CNC machines all but ensure that if a secret does get out, it will be replicated within hours. R,I.P. In 1986, in one of drag racing's great comeback stories, Glidden overcame a slow start and a horrific crash at the Southern Nationals in April to win his seventh Winston title. There were wins but no title. Pro Stock icon Bob Glidden, one of the most dominant forces in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, died Dec. 17. He was retired from Pro Stock racing in 1997 and returned in 2010. six times, and he did it with three different cars, including his old '74 Pinto, which he reacquired after a midseason slump. It was a harbinger of things to come. My deepest condolences go out to Etta and the Glidden family. March 3, 2023 2:53 PM PT. Glidden set the B/SA national record in the above pictured machine. Glidden won 10 NHRA Drag Racing championships and 85 events in his 25-year career in Pro Stock. I know that I have to hustle to win and that I have to go all out to afford to race.". No longer wanting to manage more than 20 possible variations of different engine sizes and vehicle wheelbases, the NHRA in 1982 set down one formula: 500 cubic inches and 2,350-pound minimum weight. Facing his first real challenge in the performance department in quite some time, in the form of the Lee Shepherd-driven Reher-Morrison Chevy Camaro, Glidden led the points chase only once all year: on the last day of the season. Long before racing professionally and the making of the Legend, Bob Glidden and I were friends. Ford had pared back their support and he did not feel as though he had the resources to compete at the level he wanted so rather than do something he did not feel 100% about he retired from the seat. He ran even quicker at the season-ending Supernationals, where he reset his e.t. 1976 was a down year for Glidden and one where he actually raced a Chevroletfor one race. Bob Glidden - Net Worth, Birthday, Biography, Place of Birth, Date of Birth, Age, Wiki, Facts and Family . No acid involved in this process. The year that followed set the tone for Glidden's career with his first ever Pro Stock victory at the U.S. Nationals. Bob Glidden had enjoyed the best season of his career thus far seven wins. Rest in peace. Dont know of any other racer that ran 2 different brands, and Absolutely Dominated with both. I saw Gildden at one of woodburn dragstrips pro stock nationals in Oregon about 1989 he whooped WJs ass with a 7.277 to a 7.279 everyone razzed the professor when wj wasnt off sulking and refusing autographs mr.Bob was giving EVERYONE a e ticket tour of his car including a kid with ms that he let sit in the car for prob. In keeping with the spirit of this conversation but in the context of our mission, weve set up a hotline for ideas: [emailprotected]. Death Date: "Everyone in the NHRA community is saddened to learn the news of Bob's passing," NHRA President Peter Clifford said. I remember the tale of them stripping and sandblasting a Pinto unibody, then leaving it outside to rust. No presscoverage either. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. After a slump in 1976 and clawing back up to the podium in 1977, Glidden took back the crown in 1978, collecting 16,035 points and claiming several victories not only in his trusty Pinto, but in his Ford Fairmont (a car that was later undefeated). Glidden held onto the title by the slimmest margin in 1980. Bob Glidden was one of the first to catch my attention in the Pro Stock class and draw me away from top fuel or funny cars. It came as a shock this Monday morning to learn that drag racing legend Bob Glidden had passed away on Sunday evening. He then. 1997 Ford Pro Stock, Bob Glidden, die cast car, Platinum Series, Limited Edition. Glidden entered the season finale in Ontario, Calif., trailing Shepherd by two rounds and caught a huge break when Shepherd's transmission broke in the second round. A self-taught mechanic who overhauled a broken family tractor at age 12 because he was the only person not working in the fields, he went onto a career as a Ford mechanic where he not only excelled in the garage but also in sportsman racing promoting the very dealership he worked for, Ed Martin Ford. He . Drag racing lost a true icon. All rights reserved. Glidden won 85 NHRA National E or redistributed. 4 on the list of Top 50 racers from NHRA's first 50 years in 2000. She understood the excitement and thrill of the fans. You can squawk about the high-stakes involved in Formula 1 and sports car prototypes, but the ultra-close racing in Pro Stock over the years indicates there is a very high-octane rivalry yet competitive balance going on between the major engine builders. He races for more than 25-years in the sport, as a Pro Stock driver. Pro Stock icon Bob Glidden, one of the most dominant forces in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, died Dec. 17. Bob Glidden's '73 and '75 NHRA World Champ 1973 Pinto Pro Stocker. By Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Glidden won nine of 19 races and appeared in the vast majority of the final rounds. and top speed in his final-round victory over Frank Iaconio. Bob Glidden, 1944-2017 NHRA. "We decided that we either had to make the same kind of commitment to racing that he did or get out. Glidden was beloved by his fans, more so in Johnson County than anywhere else. Although I saw him race ( and win!) "We finally got tired of losing and of Glidden winning so easily," said Buddy Morrison. If there was a singular season that summed up the life and times of Bob Glidden it was 1986. Our thoughts, prayer, and deepest condolences are with the Glidden family at this difficult time.". The Pro Stock secrecy veil is so obvious in the drag racing pits when compared to the other pro classes. He did the same thing at all four of his divisional races. Glidden retired his undefeated Fairmont in favor of a Plymouth Arrow in 1979 and lost only three times all year. The 10-time NHRA Pro Stock champion passed away on Sunday after being hospitalized earlier in the month for an undisclosed illness. 1979. Just like the good old days. I met a former partner (Bobby Allen) while working in the used cars business in Ft. Wayne IN. Gliddens reputation for secrecy, of course, was memorialized following his wild finish-line crash at Atlanta in 1986. Bob. He ran even quicker at the season-ending Supernationals, where he reset his e.t. The success of today's Greg Anderson is not entirely unlike that of a certain Midwestern kid with an unshakable will to win that started breaking backs in . We have all seen the video of his famous wreck in Atlanta when wind caught a parachute sending his car hurtling into the guardrail. Late in the 1978 season, in the midst of completely devastating the competition in the Fairmont, Glidden was approached by Chrysler and offered a sponsorship deal to compete in a Plymouth Arrow for 1979. Bob Glidden Remembering Bob Glidden, one of NHRA's best that there ever was. His legacy will continue to inspire racers of all stripes for years to come. I wanted to know more about this unique dynamic, so I called Bob Glidden, Pro Stocks winningest driver and certainly its most celebrated guardian of the secret manifesto. His wife Etta and sons Billy and Rusty provided invaluable support in his driving efforts, and his will to win and tireless commitment carried him across the finish line in first countless times. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with the Glidden family at this difficult time., When asked to what he attributed his success, Glidden once said, "Common sense and the will to survive. He stopped and took the time to have a photo taken with her and talked with her for a few minutes. He also qualified No. Glidden faced 29 different opponents in his 122 final rounds and had winning records against 26 of them, including W.J. and top speed, and winning the race. Bob was very good for drag racing as were a lot of the drivers at that time. HOULTON -- Robert (Bob) L. Glidden Sr., 83, died following a brief illness on Feb. 16, 2010, in a Bangor Hospital. Glidden, who left his job at Ed Martin Ford to concentrate on racing full time, runner-upped to Bill Jenkins at the season-ending Supernationals in his Pro Stock debut. He was 73. The first generation of Pro Stock cars were governed by the weight-per-cubic-inch benchmark, which evolved in a spiders web of weight breaks often decided by inside politics. Not even speculation about Bob in the media? He was a self-made man who left his job as a mechanic at a Ford dealership to go racing full-time with a dream, a tireless work ethic and a winning determination.. Glidden retired from full-time racing in 1997 to help with Ford's NASCAR engine development. Enter Ford who immediately signed him to a factory sponsorship in fear that Glidden would take his talents under the GM umbrella. He was a 21-time IHRA winner, leading the tour with nine wins and 10 final-round appearances during his 1976 championship season. Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 50 rounds of competition in a row. His win at the 1989 World Finals was his 76th. If I'm not mistaken, this was way before Bader. Here's a list of highlights from Bob "Mad Dog" Glidden's career: Before going pro in 1972, Glidden had great success in different Ford Fairlanes and even more so in 427 Cobra Jet Mustangs with sponsorship from Ed Martin Ford. Ive even seen beer cartons taped around intake manifolds (at least it was the teams sponsor!). In 90 I and a friend were taveling north through Indiana . It is with great sadness that we bring you this news. Name Date Site E.T. NEVER HAPPENEDway back when he was running IHRA,Glidden refused to a teardown.Instead of justpumping a couple of cylinders,They wanted a complete teardown.Bob packed it upand left.He never raced IHRA after that >Unrelated to ProStock, but still Nitrous, Dale Armstrong was caught playing>around with it on Kenny's Funny cartalk about simplicityhe used one of>the two firebottles for the nitrous. It's determined by the amount of wor. He and his trusty Pinto came away with four wins and a runner up. While he did make several finals and won the Springnationals, it was a tough row to hoe in a car that was definitely not one of his favorites. Goaliath Basketball System Canada, But if EngineLabs is to be successful, our prying eyes and ears need to uncover at least a few of the latest and greatest tricks from the engine shops, the aftermarket and leading manufacturers. Bob graduated from Kennett High School in Conway, N.H. in 1945 and immediately joined the Army Air . In a star-studded career that spanned more than 25 years in the class, Glidden won 85 events and 10 season championships and was voted No. He won the Summernationals, he won the Le Grandnational in Montreal, he won Indy, he won the Fallnationals, and he closed the deal out by winning the World Finals. He was the man to beat in pro stock in the late 80s. We did everything in-house, says Glidden, who won five straight Pro Stock titles from 1985 to 1989. He also was the 1976 IHRA World Champion and finished second to Bruce Allen in 1985 Pro Stock standings. What did Bob Glidden die from? My info coming from an IHRA pro stock, I think it was Bill that nitroused the probe that he was running. Hey, how many owners has IHRA had? I think it was Weld, but either way there was a wheel with a signature decal on one of the 5 spokes. I didnt have an answer but I figured that some of you on here would. Market data provided by Factset. MR. BOB GLIDDEN will be missed, what can you say when such great people pass? Like everyone has said, Bob was a true gentleman and a ferocious racer. Glidden came out of retirement to drive occasionally through the 2010 season, and although never won again, he left a championship legacy. Pro Stock icon Bob Glidden, one of the most dominant forces in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, died Sunday. or Best Offer. Mr. Glidden. Star of 70s TV series On the Buses Bob Grant has been found dead at his home, after apparently committing suicide. "NITRO498"
March 14, 2023