BIG DADDY DON GARLITS

Big annual Mopar event this weekend Nov 5-7th at
Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing
13700 SW 16th Ave
Ocala, Fl 34473
(352) 245.8661
Big swap meet, vendors, food trucks, music DJ, car corral and judged show!
Copper

You sure about the above dates?

I got 11/13-14/21 at the Fairgrounds, or are there now two competing back to back Mopars shows going on?

If so, that ain't good.

Hope it's this weekend, I'm going Sat, as shown on Garlits website

Bigs show IS this weekend......

The Florida Mopar Association show is NEXT weekend......

See below....

Between the two shows .......get some ACTION PACKED offshore racing in key west ......

November 7-14 ......

Might as well be two shows back to back, everything else on the planet is divided.

I've really got to plan ahead one year and go to at least the Garlits show!!!!! Never been and really no excuse when Ocala is just a few hours away!!!

Really sucks and shows the level of petty egos that couldn't resolve indifferences that ultimately damage the hobby for all.
Mopar enthusiast are a dying breed and there is no room for infighting between car clubs that fracture core events like Mopars with big daddy Don Garlits.
Having two Mopar events back to back in the same area only a week apart hurts both events and participants equally and ultimately the hobby.
Just voicing my opinion as an angry, but not all that old, car guy.
Copper

Nothin wrong with having two Mopar Shows back to back! I’ll go to both!

Since I only live about 40 miles from these shows (after all, the locations are only a couple miles apart) and I am on vacation until the 15th, my plans were to hit them both.

Raining hard here this morning (Fri), and supposed to not clear until Sat mid day, so plans have been pushed back.

For really no good reason, it seems like the old location (Garlits), under the Florida Mopar club was better than the new location, even with the arena undercover. Maybe it is the shade not letting the colors pop, or whatever ...

I really like to see Herb Mcandless, at the horse arena, he is knowledgable, very personable, (he will stop and talk with any one), just seems like a genuinely good guy. Even when asked a question that even seems silly or inane to me (and it seems he gets a lot) I have never seen him even start to lose patience.

It's easy to see why he was so popular at the clinics. And he was Mr. 4 speed!

Not only am I going to the show, but I'm having dinner w/ Big tonight! I think the dinner was limited to 60 people. Should be good both days!

Show was a bust, rain kept everyone away, couple nice cars, but not many made it out.
Was lucky to talk to a guy about his Hellcat install into a 72 Challenger.
Nice guy and gave me some good advice for my upcoming swap.

Seems like a lot of cars came late, even though the turnout was low there were some pretty nice cars there. I expect a better day tomorrow

I've talk to him at several NHRA races and later in a restaurant on a Sunday morning before the races in Phoenix (SP), AZ when he was booked in for a 2 out of 3 match race with his arch enemy Gary Beck. He had beat Beck on the first round on Saturday pretty badly I ask him if he was going to give him a break on the next race that morning and he said definitely NOT.
I learn later at the races that day that he and Beck did NOT get along, which surprised me He got along with most racers that I knew of.
What caused the issue was he was fighting with Beck for the NHRA World Championship several year before, Don had won the NHRA Nationals at Indy that year and their was only one race left for Beck to win more points before the World finals and he and Beck had a match race schedule somewhere down south on the same weekend as that last point race in Las Vegas, NV.
Beck decided to go to the race in Las Vegas instead of the match race with Garlits, Beck qualified #1, set low ET and MPH and won that race which put him ahead of Garlits in points.
I was racing at that race and again at the World Finals at Ontario, CA . Garlits had to qualify #1, set low ET and top MPH and win the race AND Beck had to not win two rounds to lose the World Championship to Garlits.
Garlits had tried to sue NHRA to force them to not let Beck race at that race due to breach of contract on the match race before the World finals when he found out what beck had done but NHRA turn him down based on that the race was in CA, not back east were the breach of contract had occurred.
The stars align that day and Beck got beat in the second round and Garlits had already set both ends of the National record during qualifying Saturday, qualified #1 and won the race
He quit attending NHRA after that race for a lot of years, he basically told NHRA to stuff it
He is a good MAN

The car show was a bust. But it wasn't rain that caused it. The weather was cold and raw and a lot of trailer queens weren't gonna take out their coveted cars. Shame on you people who could have made it a great show. I, however, still had a great time.And yes a 90 year old man (Big Daddy) was out there in that weather. Footnote: someone w/ a Jeep Gladiator actually entered it into the car show. lmao.

So nobody ponders an Mopar attendees low turn out "revolt" here?

Garlits show is for money, the following weeks show is for passion, but I might wrong.

I know based on above which one I would support, under these circumstances.

So nobody ponders an Mopar attendees low turn out "revolt" here?

Garlits show is for money, the following weeks show is for passion, but I might wrong.

I know based on above which one I would support, under these circumstances.

[/quote]
I'm interested at how you came to that understanding? I have always wondered what was the real sticking point that ruined such a great annual MOPAR event.
Copper
PS True that Friday setup was very rainy and cold, Saturday morning wasn't much better but by mid day Saturday things improved. Sunday couldn't have been better weather wise. We saw some incredible cars! Met too many failure to launch types in the swap meet area, we guess money's tight even at the dollar store section lol.

I'm interested at how you came to that understanding? I have always wondered what was the real sticking point that ruined such a great annual MOPAR event.
Copper
PS True that Friday setup was very rainy and cold, Saturday morning wasn't much better but by mid day Saturday things improved. Sunday couldn't have been better weather wise. We saw some incredible cars! Met too many failure to launch types in the swap meet area, we guess money's tight even at the dollar store section lol. [/quote]

Well based on my observations of the players, and from attending both shows for multiple years when they were NOT back to back:
1. Don never let a chance escape to make a buck
2. He seemed to market his name and well earned racer reputation as his biggest asset
3. There was no real given reason why the show originally left the Garlits site, which suggests money/contractual issues
4. There were no obvious shortcomings, and actually some pluses at the new horse grounds site
5. Garlits likely generates revenue at his location year round, with COVID and the Mopar show relocating, having his own show would be a way to boost that missing revenue
6. Any reasonable businessman would have attempted to have the show return to the Gralits site, but that obviously did not happen, and one reason I did not previously mention that might be at play in that, egos.

None of the above is proveable, but the "dots" I see lead to a lot of credence.

Any given reasons shared at this point for this multiple competing shows, are likely just typical damage control and revisionist history tactics, IMO

Well based on my observations of the players, and from attending both shows for multiple years when they were NOT back to back:
1. Don never let a chance escape to make a buck
2. He seemed to market his name and well earned racer reputation as his biggest asset
3. There was no real given reason why the show originally left the Garlits site, which suggests money/contractual issues
4. There were no obvious shortcomings, and actually some pluses at the new horse grounds site
5. Garlits likely generates revenue at his location year round, with COVID and the Mopar show relocating, having his own show would be a way to boost that missing revenue
6. Any reasonable businessman would have attempted to have the show return to the Gralits site, but that obviously did not happen, and one reason I did not previously mention that might be at play in that, egos.

None of the above is proveable, but the "dots" I see lead to a lot of credence.

Any given reasons shared at this point for this multiple competing shows, are likely just typical damage control and revisionist history tactics, IMO [/quote]


OR it could have just been the crappy weather was to blame for the low turnout.
Lots of car show guys wouldn't take their pride and joy out if it looks like it might rain, the big money Mopar car owners are not any different. Wetness means hours of detailing at the show, then hours more back at home.

The car show and museum are probably the only source of income Big Daddy has, can't really blame the guy for wanting to be able to eat and pay utilities.
As for why the other guys left Garlit's place, guess you will have to ask them. Maybe they thought they would make more money away from Big Daddy's place, or it could have been as simple as a scheduling issue or concerns about covid crowd restrictions.

I was down there, Saturday was cold and windy, but I bought a lot of parts. Sunday was nice, 70 and sunny! Half the cars and vendors were there from last year though. Will be back to the horse crap show next weekend...

OR it could have just been the crappy weather was to blame for the low turnout.
Lots of car show guys wouldn't take their pride and joy out if it looks like it might rain, the big money Mopar car owners are not any different. Wetness means hours of detailing at the show, then hours more back at home.

The car show and museum are probably the only source of income Big Daddy has, can't really blame the guy for wanting to be able to eat and pay utilities.
As for why the other guys left Garlit's place, guess you will have to ask them. Maybe they thought they would make more money away from Big Daddy's place, or it could have been as simple as a scheduling issue or concerns about covid crowd restrictions. [/quote]

Real Florida Man types would not even think about coming out of their dens when the temp is below 70, THAT is a FACT! I saw many peoples down there with parka's zipped up to make them look like Kenny was about ready to be killed again...

"with parka's zipped up to make them look like Kenny was about ready to be killed again... Santa4"

Thats funny (and true too)
Copper

[



Real Florida Man types would not even think about coming out of their dens when the temp is below 70, THAT is a FACT! I saw many peoples down there with parka's zipped up to make them look like Kenny was about ready to be killed again... [/quote]

This was the case for me, I barely ventured outside all day Saturday.

And I can understand the high dollar, show cars not wanting to unload in the weather we had, they likely spent considerable time fine tuning the details before coming south, prepping for the next several weeks of shows in this general area, I get that.

None of my stuff is nice enough (or done) that I would even consider trying to compete in a show. I am more of an out in the parking lot guy. I like to look around at the driver/in process stuff.

This week I will be at the horse show looking at the trailer queens, tho.

Oh, and I don't mind Don trying to make a buck, his property taxes and upkeep on his place aren't free, and at his age there isn't a whole of race winnings coming in ... no one is twisting my arm to go to the museum (worth the money, btw, to anyone who grew up looking at Hot Rod magazine and dreaming about the car life in far away places while snowed in, in Vermont) and IIRC the parking money went to Boy scouts or something and no admission fee to the show for clowns like me

This was the case for me, I barely ventured outside all day Saturday.

And I can understand the high dollar, show cars not wanting to unload in the weather we had, they likely spent considerable time fine tuning the details before coming south, prepping for the next several weeks of shows in this general area, I get that.

None of my stuff is nice enough (or done) that I would even consider trying to compete in a show. I am more of an out in the parking lot guy. I like to look around at the driver/in process stuff.

This week I will be at the horse show looking at the trailer queens, tho.

Oh, and I don't mind Don trying to make a buck, his property taxes and upkeep on his place aren't free, and at his age there isn't a whole of race winnings coming in ... no one is twisting my arm to go to the museum (worth the money, btw, to anyone who grew up looking at Hot Rod magazine and dreaming about the car life in far away places while snowed in, in Vermont) and IIRC the parking money went to Boy scouts or something and no admission fee to the show for clowns like me [/quote]

There was no implied question that everyone is allowed to make a buck, BUT, when you build a show over years, and then either run it off because you ain't getting enough, and that show moves nearby and is NOT into to make a buck above all else, and becomes successful on its own, and then because of hard times, one tries to compete with the other show, and that's likely because of not willing to swallow ones pride and reset their ego. My sympathy for Don ended when he allowed the show to move, he knew then he had yearly overhead.

But that's OK, it all about making a dollar for some, and just a hobby to enjoy for others, like I said.

Or we can just blame the weather.

I thought the show had to move due to space. The lot between him and CB sold (where swap meet was) and they couldn’t use it anymore plus one of the nearby farms sold and really limited the available space.