Bob Glidden Passes

[formercrewguy]

I saw him flip at the Gatornationals and the nose was tore of the car.After a pretty hard rollover he jumped out of the car and took off his fire suit jacket and covered his carbs so no one could see them.

Actually he was covering the intake manifold. He pioneered the "sheet metal" (alum.) manifolds. Today, Tim Hogan is the guru on those.

[fastford]

Actually he was covering the intake manifold. He pioneered the "sheet metal" (alum.) manifolds. Today, Tim Hogan is the guru on those.

thats the first thing he did when he crashed the Tbird in atlanta , took his jacket off and covered the intake......

[HoosierDirtFan]

Here is a great way to remember Bob Glidden

[nuff said]

Actually he was covering the intake manifold. He pioneered the "sheet metal" (alum.) manifolds. Today, Tim Hogan is the guru on those.

You are correct.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Here is the nasty wreck from the 1986 Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bob Glidden in the far lane with the blue & white Ford and Butch Leo in the I believe white Pontiac in the near lane.
https://www.facebook.com/RedLineShir...?fref=mentions

[fastford]

thank you for finding that video HDF , i never new it existed , I was on the pit side just before the finish line , I usually was at the starting line but for some reason i went down to the finish line , I have a picture some where with the jacket over the intake , also that was a good picture of the red and white motorcraft car , i think that was 87 or 88........

[Late_Model_Mark]

My 2 favs of racing are the Drags and DLM's. I got to live the golden age in So-Cal in the 60s' and 70s' when the drags ruled the roost. I was at Ontario Motor Speedway for the Supernationals in 72 when Bob barely lost to Grumpy Jenkins in the final. The rest is no doubt awesome history. Saw him win from Pomona to Indy to Englishtown. A real family man, a crazy work-a-holic, and a ultra real racer. His Fairmont and Arrow were double bad ass. Those duels with Lee Shepherd, Warren Johnson, Frank Iaconio, the Grump, and Gapp and Roush were awesome. Rest in peace to a great racer and a super family man.



Late Model Mark

[keith94elliott]

I recall many moons ago being at rayburns shop and hearing glidden stretchin the wings of those fords on the dyno

[HoosierDirtFan]

thank you for finding that video HDF , i never new it existed , I was on the pit side just before the finish line , I usually was at the starting line but for some reason i went down to the finish line , I have a picture some where with the jacket over the intake , also that was a good picture of the red and white motorcraft car , i think that was 87 or 88........

I have a set of VHS crash videos called "And They Walked Away" the 1st of the 5 videos has that wreck at the very end of the video so I knew a video clip of it existed some where. Still watch them from time to time. Wrecks are from about 1986 - 1992 and include every thing from IMSA, NHRA, Bull Riding, NASCAR, SCCA Trans-Am, Sprint Cars, NHRA, Swamp Buggy, AMA Moto Cross, Quads, & more.

[billetbirdcage]

It's been enough years now my memory might be off, but not only the intake but I believe up to that wreck no one had seen the split dominator carbs he was using. This was the reason you hear about him covering the carbs it wasn't until later bob revealed the other things he didn't want seen at the time.

[a25rjr]

Don't forget, he built some powerful Fords for Geoff Bodine in Nascar!

[93Nelson]

I have a set of VHS crash videos called "And They Walked Away" the 1st of the 5 videos has that wreck at the very end of the video so I knew a video clip of it existed some where. Still watch them from time to time. Wrecks are from about 1986 - 1992 and include every thing from IMSA, NHRA, Bull Riding, NASCAR, SCCA Trans-Am, Sprint Cars, NHRA, Swamp Buggy, AMA Moto Cross, Quads, & more.

I have those tapes too. One has the wreck and a interview. Then shows him with a plaque for his 75th win

[TheJet-09]

Wasn't there also a story that from the corner to his mailbox was exactly 1/4 mile, or something along those lines? I knew his name from drag racing long before the likes of John Force. A true pioneer!

My condolences to his family and friends.

[dirtdobber45]

R.I.P. Bob. Thoughts and prayers to his family. Always liked him

[AllenK]

RIP Bob! Lee Shepherd vs Bob was always awesome to watch! Bob was a true pioneer. One of the last of his kind.

I've always loved Chevrolets,but I loved to watch Glidden race when I was a kid. My Dad owned a Pinto,and it amazed me that Bob was racing one. This was a big deal to under ten years old me! Thankfully that Pinto never exploded and killed us. I rode around all over creation with my parents in it,and I usually sat on top of the folded down rear seats with my feet on the trans tunnel. I sat right in between the front two buckets also,and no seat belt of course. Straight shot to the windhield if we would've ever wrecked.

My dad's sister and her family lived in Baton Rouge,La in the Seventies for about 5 years. State Captiol Dragway was and is nearby,and they hosted the Cajun Nationals NHRA event. We always tried to time a visit when they were having the event,and I remember one time sitting by a particulary colorful bunch of full blooded Cajuns. One old boy said "I been back there watchin' Glidden put his sh%t together,and he's gonna be bad man." Speaking of Cajuns and that track,Eldora,Fairbury,or wherever has nothing on the stuff that went on there,and that was in the broad daylight. That was a wild time in history,and that's even with me being too young to really appreciate some of what was going on.