Don Garlits vs. Gary Ormsby 1986 Cajun Nationals

[nataliepaige1012]

f**k

[DeanoTheLegend87]

Why didn't the Streamliners catch on?

[redracer1985]

@DeanoTheLegend87 The main reason was the weight of the dragster, back then, the minimum weight for the Dragsters was 1,900 lbs, and with some of the streamlining counterparts like Garlits' spoonlike front end, and Ormsby's Indy Car back end, made the cars a bit heavy, so much so, that it was hard to get them down to the minimum weight. I would however love to see the canopy back on ALL the dragsters now and beyond, Top Fuel, Alcohol, Comp Eliminator, Top Dragster, etc.

[thevmanvj]

Swamp Rat XXX was the 1st car to break the 270mph barrier. In addition, October 30,1987, Swamp Rat XXX was enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution, with photoshoot I'll never forget. There they were, "Big Daddy" and SR-XXX, in front of the Main Entrance. Proudly cackling away with 96% Nitro in the tank, it was if she was saying..."I'm here!"

Garlits said...."What an honor.. This is the place where they keep the artifacts of America!" Thanks for posting.

[cpetit3]

The track State Capitol Dragway outside Baton Rouge recently been bought out by IHRA now. They have the Mardi Gras Nationals Nitro Jam event there every year, now. Top Fuel and some other big classes run at that track now.

[CannTankerous]

It was a great year. I got to see them at The Big Go, Bakersfield and the World Finals. We were up two stands when Ormsby's ign. shorted on the body and launched the blower into the stands after one hard bounce off the fire-up lane. Garlits is still my hero. Thanks for the vid. Miss those days-gettin' to be a long time ago...

[CSXer]

The season of the streamliners! I remember it well!

[budkingracing]

What track in Lousiana hosted the nhra cajun nationals?

[Tigermarshall]

The Cajun Nationals was held at State Capitol Dragway just outside of Baton Rouge. I was in the stands for this race.

[KeeperOfTheKitten]

Extraordinary that Ormsby and Big would come up with two opposing variations, one streamlining at the front and the other at the rear. In some respects the Ormsby idea is better, a front wing helping to keep the nose down and fairing to direct air round the big rear slicks. In other respects, the aero at the nose on Garlits car is at the important end where the first disturbance of the air occurs. I don't think moon discs will ever be allowed again - they're like knife blades if they come off!

[yaiknowscrewme]

anybody else notice teh setback to gary engine?

[Rockholm66]

Here's something weird for you. I grew up with Gary Ormsby's son. I haven't spoken to Jr for many years, until two day's ago. I used to watch Sr. race when I was a kid, and he was good. In fact, I was there when he broke the world record. It's too bad he is not alive today, he was a great driver, and a major player in racing.

[racingformusic]

Ormsby found out that day why they call Garlits, "BIG DADDY"

[GREGMCKEE]

Too bad someone didnt take the rear end of Ormsby's car and match it to the front end and bubble of Garlits' that might have been fast...I still remember that first final between Garlits and LaHaie when Garlits was using kevlar belts for front tires...one let loose, got sucked into the old style wide open injector scoop and BOOM! LaHaie's motor grenaded! His crew was not pleased!...great vid!

[RacerRose]

This is from the Kings of the Sport video from Diamond P.

[jtolliver]

Very cool vid. Thanks for posting!

[whosnext166]

idk if it was the aero that made garlits car so good in 1986, he and Herb Parks the setup and clutch so right they could have put a pound of horse shit on the front and it wouldve dominated. That being said he was still genius for comng up with it and to this day is my all time favorite digger

[CalebPrice86]

Does anybody think with the 21st century we have now a Top Fueler will bring back the SREAMLINERS??

and do ya guys think if the NHRA will ever host a National Event back in Louisana again like they did in the 80's?

[fueldragster]

I heard rumors that the IHRA was looking into having a race at State Capitol Dragway

[skoczzy]

We already have, in a sense. Check out Garlits' Swamp Rat 34.

Still, Top Fuel racing nowadays is pretty stagnant. I'm under the impression that if there was any real advantage to be gained by employing exotic aerodynamics, your larger teams like DSR would have jumped on the bandwagon. I don't think aero is necessarily as important on a sub 5 second run than a 2 hour F1 race.

[Tigermarshall]

One of the reasons that NHRA stopped coming to Baton Rouge was that State Capitol Raceway couldn't (or wouldn't) keep up with the supertracks that were being built in the late80's and early 90's. Unless somebody steps up with a first class facility I don't think we will see an NHRA national event again.

[Tigermarshall]

Also the Cajun Nationals was always held on Memorial Day weekend. In south Louisiana at that time of year it's always either very hot, very rainy or both. Notice the dark clouds looming at 1:23.

[nitroholic2002]

Check out the shape of the rear half of Ormsby's fueler, and compare it to the ones we have today. Gary Ormsby in my opinion was 20 years ahead of his time in car design.

[racingformusic]

Yeah, I've noticed that it is similar to the side panels on Today's Top Fuel Dragsters, and if i remember correctly, the reason for Ormsby's design was to help push the rear wheels a little bit easier, which was why his car was shaped more like an Indy Car, while Garlits' car on the other hand was obviously more aerodynamic, and sucessful, seeing as how that car was the 1st to go 270 mph, and went on to win the Top Fuel Championship that same year.

[skoczzy]

Yeah, top fuel racing today is pretty stagnant in terms of design. I still can't believe that Garlits' mono-wing car never caught on.

[txngasnguns]

True, the race wasn't that close. But, the fact that as far as I know, this is the ONLY streamliner final event EVER, makes this special.