Bob Glidden

Bob Glidden (August 18, 1944 – December 17, 2017) was an American drag racer. He retired from Pro Stock racing in 1997 and returned in 2010. Glidden retired as the driver with the most wins in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) history at that time — a feat recently topped by 16-time Funny Car champion John Force — and he was the third-most successful drag racer of the professional class drivers — sixth when counting sportsman national event winners — at the time of his death. Glidden won 85 NHRA National Events. In the Professional classes, he was behind Force and Warren Johnson (97). Currently, Glidden ranks fourth behind Greg Anderson (104). Glidden's ten Pro Stock championships included five in a row beginning in 1985. Among his numerous accomplishments, Glidden won nine straight NHRA national races in 1979 and was the No. 1 qualifier 23 times in a row, including the entire 1987 season. At one point, he won 50 eliminations rounds in a row.

Glidden almost became the first driver in a doorslammer (drag racing cars which are required to have operational doors, as opposed to funny cars or top fuel cars) to reach 200 miles per hour when he ran 199.11 miles per hour at an International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) race in Darlington, South Carolina. However, a Top Sportsman car driven by Bill Kuhlmann ran 202 miles per hour later that evening. He won 21 IHRA races and won one IHRA championship.

Racing career Glidden began his drag racing career in the 1960s in a Ford 427 Fairlane. He is most closely associated with Ford cars, a manufacturer that he used throughout his career, except in 1979, winning the world championship in a Plymouth Arrow. In 1968 he changed to a 428 Cobra Jet Mustang. He started out in Stock and moved up to Super Stock. He was sponsored by Ed Martin Ford, where he worked as a mechanic. He was a frequent winner in Division 3 before turning Pro in 1972. In those days, the series included participation in both national and divisional races.

1970s Glidden sold his two Super Stock Mustangs late in the season 1972, and purchased a Pro Stock Pinto from Jack Roush and Wayne Gapp.

Personal life Glidden married Etta and the couple had sons Rusty and Billy. Etta was Bob's long-time crew chief and all three were part of his team. Members of the family have made numerous appearances on the Car Craft Magazine All-Star Drag Racing Team. Etta and their sons were named to the Team six times. Bob appeared on the team eleven times, including two times as Person of the Year and once as the Ollie Award winner for his career-long contributions to the sport. Glidden's son, Rusty, once raced against his father in a race in 1996, with the son beating the father. In the late 2000s Pro stock legend Bob Glidden joined Justin Humphreys racing team.