40 Facts About Bob Glidden

Bob Glidden retired from Pro Stock racing in 1997 and returned in 2010.

Bob Glidden almost became the first driver in a doorslammer to reach 200 miles per hour when he ran 199.11 miles per hour at an International Hot Rod Association race in Darlington, South Carolina.

Bob Glidden won several IHRA races and won one IHRA championship.

Bob Glidden began his drag racing career in the 1960s in a Ford 427 Fairlane.

Bob Glidden 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.

Bob Glidden started out in Stock and moved up to Super Stock.

Bob Glidden was sponsored by Ed Martin Ford, where he worked as a mechanic.

Bob Glidden was a frequent winner in Division 3 before turning Pro in 1972.

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

Bob Glidden quit his job at Ed Martin Ford to race full-time.

Bob Glidden had his first national win the following season at the US Nationals.

Bob Glidden won three events including the Springnationals and US Nationals.

Bob Glidden had five top qualifier runs and eight top speeds during the season.

Bob Glidden had an off year in 1976, finishing sixth in the points.

Bob Glidden had seven national victories that season, tying Don Prudhomme for the most that year.

Bob Glidden retired his undefeated Ford Fairmont in 1979 in favor of a Plymouth Arrow.

Bob Glidden earned maximum points in his four divisional events.

Bob Glidden chased Lee Shepherd for the 1980 Winston title all season, leading the points standing only after the final race.

Bob Glidden won his fifth overall and third straight championship at the final event.

Bob Glidden caught a break when Shepherd broke his transmission in the second round.

Bob Glidden was having chassis builder Don Hardy build a new EXP for the season and was planning on running a 351 Cleveland, in the car.

Bob Glidden received a new Thunderbird in the middle of the 1984 season, and it quickly became the dominant car on the Pro Stock circuit.

Bob Glidden led the 1985 points standings from start to finish, winning five national events.

Bob Glidden won six of the last seven events to win his seventh Winston title.

In 1987, Bob Glidden won eight races, including his 60th national event win.

Bob Glidden ended his season with five straight wins and his eighth Pro Stock championship.

Bob Glidden reached the finals ten times that season, winning a record 42 rounds of competition.

Bob Glidden retired his Thunderbird after 19 national victories in favor of a Ford Probe at the Supernationals.

Bob Glidden used the Probe to win at the Fallnationals, which was his 67th career victory.

Bob Glidden dominated to win his tenth and final championship in 1989.

Bob Glidden started the season on a strong note, winning five of the first seven events and seven out of the first eleven.

Bob Glidden won nine times that season, ending the 1980s with 49 wins.

Bob Glidden won three events in 1990, one event in 1991, two events in 1992, and two events in 1993.

Bob Glidden won his 85th and final national event at the Mopar Nationals in 1995, after missing most of the 1995 season due to open heart surgery during the off season.

Bob Glidden was the crew chief for numerous drivers following his retirement.

Bob Glidden returned to the driver's seat for Steve Schmidt's team at the 1998 US Nationals, but he failed to qualify for the event that he had won nine times previously.

Bob Glidden was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Bob Glidden was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994.

Bob Glidden married Etta and the couple had sons Rusty and Billy.

Bob Glidden 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.