GLIDDEN VS. SHEPHERD: 1980 AN UNLIKELY CHAMPIONSHIP

Dave, here are the players in the biggest single-season rivalry in drag racing history, most notably in Pro Stock Lee Shepard and Bob Dylan, and you guys have competed against each other in every major event this year. We started that year with a small block and we had done a lot of testing that winter and our small block ran pretty well, you know? But they didn't eat us like they should have and we went out and started tasting and we think we discovered well, no, you've got this. Four links aren't right, you know, and we were moving things around and playing with gear ratios and the car got pretty fast and we weren't sure thinking it was crazy that this thing was running pretty well, so we left a hint of acceleration and we drove all night. go to another track to Houston East, text right away and we went out there and they were running a modified competition and we drove the car around the track and a completely different race track.

East Texas was well known, everyone ran a lot of the old stuff there. names that you know well and I think we went to eight fifty-eight five of them that are running so we took it to Pomona and we won in Pomona. Did we know at the time that this was the beginning of the biggest robbery applause? Were there any pilots outside? There that intimidated you, yes, yes, there was a driver I really hated racing, that was Lee Sheppard, I hated erasing and no other driver who was late was an almost bitter rival, rarer than me, Morrison, who owned the team, but Lee was just a great driver, you know, man. and David worked very hard with Lee and turned him into not a good driver but a great driver and he knew that if he wasn't perfect in every part of our race he was going to lose to Gainesville that we want and Glidden told us after the day for the wheel Bob approached us again.

I have to see this arrow again when it proved to the robot once again that it is not invincible, that was a good drive, okay, the Chevrolet fans are rejoicing in the stands, let's go back to the starting line and Dave and he was right, He showed up at the Cajun national

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s in Baton Rouge at the Fairmont and told us my pheromones were much faster. This thing, you know, I'll show you. Well, he showed us and we started. working on the big block the year before but it was a little late when we went out and we had good test sessions and the car became as fast as Glidden was on his arrow so we went out with the small block but when he came in when he pulled the Fairmont and fortunately he was late against us very late because he had us six seven hunters, you know, I don't know, Ben might even have been a, you know, and we knew we couldn't compete in a small block anymore and We came home and said Well, it has been a lot of fun winning these three races, the best Chevrolets in the country faced off in the final.

Lee Shepard, the winner and farm of two major NHRA

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s this season, the winter nationals and the Gatornationals, has a great lead in the world championship series the man who finished number two last year Frank I echo neo in Far Lane great start by Lee Shepard we want these to be the last three races we win our friend was leading that discussion he said you I know we can't race this engine anymore, I mean Clinton will just be out there racing like everyone else , you know, so we started a crazy thing to finish the big block, fortunately we had started it and many of you knew that I knew how we were building it, we had gotten some parts and we were not used to the 348 crank because it is something that a lot of people who you know may not know like big blocks and the 348 was the precursor to the big block so it had the same bore spacing. so there was no problem putting one of those cranks in there and this one, the short crank, was a, you know, a GM three seven sixty stroke was what people commonly thought of as a big block, it was a 396 of small diameter or if you bought it if it was for a 250, it was a 427.

I was just looking at the crack in the crankshaft, the bearing book sitting next to the grinder and I was looking. I saw 348, it was three and a quarter race and I thought it would fit. So I went to the junkyard and bought one, we put it in there, yeah it fits, so we had already made everything we had and we had been working on the heads and we had decided that with those parts we could build a 362 cubic inch Big Block . We had decided that the reason the previous big blocks had failed in their efforts was because they ran the engines too big, so they didn't get the advantage they could have gotten from them, so we wanted to build an engine.

To be honest, these were the smallest size that we could make and carry, you know, and that's how it all started, so we got to work and finished it, I mean, when Glidden came out with the Fairmont, that accelerated that and then . then we worked day and night to get it done and luckily when we put it on the dyno we knew we had a championship caliber pro stalker like this Camaro, which cost more than twice as much to build as any high fuel dragster, fun car here at the Spring Nationals they are the most sophisticated machines in all of drag racing even though they are not race cars they have to maintain a street appearance they use most of the original bodywork they retain the exact dimensions of the original car they even wear a passenger seat and is a rare challenge and Morrison, the Camaro driven by Shepard on lease, has been in the winner's circle three times so far this season and Bob Glidden trying to stop him, a small shot for Shepard and the Camaros will hold off the finish line we'll find out in just a couple of no, it's not like that, it's Bob Gluten 8.53 seconds, one hundred and fifty-five miles per hour and Bob Glidden gets his 28th career victory with this national championship of spring.

You see one of the closest races. of the day, only a wheel's width separates the two, well I think this is called sweet revenge, right, I'll tell you, Steve, huh, thrill to death, I want to race, that was a race, you cut a good one light, I know that was weighing heavily on your think well, I'll tell you we may have done it, but he was right, you started in Far Lane, the four-time world champion, five mills and a Ford Fairmont in nearby Lane Lane Shepard and interpolate the mouth these men have encountered four times this year. and each one at a time this is the background to see who will emerge victorious Shepard in the Chevrolet a four time world champion to defend me here at Raceway Park is the favorite nerve now just taking each other by the spider is going through something What They're falling?

They go on both sides of this drag group here along with

shepherd

s who are ecstatic about victory. I'm eight point five for five seconds 158 miles per hour, slower than Clinton delivered eight point five three six. which is the fourth nine thousand fastest and one mile per hour at the top, which means that at least with the effort he not only won the race he wanted in that short period between the start of the stage, as if he started by in front of Bob Witten, a good dry, there are two different factions in the endurance racing championship, one of which says that racing cars do not have doors, the obvious thing is that the other faction says they do, and the faction of most important doors is this car driven by the great number one Bob Witten of hwhiteland Indiana.

It is a Ford Fairmont that is highly modified to run in the pro stock category. It started as an original car, that's right, at some point it was really a Ford Fairmont. It still bears a marked resemblance to it. It uses some fiberglass components such as the front part and runs on gasoline. Restrictions require a maximum of two carburetors, but there are unlimited engine modifications. This type of car can run over one hundred and sixty miles per hour in a quarter mile from a standstill and this is the ultimate in doors. Today's running backs Bob Glidden's pro football docks The semi-final action closes with a confrontation between the two strongest competitors of the season, Bob Wooden Spear Mots in white and Lee Shepherd in the rare and Juarez and Camaro enter the left lane, the crowd stands up.

As both cars approach the start line, Lytton moves forward first as Shepard slowly approaches the auto-boat dream with Shepherd seemingly having a slight advantage in the mid-range, both cars are close together but Shepherd appears when Connor has a difficulty. mechanics and Glidden looks for the victory with an 8.5 at 3 seconds from the last time and a speed of 158 miles per hour in the professional final we find Jim Canet on the left facing last year's World Champion pop quittin in the right lane both cars leave the line together 8.58 seconds at 151 miles per hour

glidden

's run wasn't as easy as it looks, as you'll see in this view from our downhill camera, you'll notice that Clinton's car moved to the left and then started toward the outside railing before I finally get it under control.

England is waiting at the turn to speak. to Bob, the Pro Stock Eliminator champion at the 12th annual popular hot rodding championship, wearing the big number one in the world and also the number one here in Martin Michigan is Bob Glidden Bob waving a sign to Jim, kinetise competition Bob , you've had quite a hectic weekend, it's been a tough week, we've all traveled a lot of miles and a long week just to tell the fans a little bit, you started qualifying here on Friday, in fact last week you were in Montreal , Canada, the race rained. You came back here, you qualified on Friday for the number one spot, you got a special award for that, and then you came back to Canada.

How many miles did you travel until this weekend? Well, let's see if it's about eight hundred miles one way, so I qualified on Friday night when I ran the 800 mile race and came back last night. Well, yesterday he came second to you. Today is winter and I think you will like it a little more. Oh, it's great. Every time you win, it's worth it. miles, all the hard work and whatever it takes, our congratulations to you, Bob Glidden, Pro Stock champion as today, the players in the greatest single-season rivalry in the history of drag racing, especially in Pro Stock Lee Shepard and Bob Dylan, you guys have competed against each other every day.

This year's big event. What's the score? How many of you won? We've won five of them and that leaves them with only two. Yes, but they have done very well on the regional route. What happens if they win here today? Well, huh. You'll still get to the last race, where the world championship is, but you'd come away with a pretty good lead. Yes, we would be in much better shape than now. What happens if you win? But hey, yes we. We could win this particular race, we would leave here with a 200 point lead. You know, I've seen you guys at the front of the lines like this several times this year.

They are usually making fun of each other, joking around each other. "We are very serious today, it is a very important race for Lee and his boys, they do not want to lose the lead and we really want to win the lead. The starting line is the final of the Pro Stock Eliminator, once again, they want say in the last round leading to the great number one the defending world champion Bob Shepard and it is a red light for Bob wit and a very happy crew member of Lee Shepards true and it is Lee Shepherd to the US national champion 8, 51 seconds at one hundred and sixty miles an hour with the stories about the starting line where Bob left too soon and the big red light bulb is shining David what you're looking at is undoubtedly the

1980

world champion in Pro Stock Eliminator, but he. most important right now is the US national champion, blood and red.

I turned on Steve. I didn't know until 15 seconds ago. Well, you thought you lost, yeah, I thought I had a good light. I saw how I could believe that you know it so quickly. I didn't see the red line now. I've put it down and beaten it with slurry tease a couple of times this year. I think that put extra pressure on him. Don't you have to leave on time? Well, I guess so. You're growing up there at the end of that racing season where Morrison dominated a little bit and we went, I think, we went to the Seattle race and I had an engine that we put together with furnace reinforcing sheets and a bigger board, but we didn't have any dinosaurs on it. those days, so we dragged it. the trailer for three months and I put it in Seattle and it ran very fast with it and Morrison really had the world championship pace on his hands that Shepherd at Far Lane these are 4 speed equipped cars here at Tower Lane in Reno Nevada, they are your brothers, brother Brad, driving the car here today in the near lane.

He's the pro, he starts a yellow flash and then the green light does four tenths of a second between yellow and green as they move towards the stage. A tremendous season-long battle between Lee Shepard in Far Lane and last year's champion Bob Glidden will be seen with Linton later in this round. They are prepared, advancing little by little very carefully to reach the starting line exactly and the finish line aroom. one mile distance each lane electronically timed independently if they start too early they will foul at the red light and be automatically eliminated looks like a very close start but passing the center line is fragile and that will automatically disqualify you Lee Shepherd takes the win in the right lane Shepherd with his parachute to stop it, professional actions in recent years are going to perish, but there was a foul of a different kind, okay, here's the replay and you can see it right there over the center. line disqualified his bread this has been the most famous rivalry in endurance racing in

1980

the board against the Chevrolet the four-time world champion Bob Dylan now seems that he is going to have to give up that number one for next year the man in the opposite lane, belt efforts from Arlington, Texas, the famous Morrison big-block Camaro in the rear, these two have faced off again and again this year, it has been Shepherd among the winners in the fourth and, mainly for his driving ability, he has won three finals. round this year against Louisville in the Indiana target would be slower, meaning it cuts light finer than distillate, so Gooden knows he can't be complacent here.

Glidden, the national record holders in eight point three a second, he's in the near lane with the Ford, the barley Chevrolet is Lee Shepherd, let's see what happens, it's a great start for both drivers, I can't tell, let's look at the victory lights, it's Far Lane, another victory for Lee Shepherd now compare these times 1/8 51 wins it and 841 loses it, so Glidden was late again, let's see if we can pick up the whole store there. is and a tenth of a second is the length of several cars sometimes in drag racing, so even though Glynn Turman was a tenth faster, all that did was put him closer to Shepherds Bender, Lee Shepherd for Chevrolet, in winds from 851 to a tenth faster, 841 158 and here's the oh. my lord, thank God for the wind computer 851 heat 41 practically a tie, but there is no such thing that when the computer chooses one car or another Hello, I am Paul Page and today we are here for two exciting battles, fun car and pro stock to work with us today as Steve Evans, former race car driver now turned sportscaster Steve, this Pro Stock battle is really something, oh it is and the fans are interested, it's between four-time world champion Bob Pudding and the Texan Lee Shepherd with a Chevrolet for The first time that Glidden does not have the title assured, in fact, he is behind Shepherd in the points.

What about driving Bob? You've gotten to know Shepherd a lot this year and on the day he beat you on several occasions with slower elapsed times, what have you been working on? you drive completely fine, it's not really about working on your driving, you do what's automatic when the fourth stage light comes on and he's been cursing me all year. I've done the wrong things all year, so I don't know what the answer is. I'm talking to Bob Clinton. He acts as if he has already been defeated. He is very depressed. Well, he's had some problems so far, but he usually fixes things come race time.

See thousands of racing fans in Ontario. Motor Speedway in Southern California to watch the pro stockers race, he will now have his car on the line as he is ready to take on world champion Poblet defending his title here at Ontario Motor Speedway, even if the Indiana Swamp were to lose that number one. Lee Shepherd, he still wants the event first, he will have to beat Brad, you will hear that to start, you and Glenn will evenly come out of the line. The output begins to build speed and power and the gluten disappears as it gradually pulses. round number one of the Pro Stock eliminations now for the World Championship the man Clinton wants to beat is this fellow Lee Shepherd

shepherd

is in the quarterfinal round when he faces Andy Mannarino at nearby Lane Shepherd won't take Mannarino to the light one here.

Michigan is rather one of the top qualifiers and the impending men's cars come forward to put both tires on the line, now they run to run and Shepherd stumbles forward and then comes to a complete stop stumbles again. Bannerino will win this round and that changes everything. The complexity of things because Shepherd was Bob Clinton's only challenger up to this point for the World Championship and with absolutely no mechanical problems all year, who would have believed that Shepherd would break down here is the biggest right of the year, really now once again for Pro Stock. It will be the summer Pro Stock Bob Glidden will face Jim Canet Glidden is excited now with Sheppard braking can smell that fifth consecutive World Championship both cars on a wooden stage in Far Lane canet in the closed lane a red light on the cadet side He is already out of the race, although Glidden will still beat him.

I'm sure Glutton missed the red light and gave it his all at 844.159 miles per hour, so now we have completed an elimination in a semi-final round of Pro Stock there is a red light that cost Jim Connect that race in Pro Stock it will be pomp Linton vs. Frank Ilook ownio if you can't match the glutens elapsed time there's only one other thing you can do right, yeah, just I hope they fall off or leave me Wow, yeah, but it will be a lot bought. There's only one really difficult customer from New Jersey named Fry Kaya Coney.

It was between you and your fifth consecutive Pro Stock Row title. He is a difficult customer. He has run very well here, of course, the track has affected him as it has affected us and we have run better than him, we are just going to give our best, hoping that everything goes the way we wanted. The Pro Stock World Championship comes down to the final race on the final day between Franca Antonio's number two car and Bob Linde's number one car they're betting they're running away Clinton gets the shot he's a wolverine pulling iuck ownio and Glidden to the finish line he is The champion of the world, once again, Bob Guiney was in front from the start and saved the best for the last 109 miles per hour, top speed in a low elapsed time, an incredible run by Bob Linde on the other side, Look how fast it jumps, let's go down. to the closing area and Steve Evans, you're looking at one of the happiest faces.

I think every race car driver has used cut wood. Congratulations on your back-to-back Beth Pro Stock World Title and you know what you just became the winningest drag racer in history. That's wonderful, I'm very happy, I feel very bad for the Texas boys, they've done a great job, but editing ourselves and the kids will be very happy, it's a big win for Steve, I just can't say it. you and also quite rich around $40,000 a day for Glidden. I'll tell you it's more than money right now. We had to win the race and sell at least once on the record to win the championship we had been racing.

Oh, in a couple. three hundred off the record making really good runs and not enough speed to set the Ontario Motor Speedway speed record well near the end of the day the winds always changed from headwind to tailwind in the final round we won the round and set both ends of the record and winning the championship, that is one of those miracles, but that happened to us, it was a tremendous success, but it was a really crushing blow. The way the season ended was really heartbreaking because you know we had put in the work. very hard, we weren't sure we weren't going into that race feeling like we were going to win, we knew anything could happen, we were doing everything we could to make it not happen and I guess all we had to do was win.

That round and that didn't get us rolling the Spry. I just couldn't believe it, you know? Even after lapping the Spry, Glidden still had to win the race, so it was a tough pill to swallow. I did it one more time. his wife Etta is so happy she is crying congratulations Roblin, the world champion once again Harry drives his machine back to receive praise from the crowd, on his way back to the starting line cup the world champion once again, so that's it, let's go Aereo Motor. The circuit and the regulations, who the Funny Car champions are, are old and, of course, the problem of the new world champion trophy.

I'm going bald for Steve Evans, as long as