Image courtesy motorsports.com

At the 49th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, legend drag racer “Big Daddy” Don Garlits collaborated with NHRA to announce the beginning of a celebration leading to the 50th year of this event in 2019. The NHRA Legends Tour will feature many of NHRA’s best-known figures from drag racing days of the past, including Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, Kenny Bernstein, Tom “Mongoose” McEwen, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Joe Amato, Ed “The Ace” McCulloch, “The Bounty Hunter” Connie Kalitta and “Big” Jim Dunn, as well as quite a few local drag racing heroes.

At every NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series stop, the Tour will put fans up close and personal with a number of drag racing legends at meet-and-greets, autograph sessions and various other activities. The tour finishes next year in Gainesville, Fla. as the biggest stars in drag racing gather for a massive celebration of the 50th annual Gatornationals.

“The 50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals will be a ‘bucket-list’ event for any devoted drag racing fan,” said NHRA president Glen Cromwell. “All of NHRA’s fan favorites will be there to celebrate the rich history of this event.”

“Gainesville Raceway is one of the most iconic tracks in the country,” said Garlits. “We want to celebrate by bringing all of the NHRA legends together in one place. You won’t want to miss this!"