Swamp Rat V-B

   Don Garlits on Swamp Rat V-B: “In 1963 at the NHRA Winternationals, we decided to put a wing on the Swamp Rat V-A and I’ll never forget the final round against Art Malone. We were side by side at the eighth-mile mark when the wing began to push the rear tires to the ground; the smoke dried up and I won by at least a full car length. 

   “However, the rest of the western tour was not as successful, and when we returned to Tampa, Florida, I decided to build a longer fuel car. This would eventually be called Swamp Rat V-B, but for now the car was just Swamp Rat V.
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   “The reason I didn’t change the number every time I built a car was that my contracts to appear were usually made a year in advance, and stated “Don Garlits would appear at Acme Drag Strip with Swamp Rat V” to make three runs. If the runs were poor or a problem occurred, the promoter might withhold some of my money if I came there with a different car. So, we continued to call the cars by the same number as long as they were under contract.”