Bob Creitz
Known as the engine wizard, inventor of the burnout, and the most prominent top fuel racer in Oklahoma, Creitz was a member of the unofficial group of hard-core fuel racers known as the “Greek Fleet”. Bob opened Creitz Automotive, the state’s first speed shop, with his brother Jim in the mid-50s after moving from their native Topeka. As a hobby,Creitz and Ed Garrett built a gas dragster using a duplicate K88 chassied with a blown Oldsmobile for power. The Scrima chassied fuelerl which followed won several big meets and reached number nine on Drag News Mr. Eliminator list with Gene Goleman at the wheel. Creitz teamed with Ed Greer on a beautiful Hannah bodied Woody car which Vic Brown drove to an NHRA national record 7.26 et. Goleman returned to the Creitz and Greer seat, and runner-upped at the 1967 Winternationals. Later that year, Brown drove Creitz’s car to the first six second pass in NHRA history. In 1968, Brown won the last 64-car top fuel show ever held, the PDA Meet, at Orange County. Creitz teamed with manufacturer Ed Donovan and driver Steve Carbone for his first event victory at the inaugural PHR Championships in 1969 at Martin Michigan. Creitz had his “elephant gun” 392 (designed to combat the late model 426) loaded for bear. When the car died after the burnout, Creitz and crew incredibly pulled the car backwards by hand fast enough to re-fire it, winning that race as well as AHRA World Finals in Tulsa. Richard Tharp replaced Carbone in 1970 and achieved a match race win record of over 80%. In the early ’70s, Creitz joined Lloyd Dill with Vic Brown driving. At the ’72 Supernationals, they were runner-ups after defeating Mike Snively on his historic 5.97 et pass. After 20 years of hard racing, Creitz, one of the sports great practical jokers and pyrotechnicians, retired to the shop in Tulsa, which would serve as a pit stop for area racers past and present.