Gary Beck
In 1972, Gary Beck did the impossible. Just three weeks after earning his top fuel license and in only his second event at the wheel, the rookie from Edmonton, Alberta, one NHRA US Nationals. The win was slightly cloudy because many of the top racers attended the PRO National Challenge, so to prove it was no fluke, Gary simply repeated his win at the 1973 US Nationals, the 1974 Winternationals, both AHRA and NHRA Springnationals, and the 1974 Grandnational. In addition, he was runer-up at the 1973 NHRA World Finals, set low ET, and was runner-up the 1974 Gatornationals in only his second full year top fuel racing, the Canadian with the long hair peeking out from under his leather “five second” hat won the NHRA World Championship winning 22 of 26 rounds he raced in 1974. In 1980, he teamed with car owner Larry Minor and became the first driver in the 5.60s, 5.50s, 5.40s, and 5.30s ET. In 1983, the team of Beck, Minor, and crew chief Bernie Fedderly totally dominated top fuel racing, winning four NHRA National events, setting low ET at 10 of the 12 events that season, winning the US Nationals yet again, as well as Gary’s second NHRA World Championship. From September 1982 to October 1983, Beck recorded 17 quickest elapsed times in history, dominated the sport like no other driver before or since.