Gary Ormsby
Gary started racing top-fuel dragsters in the early 60s. After years of racing with the “Sacramento Bunch”, Gary was able to set up with some money from his own business interests and then added sponsorships that put into practice some of his ideas. Of all his ideas, he is probably best remembered for his streamlining concepts which came to reality in 1984. Though the Castrol streamliner did not perform to expectations, it generated tremendous exposure for his sponsors and the sport as a whole. In 1989, he ran history’s quickest ET 4.91 seconds, fastest speed 294.88 mph, and a record-tying six NHRA events en route to the 1989 NHRA World Championship. Gary would win his last NHRA event on May 19, 1991. Sadly, he would lose the battle with cancer in August 1991.