Bob Glidden

Bob Glidden
Glidden working on a PRO stock in 2005
Born	1944
Occupation	drag racer
Spouse(s)	Etta Glidden
Children	Rusty and Billy

Bob Glidden (born 1944) is an American drag racer. He was retired from Pro Stock racing in 1997 and returned in 2010. Glidden retired as the driver with the most wins in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) history at that time (a feat recently topped by 15 time Funny Car champion John Force), and he is currently the third most successful drag racer of the professional class drivers ( sixth when counting sportsman national event winners). Glidden won 85 NHRA National Events. In the Professional classes, he currently is behind Warren Johnson (97) and John Force (141). Glidden's ten Pro Stock championships included five in a row beginning in 1985. Among his numerous accomplishments, Glidden won nine straight NHRA national races in 1979 and was the No. 1 qualifier 23 times in a row, including the entire 1987 season. At one point, he won 50 eliminations rounds in a row.

Glidden almost became the first driver in a doorslammer to reach 200 miles per hour when he ran 199.11 miles per hour at an International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) race in Darlington, South Carolina. However, a Top Sportsman car driven by Bill Kuhlmann ran 202 miles per hour later that evening. He has won several IHRA races and won one IHRA championship.

Glidden began his drag racing career in the 1960s in a Ford 427 Fairlane. He is most closely associated with Ford cars, a manufacturer that he used throughout his career. In 1968 he changed to a 428 Cobra Jet Mustang. He started out in Stock and moved up to Super Stock. He was sponsored by Ed Martin Ford, where he worked as a mechanic. He was a frequent winner in Division 3 before turning Pro in 1972. In those days, the series included participation in both national and divisional races.

He sold his two Super Stock Mustangs late in the season 1972, and purchased a Pinto Pro Stock from Jack Roush and Wayne Gapp. He quit his job at Ed Martin Ford to race full-time. In his first Pro race, he finished second to Bill Jenkins at the final Supernationals of the 1972 season. Glidden had his first national win the following season at the U.S. Nationals. His 9.03 second run at a national record 152.54 miles per hour (mph) was fastest qualifying time in the fastest Pro Stock field. He beat Gapp in the event finals. 1974 was his second full season in Pro Stock. He won three events including the Springnationals and U.S. Nationals. That season he set the record for the lowest elapsed time (e.t.) and the highest speed (8.83 seconds and 154.90 mph respectively) at a Division 3 event at Bowling Green, Kentucky. The feat earned him 400 bonus points towards the championship. He had an 8.81 second qualifying run at the U.S. Nationals to lower his e.t. record, and he beat Gapp in the event finals. These wins contributed to his come-from-behind win to beat rivals Gapp and Wally Booth for the season championship.