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CHANCE OR FATE? ONE ENCOUNTER DRIVES DECADES OF RACING INVOLVEMENT My introduc on to racing began in 1966 when I was 15 years old. I was baling hay on my Uncle's farm when my friend Doug drove into the field to let me know that he could use his Dad's car on Sunday. We decided we'd drive into Edmonton and go to the drag races at Speedway. I was thrilled at the idea of seeing real race cars. So that Sunday four of us headed out for the hour drive to Speedway Park. I remember ge ng out of the car to the sounds of the roaring engines. As we went through the pits, there was a large group of people around one dragster in par cular. We were several rows back in the crowd and I couldn't see who the driver was. A total stranger turned to me and said, "That's Don Garlits!" As we worked our way through the crowd to get closer, Don suddenly spoke, saying that he had a signed picture to give away. He pointed in my direc on and said, "Hey Kid"... and I thought that could never be me. But he was looking right at me. He said, "Yes you there, come here." He shook my hand and gave me a picture and I was just overwhelmed. I froze on the spot. Don finally said, "Got any ques ons?" I said, "I think it would be amazing to own a race car like this." He then looked me straight in the eye, tapped me on the right shoulder and said, "Kid, if you work hard, I guarantee you will own your own race car." My life changed a er hearing those words from Don. Even then, Don was a legend. Two years before, he had achieved the first of his three greatest accomplishments in the sport of drag racing. In Great Meadows, N.J., he became the first to record an official backed-up 200-mph speed. The next month, he drove Swamp Rat VI to his first of eight U.S. Na onals tles, defea ng Jack Williams in the final with a 7.67 e.t. at 198 mph. Three years later, with a dragster he built in 72 hours a er failing to qualify at the Winterna onals and Springna onals, he became the first two- me winner of the most pres gious drag race in the world and the next year the first to win two straight U.S. Na onals tles. In 1992, as he had done so many mes over the years all over Canada and the US, Garlits brought a roaring crowd to its feet when he ran his much coveted first four-second e.t. and 300-mph speed in Sunday qualifying, 4.720 and 303.37 mph. A erward, Garlits, four months shy of his 70th birthday, announced his inten on to find a sponsor and resume driving once again. Don Garlits was a true champion and by all accounts a gentleman. His Swamp Rats were beau ful, strong and simple. Don wasn't flashy or full of himself. He seemed to be just like anybody else. Except he Don Garlit's dragster on display in the Car Collec on. Team Ace Racing receives its primary sponsorship from ACE Manufacturing Metals (Bi ern Lake, AB). Company president Harold Parfe has been instrumental for the team's ongoing success and evolu on. ACE Manufacturing employs over 100 and is a custom manufacturing leader, specializing in metal electrical enclosures for industry. 8

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