NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
TOP FUEL DRAGSTER

Darrell Gwynn

Dwight chats with Darrell Gwynn:

Story and questions by Dwight Drum
Photos by Gary Larsen

I've been fortunate to interview many professional racers. Racers are dynamic and complex, motivated and relentless, emotional and human. They all keep giving up proof of great traits that got them to high points in a very competitive and dangerous sport…a motorsport that combines drivers and engines at mind-boggling speeds.

No Racer has more authentic racing spirit, that elusive ingredient of a winner, than Darrell Gwynn. More than a decade ago Gwynn rocketed through the dangerous side of racing and sustained injuries that placed him in a wheel chair. Gwynn's body may not function as it once did, but his spirit, his focused sense of what it takes to race, thrives behind the sparkling blue of his eyes.

Share with me a few good moments with a great person.

"This is my 33rd year attending the Gatornationals. The only year I missed was 1972 when I was making bad grades in school. My dad gave me several choices as a punishment for the bad grades. I chose missing the Gatornationals as it seemed the least physical of all the choices. With a lot of family, friends and fans at Gainesville, the Gatornationals are one of the most demanding races for the team; but, as with any race, it is one we want to win and we don't let any distractions stand in our way of that goal."

"I always had my own race team, but I essentially became an owner when I wasn't a driver any more in 1990 after I was injured in England. I became the owner and not the driver. I was forced to take that position rather than retiring from that position as some of the other guys in this sport."

"Being able to field a competitive race team and have a successful operation. It's good therapy for me. This is all I've ever done. I don't know how to do anything else."

"Sometimes I wished I had a nine-to-five job and not have to bring your job home too where you have to accept calls about your job at home. But to field a competitive team those are the things you have to do in this sport."

"We have a few situations and you learn to juggle those people and personalities. Over the years we have been involved with different companies. Racing is not just racing anymore. It's about business…business to business opportunities out here in this sport. You have to do what you can for the sponsor. You'll notice a lot of sponsors on this car…Winnebago, Berryman, MBNA, Dynomat, and the Yankees. There are a lot of people to make happy, so we've got a full time job."

"I'd like to run about half the races so that you could spend more time with your family."

"All five."

"Try to pick something you like to do and try to get paid to do it. That's what drag racing has done for me."

"Work hard and play hard."

"Think about the next time I'm going fishing and how soon that is."

"Nitromethane is unpredictable thing. Here I am in a wheel chair. My arms don't work, my legs don't work, and I pick the hardest class in the NHRA POWERade drag racing series to race…Top Fuel Dragsters."

"It's a very difficult class and nitromethane is a very difficult animal."

"My dad raced as a hobby all his life."

"Having a competitive car. You can be a champ to a chump in one run. That's what Top Fuel drag racing is…to be the NHRA POWERade champion you have to keep those things from happening.."

"My family."

"I have several, but probably one of the best is my last win here at the Gator Nationals before I was injured."