What A Guy Won't Do To Win $100

By "Berserko Bob" Doerrer

Berserko Bob lives up to his name big time at Big Daddy's mall display.
Photo thanks to Berserko Bob (retouched by draglist.com)

"That's why they call him Berserko; that's how he got his name." Quote from Ron Barrow who was Garlits' crew chief at the time this photo was taken.

It was 197? (I can't remember the exact year) and I had arranged for Don Garlits' Top Fuel Dragster to do a display at the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, NJ, to promote an up-coming NHRA "Regional" event at Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ. It got weird...

I met Ron, who was driving Gar's rig, at the back entrance of the mall at closing time. We unloaded the race car and put it in the center court for display the next day.

After we set up the car, a stander-by, who knew my reputation for "streaking" drag races, said he'd give me a Franklin if I went over to Swamp Rat and dropped my trousers. Needless to say, I was a $100 richer a few minutes later...

A couple of notes about that weekend... After we left the mall, Ron and I went to a local bar to have a beer or 12...We ran into a couple of girls who worked at my Dentist's office. Ron hit it off with Debbie and after a whirlwind relationship the got married...Still together...

Also, Garlits went to the final round that weekend. He was scheduled to meet Grant Stoms in the final that got rained out. Postponed to the next weekend, Garlits came back and Stoms blew him into the weeds...

"Big" has never seen this picture and he'll probably be pissed if he does, so don't tell him, please?

"Berserko Bob" Doerrer
berserkobob@earthlink.net