Don Carlton

Don Carlton was a driver for more than one car/team. He was a driver for 'The Rod Shop' as well as 'Sox & Martin' before driving the 'Mopar Missle'.

Carlton's racing career began while he was still working in the furniture factories near his home in Lenoir, North Carolina. Like many drag racers of that era, he put in long hours at the factory before going home to work well into the night on his cars. Weekends for him could include as many as four races, many of which were hundreds of miles from home.

Subject ID: 35196

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Don Carlton was a driver for more than one car/team. He was a driver for 'The Rod Shop' as well as 'Sox & Martin' before driving the 'Mopar Missle'.

Carlton's racing career began while he was still working in the furniture factories near his home in Lenoir, North Carolina. Like many drag racers of that era, he put in long hours at the factory before going home to work well into the night on his cars. Weekends for him could include as many as four races, many of which were hundreds of miles from home.

The typical drag racer of the late '60s spent a considerable amount of his own money building-and rebuilding-his car, only to spend more of his money taking that car to the track. Every now and then, he might win a race and recover a small portion of what he invested, but it was not a sport that made people wealthy.

Things started to change during the '67 and '68 racing seasons. Before that time, a guy working out of his own basement or garage could show up and be competitive. By 1970, it was very difficult for the weekend guys to compete with the full-time teams.

With a major sponsor of his own, Chrysler, Carlton left his job at the furniture factory and became a full-time drag racer. He was now able to implement many of the things he wanted to try with his cars, but couldn't afford in the past. The relationship with the factory allowed him access to professional automotive engineers from Chrysler's racing and testing programs. With a new team, new cars, and corporate funding behind him, Carlton was winning championships, setting records, and making a living doing what he loved to do.

Subject ID: 35196

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