Gary Beck

Gary Beck, born on 21 January 1941 in Seattle, Washington, is a two-time world champion drag racing driver. He was raised in the United States, married a Canadian and settled in her home city of Edmonton, Alberta, after competing in stock car racing before switching to drag racing. He came to international prominence in 1972 by winning the National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel title at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. In 1974 he won three NHRA and two American Hot Rod Association titles and the first of his two world championships. In 1983 he dominated Top Fuel again and won his second world championship. He retired from the NHRA tour in 1986 with 19 Top Fuel titles, entered the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 1999 and was ranked 24th on the NHRA Top 50 Drivers list.