Nitro racer Gary Clapshaw, who once loaned his Spirit of Las Vegas dragster to Don Garlits for an attempt at running 300 miles per hour, has passed away.

Clapshaw died on December 15, 2019.

Clapshaw won the Funny Car title at the 1995 NHRA Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, Tenn., and later transitioned to dragsters where he reached the final round of the 2000 NHRA U.S. Nationals, losing to Tony Schumacher.

This classic video, produced in the early 1970s. explains the value of drag racing in the entertainment community. Plenty of old cars and interesting people in the promotional/documentary sport extolling the virtues of straight-line racing. - https://t.co/JWen3FleCM pic.twitter.com/8dfLpjs1vw

— Competition Plus (@competitionplus) December 8, 2019