Carspotting: From NFL To NHRA, Pastorini Was A Winner

Already a winning oval racer by age nine, Dante “Dan” Pastorini is that rare athlete who rose to the tippy-top of two totally-different professional sports, winning NFL playoff games plus one Top Fuel title—a 1986 Southern Nationals shocker that still ranks among NHRA’s biggest upsets. Retirement from football following college stardom and 13 pro seasons enabled pursuit of lifelong fantasies about beating his childhood heroes at their own game. Indeed, when Don Garlits won history’s then-quickest side-by-side race in 5.42 seconds, it was Pastorini’s 5.49 pushing from the other lane. Despite becoming only the third driver to 270 mph and finishing as high as seventh in NHRA points, Dan never obtained the major sponsorship necessary to sustain a championship-level attack and reluctantly retired after the 1987 season. 

Date: circa 1958 

Photographer: Unknown

Location: Unknown

Source:  Wallace Family Archive

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