August 20, 2025 • 9 mins
Top Fuel Drag Racer Bruce Litton whets our appetite for BIG action at the World Series of Drag Racing this weekend in Cordova, IL!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, Hello, is this the lovely and Vivacious Bruce Litton.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
You can on the latter half probably is about the
first half.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Once you get to the once you get to Cordova
this weekend, you'll be vivacious.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
You'll be lovely.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Three hundred miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, this is Pat and Danny Bruce. Thank you so
much for taking our call today.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I'm looking forward to talking to you, I think, uh
uh uh. It's always great to get rid of all
prepared for a big race, So so looking forward to
hearing from you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, and you've been doing this for a little while,
a couple of days.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, yeah, this will be I think this marks my
thirtieth year in top Field. Woo. You know we long time.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Yeah, we we saw by checking out part of your
bio that you really didn't you start just by doing
the motorcycle. And then we saw we've got a little
bit of the description of maybe what turned you away
from the motorcycles a little bit. We so part of
the description on that accident that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, yeah, I have a bad accident and uh I
was only twenty six years old at the time, and
I was raised on top Field. Motorcycles and and uh,
you know it's kind of over that. That pretty much
ended my career. So I on motorcycles. So I switched
over to cars, and and uh, we we have been
running running cars since then. We got into alcohol dragsters
(01:29):
and we had had a little bit of success doing that,
and then and then we uh, things turned to turn
to drop fuel and that's that's we've been running top
field ever since then.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
You know, I I love how even though you're on
the edge of I mean, bad things can happen all
the time. You would think switching from the motorcycles to
go to the to where you are right now, I
would have tried like stamp collecting, Why did you kind
of something a little bit shaper, but.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Sometimes you get sometimes you get sticky stamps.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
You know that's paper cups. Paper cuts can happen to
those are bad.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Just for our listeners, Bruce, a couple of things that
maybe they would recognize you like some of the awards.
What have you been able to tackle in your career.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I've been pretty fortunate, really, We've We've raced a long time.
So if you race a long time, you know, you know,
what do you say blind squirrel gets find a nut
at once while. So so you know, we I think
we've been in sixty six finals and that's in top
fuel and I think I'm want my twenty eight of them.
(02:38):
So you know, I love that we've been pretty fortunate.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I love that success rate and great and for people
that maybe you know, it's amazing. When we did the
we gave ways some tickets. It's amazing even though we
were giving people choices to it. Each person, whether they've
been up to Cordova or not. It's like it's it
is the granddaddy when we are talking about drag race.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Absolutely it's it's a seventy first annual you know, world series,
and that's that's unbelievable. I mean, you know, a lot
of changes in the world in seventy one years, but
that that's that race is still has that track. So
I think that that was really awesome. So uh, I
mean that speaks for itself and and uh you know,
uh and that's that's why it's build a builds up
(03:24):
hype and you know, because you know, because it is
the oldest running drag race in in the country, and uh,
you know, it makes everybody want to come see it
and and and come attend it because it's it's always
it's always a great show. And and this year, you know,
it looks up we've got a great weather forecastle. That'd
be awesome. And you got you've got a bunch of
good racist coming out there too, and.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Well and and when we talk about for some of
the people that are coming in maybe for the first time,
I mean there's a lot of people that have been
there multiple times. But who are some of the people
as they maybe don't have to look at their their
program to see who's all there? Who are some of
the other names along with you As we're talking to
Bruce Litten here, you're going to see him this weekend
(04:07):
up at Cordova. Some of the other names that people
should at least be aware of that are going to
be there this weekend too.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Well in Top toyl I know that Scott Palmer is
going to be there. He was there last year. He's
got a great run car. Mitch King, He's going to
be there. You know, there's gonna be Dale Warshall is
going to be there. He's gonna be in a funny
car and uh uh, he's gonna be running. Gets Tim Wilkerson,
and you know, there's and there's other funny cars like
(04:34):
Joey host John Larson, I'm sorry, John Lawson. And then
then we got the all kinds of jet directors come in.
That's and those people are from Florida. I believe how
well they are from Florida. Their name is Larson, so uh,
and there's so there's all kinds of there's all kinds
of things. There's pro mode cars, there's wheel Sanders, uh
(04:57):
as a jet semi. So there's really a something for
everybody in the family to enjoy. You know, you've got
a whole variety of of of entertainment. You know, they
uh and they of course they're running in the evening.
So the feature show starts at six o'clock on both
Friday and Saturday. And you know, so uh cooler cooler airms,
(05:19):
you know, cars go faster, and besides that, then you
get to see the flames.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Oh yeah, uh yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
These these things have uh eight foot flames come out
at the exhaust. So it's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Yeah. I absolutely love racing, whether it's round a round
or straighty straight, I don't care. Let's get the blood
pumping and let's get people out there.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Oh yeah, absolutely, actually, you know, you know there's you
know what's great about you know, O'Reilly all the parts
is uh sponsoring this event, and and you can get
discount tickets. You know, discount tickets are available anyway, any
any location, so there's save you some money. And you know,
uh uh, there's it's always a good you know, they
(06:00):
got great concessions out there. There's there's all there's all
kinds of things for everybody to do, you know, all
day long.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Yeah, yes, Scott, Scott Gardner and the gang. Scott and
the gang have done a fantastic job of keeping getting
the track looking good here. And when we go back
to the competition, because there's a part of this where
people are just enjoying watching the cars go fast like
Ricky Bobby did in the Telenegga Nights, where I just
(06:27):
want to go fast, But there's a competition there too
along with camaraderie. You guys want to always promote the sport,
but you also want to beat the next person next
right next to you in that other lane.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Oh absolutely absolutely. I mean, you know, if you don't
look try to win, why go up there? You know,
so I will always you know. Uh, well, we like
to put on a good show. That's the first thing.
But you know, second off, you know, we like to
turn the way light on and all. And every racer,
I don't care if yeah, if he says he don't
(06:59):
really mean that he's lying to you. Every racer wants
to win every around, and uh, you know, that's just
that's just in us. You know, we've done it so
long that you know, you can't get enough of it.
So it makes it addicting, you know. You you know,
you work hard and you go out and you display
that your team's how good you know, your team assembling
(07:19):
these cars and stuff and and and it's just, you know,
we just want to start and turn the wind line.
That's just that's just something that's in your heart that
you want to do.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
You know, my dad when he was in high school,
took out a four forty r T to our area
drag and uh, once you catch the fever, I'm telling you,
you never lose it.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh that's that's absolutely true. I know I started going
to school, I'm when I when I started going to
drag races. I was twelve, thirteen, fourteen years old, you know,
and uh, uh you know, went with my brother and stuff,
and you know, and it's stuck with me since then.
So you know, you just you know, if you love
cars or have anything to do with cars, you love
(07:58):
drag racing. And now these cars are so fast it's
it's unbelievable. You know, these cars, you know, the Field cars,
you know they produced eleven twelve thousand horsepar and and
you get a pair of those to go down to
track it you know, they sunder, you know, they they
shakes the ground and it shakes, it shakes your whole body,
you know. So it's it's a it's quite a feeling.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Well, Bruce Litton, best of luck this weekend and.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Should trip that green again or whatever however you shd it. Hey,
let's let's go for another final and another win this weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Oh absolutely, yeah, yeah, that's what that's what our mindset
is at every race we go to and and uh,
you know, it's that's we just what we do. And
then I see all these guys that we race, the
guests all the time, and uh, you know, like and
like you said earlier, you know they could be your
best buddy, but when you race them, you want to
beat them.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well again, Bruce, Best of luck, World Series of Drag Racing.
It's the grand Daddy. You're not going to want to
miss at Cordova this weekend starting Friday night. And best
of luck.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you calling me
Hello, Hello, is this the lovely and Vivacious Bruce Litton.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
You can on the latter half probably is about the
first half.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Once you get to the once you get to Cordova
this weekend, you'll be vivacious.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
You'll be lovely.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Three hundred miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, this is Pat and Danny Bruce. Thank you so
much for taking our call today.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I'm looking forward to talking to you, I think, uh
uh uh. It's always great to get rid of all
prepared for a big race, So so looking forward to
hearing from you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, and you've been doing this for a little while,
a couple of days.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, yeah, this will be I think this marks my
thirtieth year in top Field. Woo. You know we long time.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Yeah, we we saw by checking out part of your
bio that you really didn't you start just by doing
the motorcycle. And then we saw we've got a little
bit of the description of maybe what turned you away
from the motorcycles a little bit. We so part of
the description on that accident that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, yeah, I have a bad accident and uh I
was only twenty six years old at the time, and
I was raised on top Field. Motorcycles and and uh,
you know it's kind of over that. That pretty much
ended my career. So I on motorcycles. So I switched
over to cars, and and uh, we we have been
running running cars since then. We got into alcohol dragsters
(01:29):
and we had had a little bit of success doing that,
and then and then we uh, things turned to turn
to drop fuel and that's that's we've been running top
field ever since then.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
You know, I I love how even though you're on
the edge of I mean, bad things can happen all
the time. You would think switching from the motorcycles to
go to the to where you are right now, I
would have tried like stamp collecting, Why did you kind
of something a little bit shaper, but.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Sometimes you get sometimes you get sticky stamps.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
You know that's paper cups. Paper cuts can happen to
those are bad.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Just for our listeners, Bruce, a couple of things that
maybe they would recognize you like some of the awards.
What have you been able to tackle in your career.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I've been pretty fortunate, really, We've We've raced a long time.
So if you race a long time, you know, you know,
what do you say blind squirrel gets find a nut
at once while. So so you know, we I think
we've been in sixty six finals and that's in top
fuel and I think I'm want my twenty eight of them.
(02:38):
So you know, I love that we've been pretty fortunate.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I love that success rate and great and for people
that maybe you know, it's amazing. When we did the
we gave ways some tickets. It's amazing even though we
were giving people choices to it. Each person, whether they've
been up to Cordova or not. It's like it's it
is the granddaddy when we are talking about drag race.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Absolutely it's it's a seventy first annual you know, world series,
and that's that's unbelievable. I mean, you know, a lot
of changes in the world in seventy one years, but
that that's that race is still has that track. So
I think that that was really awesome. So uh, I
mean that speaks for itself and and uh you know,
uh and that's that's why it's build a builds up
(03:24):
hype and you know, because you know, because it is
the oldest running drag race in in the country, and uh,
you know, it makes everybody want to come see it
and and and come attend it because it's it's always
it's always a great show. And and this year, you know,
it looks up we've got a great weather forecastle. That'd
be awesome. And you got you've got a bunch of
good racist coming out there too, and.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Well and and when we talk about for some of
the people that are coming in maybe for the first time,
I mean there's a lot of people that have been
there multiple times. But who are some of the people
as they maybe don't have to look at their their
program to see who's all there? Who are some of
the other names along with you As we're talking to
Bruce Litten here, you're going to see him this weekend
(04:07):
up at Cordova. Some of the other names that people
should at least be aware of that are going to
be there this weekend too.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Well in Top toyl I know that Scott Palmer is
going to be there. He was there last year. He's
got a great run car. Mitch King, He's going to
be there. You know, there's gonna be Dale Warshall is
going to be there. He's gonna be in a funny
car and uh uh, he's gonna be running. Gets Tim Wilkerson,
and you know, there's and there's other funny cars like
(04:34):
Joey host John Larson, I'm sorry, John Lawson. And then
then we got the all kinds of jet directors come in.
That's and those people are from Florida. I believe how
well they are from Florida. Their name is Larson, so uh,
and there's so there's all kinds of there's all kinds
of things. There's pro mode cars, there's wheel Sanders, uh
(04:57):
as a jet semi. So there's really a something for
everybody in the family to enjoy. You know, you've got
a whole variety of of of entertainment. You know, they
uh and they of course they're running in the evening.
So the feature show starts at six o'clock on both
Friday and Saturday. And you know, so uh cooler cooler airms,
(05:19):
you know, cars go faster, and besides that, then you
get to see the flames.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Oh yeah, uh yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
These these things have uh eight foot flames come out
at the exhaust. So it's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Yeah. I absolutely love racing, whether it's round a round
or straighty straight, I don't care. Let's get the blood
pumping and let's get people out there.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Oh yeah, absolutely, actually, you know, you know there's you
know what's great about you know, O'Reilly all the parts
is uh sponsoring this event, and and you can get
discount tickets. You know, discount tickets are available anyway, any
any location, so there's save you some money. And you know,
uh uh, there's it's always a good you know, they
(06:00):
got great concessions out there. There's there's all there's all
kinds of things for everybody to do, you know, all
day long.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Yeah, yes, Scott, Scott Gardner and the gang. Scott and
the gang have done a fantastic job of keeping getting
the track looking good here. And when we go back
to the competition, because there's a part of this where
people are just enjoying watching the cars go fast like
Ricky Bobby did in the Telenegga Nights, where I just
(06:27):
want to go fast, But there's a competition there too
along with camaraderie. You guys want to always promote the sport,
but you also want to beat the next person next
right next to you in that other lane.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Oh absolutely absolutely. I mean, you know, if you don't
look try to win, why go up there? You know,
so I will always you know. Uh, well, we like
to put on a good show. That's the first thing.
But you know, second off, you know, we like to
turn the way light on and all. And every racer,
I don't care if yeah, if he says he don't
(06:59):
really mean that he's lying to you. Every racer wants
to win every around, and uh, you know, that's just
that's just in us. You know, we've done it so
long that you know, you can't get enough of it.
So it makes it addicting, you know. You you know,
you work hard and you go out and you display
that your team's how good you know, your team assembling
(07:19):
these cars and stuff and and and it's just, you know,
we just want to start and turn the wind line.
That's just that's just something that's in your heart that
you want to do.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
You know, my dad when he was in high school,
took out a four forty r T to our area
drag and uh, once you catch the fever, I'm telling you,
you never lose it.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh that's that's absolutely true. I know I started going
to school, I'm when I when I started going to
drag races. I was twelve, thirteen, fourteen years old, you know,
and uh, uh you know, went with my brother and stuff,
and you know, and it's stuck with me since then.
So you know, you just you know, if you love
cars or have anything to do with cars, you love
(07:58):
drag racing. And now these cars are so fast it's
it's unbelievable. You know, these cars, you know, the Field cars,
you know they produced eleven twelve thousand horsepar and and
you get a pair of those to go down to
track it you know, they sunder, you know, they they
shakes the ground and it shakes, it shakes your whole body,
you know. So it's it's a it's quite a feeling.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Well, Bruce Litton, best of luck this weekend and.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Should trip that green again or whatever however you shd it. Hey,
let's let's go for another final and another win this weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Oh absolutely, yeah, yeah, that's what that's what our mindset
is at every race we go to and and uh,
you know, it's that's we just what we do. And
then I see all these guys that we race, the
guests all the time, and uh, you know, like and
like you said earlier, you know they could be your
best buddy, but when you race them, you want to
beat them.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well again, Bruce, Best of luck, World Series of Drag Racing.
It's the grand Daddy. You're not going to want to
miss at Cordova this weekend starting Friday night. And best
of luck.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you calling me
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