Driver, owner, tuner

NHRA broadcaster Steve Evans referred to Pulde as “the finest driver to ever sit behind the wheel of a Funny Car.” Pulde was one of Funny Car’s top stars of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, capturing three IHRA Nitro Funny Car titles (1977, 1982, 1985) and a then-record 20 national victories, #2 all-time behind Mark Oswald. He also won six NHRA national events, the last in Dallas in 1996 subbing for the injured Whit Bazemore in the Smokin’ Joe’s Mustang. Pulde drove more than 70 Funny Cars in IHRA, NHRA, match races and the Hot Rod Heritage Series in a career that spanned five decades, but the ones he’s best known for are the series of War Eagles he built and ran with partner Mike Hamby. Their 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am was voted by fans one of the NHRA’s Top 20 Funny Cars of All Time in 2016. It set an NHRA record speed of 245 mph. He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.