Bob Creitz, one of the most prominent Top Fuel racers in Oklahoma drag racing history, died Aug. 29 after a long battle with cancer.

Creitz’s cars enjoyed great success. Known as an engine wizard, he began racing in the 1950s in Topeka, then relocated to Tulsa, Okla., to open the state’s first speed shop and ­specialized in early Chrysler Hemis. After driver Vic Brown set a 7.26 Top Fuel record in 1966, Creitz closed the shop to race full time.

With driver Gene Goleman, he was runner-up at the 1967 Winternationals and later that year, with Brown driving, recorded the first six-second pass in Nationals history. Creitz and Brown also won the 1968 PDA event (the last 64-car Top Fuel show) at Orange County Int’l Raceway. Brown drove Creitz’s last car, at the 1972 Supernationals, where they defeated Mike Snively despite Snively’s historic 5.97 run and finished as runner-up to Don Moody.

Creitz won the inaugural PHR Championships in 1969 and the AHRA World Finals also in 1969 with driver Steve Carbone and tuned Richard Tharp to incredible successes on the match race trail.

Creitz, known for his sense of humor and as an innovative practical joker, was a member of the unofficial group of hard-core fuel racers known as the “Greek Fleet.”

Services are pending.