Hi,
I believe that Clark Nichols is on this FOT list, but I'm posting this
to FOT "just in case". Sad news indeed.
rml
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 21:03:49 EST
From: CWNicholls@aol.com
Reply-To: ner@ner.org
To: ner@ner.org
Subject: [NER] Vintage Racing Community Mourns the Loss of Charlie Gibson
Vintage Racing Community Mourns the Loss of Charlie Gibson
Milton, NC-February 4th, 2004 The vintage racing community was rocked today
by news of the untimely death of Charles T. Gibson last night in a tragic
accident in Danville, Virginia. According to the Danville Register Bee,
police were called to a local truck and trailer leasing depot around 7:30 PM
Tuesday, where they found that Gibson had apparently unhooked a trailer in
the back lot of the building and was outside of his tractor when it rolled
over him. No one was operating the tractor at the time of the accident.
"Charlie", as he was affectionately known, was best known as a partner with
Dave Handy in their successful vintage and historic race preparation and
tire supply business, Sascosports, now located in Alton, Virginia at
Virginia International Raceway. Founded in 1977, in a shop that was part of
Gibson's house in Fairfield, Connecticut, Sascosports has become a leading
supplier of goods and services, especially tires, for vintag and
contemporary racers. Gibson had just recently returned from the Daytona
24-Hour sports car endurance race.
He was known as a fierce and gifted competitor on the racetrack, from humble
beginnings attending SCCA driver's school at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut in
an Austin-Healey Sprite in 1959, graduating to a Lotus 23, with which he won
the G Modified SCCA National Championship in 1967. A four-year stint in Pro
Formula Atlantic was next and, with the addition of a McLaren Can-Am car to
his stable in 1977, Gibson turned his attention to the sport of vintage
racing. Gibson most recently won the coveted Monoposto Racing Formula 70
Gilles Villeneuve Memorial Trophy in his March 79B Formula Atlantic twice.
Charlie Gibson was born in New York, attended Williams College and Harvard
University, ultimately earning his Master of Science in Engineering as well
as an MBA from Harvard. In college, Gibson was an enthusiastic and
competitive alpine skier, later serving as the President of the US Ski
Assocition. He began his career in the marketing department of IBM in 1962,
serving that company faithfully in areas of marketing, engineering and
business until his retirement and full-time devotion to the sport of vintage
and contemporary racing in 1988.
A leading light in the vintage and historic racing community, Gibson served
on the Board of Directors and as a competition instructor of the Vintage
Sports Car Club of America, Inc., competing often in his distinctive white
with orange 1959 Lola Mk 1. He operated one of the most successful vintage
racing events in the country for over a decade, the Lime Rock Park Vintage
Festival, held on Labor Day weekend at the picturesque circuit in
Northwestern Connecticut. He was a selfless promoter of the Monoposto racing
single-seater group and served in leadership positions with that national
organization.
Lime Rock Park Labor Day was emblematic of Charlie's exceptional knowledge
and impeccable credentials as a vintage racer who truly "gets it". In an era
were increasing participation and commercialism has emphasized "racing"
over the "pleasure of taking part", Gibson was extremely successful in
keeping the focus on the cars. The fact that Gibson knew just about everyone
personally insured that the weekend was considered a high point for racers
nation wide and labeled as a "must do" on their calendars. Anyone who spoke
with Charlie during those busy weekends could appreciate that quality. For
many, the way Gibson orchestrated that event was the epitome of what vintage
racing ought to be.
Our memory of Charlie may have been one of indefatigable "tire buster",
exceptional driver, forceful and effective leader and chair, successful
businessman and loyal friend, but in truth, Charlie Gibson was all those
things and many more.
Our prayers go out to his partner and friend, Dave Handy.
Clark
"Reality... it's not what you think."
Clark W. Nicholls
CWNicholls@aol.com
fax: 419-844-7564 (yes 419)
phone: 413-243-3433
I have the latest McAfee virus scanning software active at all times.
"The only problem with doing nothing is I'm never quite sure when I'm done."
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