As we begin a new year, we take time to remember some of those in the classic car community who left us in 2018 (presented here in chronological order of their passing):
Otto Linton, last surviving participant in first Watkins Glen sports car race
Edwin “Dick” Barton, chief mechanic, Brian Lister Light Engineering Limited
Dan Gurney, racing driver and car builder
Roy Fjastad, racing product innovator and creator of hex-drive Dzus fastener
Henry Hope-Frost, Goodwood and F1 broadcaster
Sigfried Rauch, actor and Steve McQueen’s rival in ‘Le Mans’
Stanley Torgenson, former owner of ICA Classic Car Auctions
Charles Strang Jr., inventive motorsports engineer for Kiekhaefer team
John Miles, Team Lotus driver
Martin Birrane, racer and owner of Lola Cars
Tom ‘The Mongoose” McEwen, drag racer and Hot Wheels promoter
Marcel De Ley, metalshaping expert and coachbuilder
Dave Maraj, founder of Champion Porsche dealership and racing team
Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat Chrysler and Ferrari
George Tuma, co-owner of Historic Sportscar Racing
Don Panoz, sports car manufacturer and race track owner
William B. Ruger Jr., car collector and gun manufacturer
Bob Jane, Australian racer and Thunderdome speedway builder
Terry Adderley, prominent car collector
Mari Hulman George, matriarch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Kitty O’Neil, stunt woman and women’s speed record holder
David Pearson, NASCAR racer
Irv Gordon, drove his Volvo P1800 several million miles
Charles Seaberg, Australian car restorer, collector and transport specialist
Michael Paul Smith, Elgin Park scale-model maker/photographer
Sam Foose, hot-rod builder and father of Chip Foose
Michael Cook, long-time British car company publicist in the U.S.
Pete Biro, motorsports photographer
Jim Perkins, auto executive who saved the Corvette from extinction in the late 1990s
THEY. WERE ALL CAR LOVERS. AT HEART THAT WILL NEVER. END
I was not aware that David Pearson had passed. When did he pass? He was a legendary NASCAR driver who always ran a good race. The on-track competitions between him and Richard Petty were legendary! And mostly always clean, as neither driver wished to do the other one any real harm.
Oh, dear God- I had no idea Dave Pearson had gone to the Hall of Fame in the sky.
When NASCAR was real, and it was Pearson/Petty/Yarbrough/Isaacs… My lil brother was Petty blue and I was always gentleman Dave. So, so sorry for his family.
The "21" Purolator Mercury lives in my heart, and I don’t believe any NASCAR rivalry has been as closely fought- with real, "factory" looking cars(!)- as that between the King Richard and the Silver Fox.
Another piece of my youth gone, and I’m quite surprised that this hurt so much.
Rest, Mr. Pearson. Rest well. You deserve peace.
-R