The first of race of the 2014 SUPRS Triple Crown and one of the most anticipated events of the season will take place with the running of the 6th Annual Terry Gibson Memorial this week.
Featuring two nights of racing and honoring the late Terry Gibson, the SUPRS pilots will be looking to pick up valuable championship points and more importantly the prestige of being named 2014 Terry Gibson Memorial Champion.
Gibson lost his life during a heat race for the Midwest Supermodified Association at Toledo Speedway on July 18, 2008. Terry is survived by his wife Linda, son, Ryan W. Gibson; a daughter, Lindsay N. Kincaid; his mother and father Todd & Brenda Gibson, two brothers, Gene Lee (Lucinda) Gibson, Sandusky; Larry (Lisa) Gibson, Marysville; and a sister, Deb (Randy McElroy) Brady, Richwood. Terry was followed in death by his brother Jeff (Shannon) Gibson in 2012.
Everything kicks off at 8pm Tuesday, January 14 with practice for the Terry Gibson Fast 50 which many of the drivers use as a tune up for the next night. The winner of this race becomes a guaranteed starter for the Terry Gibson Memorial 100 which takes place on Wednesday, January 15.
Winning the Terry Gibson 100 will put that drivers name in the running for the 2014 SUPRS Triple Crown which features the Terry Gibson Memorial 100, the SUPRS All-Star Classic 200 and the Topless! 200. Winning the 100 lap grind will also make that driver a guaranteed starter for the SUPRS Season Summit 125 coming up at the end of the season.
In the six year history of the 100 lap event, there have only been three different winners of the Terry Gibson Memorial, proving what a tough and unpredictable race that it can be. Oswego, New York’s “Mighty” Myles Maxon brought home the inaugural race in 2009. In 2010 Californian John Davidson won and then Maxon came back in 2011 to win amid a controversial finish that resulted in Dave Biro III being penalized for rough driving.
Ray Sand, Jr. battle Maxon for the win again in 2012 and then in 2013, he. joined Myles Maxon as a two-time winner of this event and became the first racer to win it back to back. Sand, Jr. has been having a banner year, now leading the pack with five feature wins this season. Sand, Jr. is also the current track record holder at Sandusky Speedway, has come out on top of time trials for this race a record four times and has won the Fast 50 prelim twice.
He’ll have his work cut out for him though as his arch rival Maxon has announced his intentions to compete in this years Terry Gibson Memorial. Maxon has been absent from the online racing scene since challenging Sand, Jr. for the 2013 SUPRS Gold Crest Non-Wing Championship and is ready to get back behind the wheel of his racing rig.
Veteran SUPRS pilot Gary Waldron is expected to compete and if his performance in last year’s event is any indication, he could be considered a threat to the Sand, Jr. and Maxon dominance of Terry Gibson Memorial Week.
Joining Waldron will be his Michigan Hill Gang teammate Carl Becker who has three feature wins this season and sits in the top five for championship points. Also with three wins is “Rocket” Rob Warren. Warren is chasing Sand, Jr. in the points, but the Sandusky track is one that suits his ‘slower is faster’ driving strategy.
“Steady” Steve Callahan, while maintaining a top five in points, has been locked out of victory lane so far this year and would love nothing more than to pick up his first checkered flag of the season at his home track.
Kevin Timmins, Dave Brigandi, and Frank Keene are also expected to compete as they look for their first Gold Crest feature win points race.
The SUPRS version of Sandusky Speedway was built by Doug “Flash” Forgue as part of SUPRS ongoing commitment to focus on race tracks that have traditionally featured supermodified racing. Development began in June of 2008, with the final product being released in September 2008.
Terry Gibson Memorial 100-Wing-Sandusky Speedway History
- 2009 Terry Gibson Memorial 100 Champion: Myles Maxon
- 2010 Terry Gibson Memorial 100 Champion: John Davidson
- 2011 Terry Gibson Memorial 100 Champion: Myles Maxon
- 2012 Terry Gibson Memorial 100 Champion: Ray Sand, Jr.
- 2013 Terry Gibson Memorial 100 Champion: Ray Sand, Jr.
Terry Gibson Memorial Week Race Night Times and Schedule of Events:
Tuesday, January 14: Practice: 8:00pm Drivers Meeting: 8:15pm Racing: 8:30pm NO TIME TRIALS
Wednesday, January 15: Practice: 8:00pm Drivers Meeting: 8:15pm Time Trials: 8:30pm Heats: 8:40pm B-Main-8:50pm Consi-9:00pm Driver Introductions:9
