The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series is proud to present the 7th 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 2015 Terry Gibson Memorial Champion.
This race is one of the most anticipated events of the season and will take place over the course of two nights at the online version of Sandusky Speedway Tuesday and Wednesday.
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. Brother Jeff (Shannon) Gibson followed Terry in death in 2012.
Everything kicks off at 8pm Tuesday, January 13 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 14.
Winning the Terry Gibson 100 will put that driver’s name in the running for a guaranteed starting spot for the SUPRS Summit 125 coming up at the end of the season.
In the six previous renditions of the 100 lap event, just three drivers have been winners of the Terry Gibson Memorial, making this special race one of SUPRS hardest to win. 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 and disqualified.
Ray Sand, Jr. battled Maxon for the win again in 2012. 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. Last year, the Rochester, NY native made a surprise pass on leader Steve Callahan to win his third straight Terry Gibson Memorial 100. Sand, Jr., the reigning SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Champion has run a part-time schedule but can never be counted out when it comes to doing well at the big races. 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 Myles Maxon has announced his intentions to compete in the Terry Gibson Memorial. Maxon has six wins on the season so far and enjoys a commanding lead in the point standings. He has battled Sand, Jr. each time the two have met on the track this year and while he hasn’t run all the Terry Gibson Memorial races like Sand, Jr. has, his finishing record is just as good from a percentage standpoint and if anyone can put the “Sandman” to sleep, it’s “Mighty” Myles Maxon.
Steve Callahan(55) encounters lapped traffic in the 2014 Terry Gibson Memorial 100 as Ray Sand, Jr.(18) and Rob Warren(35) stay close.
Veteran SUPRS pilot “Steady” Steve Callahan of Cayuhoga Falls, OH will be another driver to watch. His recent string of podium finishes and stellar performance in last two Terry Gibson Memorial 100 races indicates that Callahan is a threat to the Sand, Jr. and Maxon dominance of this race. For two years in a row, it looked like Callahan had a lock on the top step of the podium only to have his hopes dashed in the closing stages of each race. Last year was particularly heart-breaking as he met lapped traffic with less than ten laps to go, losing the lead and win to Sand, Jr. Callahan has rarely been out of the top 10 finishing positions of this race, so this could be his year to win the big one.
Joining the aforementioned trio as contenders is “Rocket” Rob Warren. Warren is chasing Callahan in the points, but the Sandusky track is one that suits his ‘slower is faster’ driving strategy. Twice in the last three years the driver of the First to Finish Docks & Hoists machine has crossed the line in third place. When he’s had a good night this year, it’s been great, stacking up four wins so far and second only to points leader Maxon in that category. But when it’s been bad, it’s been horrible, with finishes near the bottom of the roster in nearly half of the races run so far. This race could be the one that catapults Warren past Callahan in the standings and puts him into second overall which is where he was running last year coming in this event.
Carl Becker, Kevin Timmins, Dave Brigandi, Bob Gangwer, Domenic Gioia and Joey Callahan are also expected to battle it out at Sandusky while Chris Meyers and Keith Powell are possible entries.
Doug “Flash” Forgue built the SUPRS version of Sandusky Speedway 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.
Fans of supermodified racing and online sim racers alike can learn more about the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series by visiting www.SUPRS.net, “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Circling SUPRS on Google+, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and Viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube.
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.
- 2014 Terry Gibson Memorial 100 Champion: Ray Sand, Jr.
Terry Gibson Memorial Race Night Times and Schedule of Events:
Tuesday, January 13: Practice: 8:00pm Drivers Meeting: 8:15pm Racing: 8:45pm NO TIME TRIALS
Wednesday, January 14: Practice: 8:00pm Drivers Meeting: 8:15pm Time Trials: 8:30pm Heats: 8:40pm B-Main-8:50pm Consi-9:00pm Driver Introductions:9
