Saying good-bye to Gary Storey

Family and friends gathered today in Albia to say good-bye to Gary Storey. Only 59, Gary lost a battle with cancer on September 23, and with his passing, the racing community lost one of its biggest fans.
I'd like to have a dollar for every mile Gary drove to watch a race; I'd even settle for a dollar for every race he went to. Look up "super fan" on Wikipedia, and I'm sure they mention Gary there somewhere - the man loved to go to the races. Even in declining health, he managed to make it to six shows this year. Only one thing could keep Gary from racing, and he met up with that last week. Of course by now, he's probably racing somewhere we can only imagine.
When Gary was on the road, you could run across him about anywhere in the country, especially if it was early or late in the season, and, hundreds of miles from home. Just when you thought you were the only person from Iowa that could possibly be at a particular show, you'd run into Gary. It was amazing.
I enjoyed getting to chat with Gary. I found him to be a valuable resource when it came to learning about places I was going to for the first time. Since Gary had raced about everywhere, he could fill you in on what you were going to find when you got there. I also trusted his judgement, even though he was a super fan, I felt he gave an honest opinion to what he thought about the show he had seen at a particular track. As valuable as the Speedway Directory is to a race fan, people like Gary eclipse that by a long shot, giving you the first-person scoop on a track or a race. I will miss his viewpoint.
Fittingly enough, at Gary's memorial service today, there were people present in race shirts, and even the pastor was a racer, as Sonny Smyser offered final thoughts and prayer for those assembled.
This season, I missed not seeing Gary as much as usual at Oskaloosa and Knoxville as he fought his battle. Now that we have lost him, it is kind of an empty feeling, knowing I'll never see him there, or anywhere else again - at least not for a while; because if Gary has found somewhere else to race, I'm sure I'll see him at that track someday too. Race fans do find a way to get to race!
We miss you Gary, and will think of you a lot when the green flag flies.