January 15, 2021, I could only post a picture, I could not find the words that I felt would do better at telling everyone  how I wanted to remember Gavin.

I have since shared my story of meeting Gavin with some, most recently at our PCA awards dinner in November at Sebring. I hope my story brings joy to everyone that reads it, I can say this, it brings me joy to share my story and sadnesses that I do not have more.

If my memory serves me correctly, I started helping with cone placement on the racetrack at Sebring in Early 2017. Jeffrey Bauer asked if I would like to help him and Gavin place the cones for an event, the answer was immediately yes. I only had several years under my belt in DE and truly placed Gavin on a pedestal. Imagine how tall he would be then! Little did I know this first event was my training to take over cone duty for future events, Jeffrey duped me, so he thought. I would have paid to drive my truck around the track in the early morning hours with Gavin talking racing line and car placement. For the next year or so at every event I would meet Gavin in the hot pits with a pickup full of orange cones and a cold bottle of water in the cup holder for him at 6:45. There was plenty of conversation at each turn-in, apex, and track out, it just wasn’t with me. The conversation was Gavin talking out loud trying to determine the ideal location of cone placement factoring in many variables. The weather, hot or cold track, tires, car, and driver are just a few. Then it was “Brad move that cone 3” left, ok move it back an inch, ok left again”.  The drive between corners was quiet, no personal talk, no “Brad do you want to get a beer after the track goes cold”.  Getting to hear his conversations and riding around the track with him was priceless, I didn’t miss an event!

My relationship with Gavin changed one morning while on cone duty. I had recently purchased a John Deere tractor for the six acres we own and raise some cattle. The dealership gave me two ball caps when they delivered the tractor to my home. While at the track my Porsche cap lived on my head and my John Deere cap on the dashboard. We did not make it to turn three before Gavin asks “what’s that Brad?”, “a John Deere ball cap”, “why do you have a John Deere ball cap?” I explained why I bought the tractor and our conversation that morning was over the top. Gavin was genuinely interested in me and shared lots about himself  growing up on a farm. I would be exaggerating but I think we just drove around throwing the cones out the window hoping they’d land where we wanted them to, we were too busy talking about tractors, farms and family. The next event there was the second ball cap on the dashboard passenger side. Gavin wore the cap to the driver’s meeting and told the crowd a friend of his gave it to him! I cannot count how many diners I was invited to with Gavin and Amy’s friends and clients after that. The most memorable and humbling was an invite to dinner with Gavin, Amy and Joe Bank, that was special!

I live on the east coast in Stuart, Florida. Amy calls one day and tells me they have a business meeting in Stuart and would like to stop by for a visit. Wow! I never cleaned so much house in my life, windows, bathrooms, vacuuming and polishing.  l was excited! We sat in the living room for a bit, opened a bottle of wine, the best one I had of course and soon after, headed out to my shop. We exited the house through the garage, Gavin gave a glance at the two Porsches parked in there but was on a mission. I open up the bay doors and no interest in the modified Porsche on the lift giving clear view of all the parts I had added. Straight to the John Deere, it starts, it’s in gear, and it starts driving down the street with Gavin behind the wheel. We shared dinner that night at a local farm to table restaurant and had a wonderful time. 

There were more mornings placing cones and more invites, but not enough! Amy passed on the Chief Track Instructor role to me and I still place the cones every event. Turn 5 and 17 are my favorites, you could loose 5 pounds running back and forth from cone to cone , “ Brad move it 2” to the left, an inch forward, now back to the first cone”.  Every morning of every event I get to watch the sunrise over Sebring, place the cones exactly where Gavin would want (to the best of my ability), and reflect on all the good memories.

Miss you buddy!