STEVE GIBBS – ENJOYING A NEW ROLE
Steve Gibbs knows his role and even though it’s not an official title, he has no problem with it. “I’ve become an elder statesman for some of the things the NHRA does,” Gibbs said. “That’s certainly not an official title but when you’ve been around long enough, those kinds of things happen.”
Some of those capacities include delivering eulogies such as the one he most recently delivered at former NHRA Division 3 icon Bob Daniels funeral and a special Cacklefest during the NHRA AAA Finals honoring his former employer and NHRA founder Wally Parks.
“I got a phone call from the NHRA asking me to take care of it,” Gibbs said. “I would have done anything for Wally. That’s the kind of stuff that I do.”
Gibbs labels himself “an old retired guy on a pension.”
A quarter century as NHRA Competition director, Gibbs prefers keeping drag racing’s glory years alive …
Steve Gibbs knows his role and even though it’s not an official title, he has no problem with it.
“I’ve become an elder statesman for some of the things the NHRA does,” Gibbs said. “That’s certainly not an official title but when you’ve been around long enough, those kinds of things happen.”
Some of those capacities include delivering eulogies such as the one he most recently delivered at former NHRA Division 3 icon Bob Daniels funeral and a special Cacklefest during the NHRA AAA Finals honoring his former employer and NHRA founder Wally Parks.
“I got a phone call from the NHRA asking me to take care of it,” Gibbs said. “I would have done anything for Wally. That’s the kind of stuff that I do.”
Gibbs labels himself “an old retired guy on a pension.”
If it has to do with preserving the history of the NHRA then Gibbs is the man. After all, Gibbs helped create that history.
Gibbs served as the NHRA’s Competition Director for twenty-five years before hanging up his radio in 1997. He didn’t remain idle, opting to assist Parks and the NHRA in creating the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, Ca.
I had used up a lot of my energy reserves. Twenty five years is a pretty long time to do that. I don’t know many competition directors of the major motorsports venues who have put in that kind of time. It was time for me. - Steve Gibbs on knowing when it was time to retire
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Even though the project has been up and running for many years, Gibbs can’t seem to walk away.
“I’m still a consultant for the NHRA and I serve as a consultant for the NHRA Motorsports Museum,” Gibbs said. “I play an active role in the two reunion events – the one at Bakersfield, I pretty much have that one started. I still ride along with most of the events. I’m still active in the nostalgia portion of the NHRA events.”
Yesterday the NHRA announced plans for their NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series. This will be a gathering of the various major nostalgia shows throughout the country. He said the new series cannot be construed as the NHRA getting into the nostalgia business.
“They’re not going to get involved in it from a standpoint of producing events,” Gibbs said. “I think you’ll see the NHRA try to tie some existing events in there together with the events in Bakersfield [California] and Boise [Idaho]. They are going to throw them together as a series but you won’t see an all-out nostalgia series from the NHRA.”
Does Gibbs miss the position he once held with the NHRA that is now filled by Graham Light?
“I miss a lot of it,” Gibbs said. “There are other parts that I feel like I put in 25 years and 400 national events – it’s someone else’s turn. Graham Light has a tough job and I don’t miss some of the elements that he has to deal with. The stakes have gotten a lot higher now. It’s a bigger program and more involved. I did what I did when I was involved in it and I think I did a good job but it’s someone else’s turn.”
Gibbs knew the time had come at the end of 1997 to walk away.
“For me it was,” Gibbs said. “I had used up a lot of my energy reserves. Twenty five years is a pretty long time to do that. I don’t know many competition directors of the major motorsports venues who have put in that kind of time. It was time for me. The Museum was taking shape and I say that as a place I wanted to go with my life. The timing was right for me to step away from the national event tour.”
Gibbs invested six years of assistance into bringing the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum to fruition. He runs at an easier pace, but added all things can test the emotions along the way.
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“There are headaches in everything you do,” Gibbs said. “There aren’t as many for me because I’m not as deeply involved as I used to be. When you run two reunion events with 400 cars and you’re handling the scheduling and fighting weather – throw in rules and regulations – there’s aggravation that comes with the job. That’s part of the job.”
Gibbs had 17 races tops per season in his time with the NHRA. That came at the end of his career.
“You were still on the road a lot,” Gibbs said. “In the middle of the season, it takes its toll on you. That’s why I love what I am doing today because it doesn’t take the same kind of toll. I get to fill my roles of being grandfather, husband, and still having fun traveling – doing those things we missed while I was working. There’s a price that you pay when you have a job like that and family takes a backseat to all of it. I did that for many years and now I’m trying to make up for it. I do think I’d die of boredom if I didn’t have something to do. I try to find a happy medium between home and spending time handling the special projects for the NHRA.”
Gibbs has watched a few friends pass away and the health of other acquaintances fall on hard times. He counts his blessings daily that he’s remain somewhat on the good side of the medical chart.
Gibbs, however, can’t help but get emotional when thinking of his longtime friend Wally Parks’ passing.
“Wally was a tough one to deal with,” Gibbs said. “I had worked with him for nearly forty years. It still doesn’t seem real. As far as me, I’m still here and pushing 70 years old. I can get out and go all day long and get up the next morning and do it again. I’m lucky for that. A lot of people my age are not doing so well. I’m fortunate that I’ve had a good long run at this.”
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