Edward “Ed” Gibbons Jr. was inducted posthumously into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame on Aug. 9 at Florence Speedway in Kentucky.
“Racing was his lifelong passion,” said Gibbons’ father, Slick Gibbons. “He drove with a cool head, always wanted to win, but wasn’t rough on his equipment.”
Gibbons is remembered as the dirt slinging late model driver that drove his No. 07 machine to more than 400 victories, including a $20,000 J.W. Hunt win in Concord, N.C., and a Carolina Clash Championship in 2001. Gibbons’ last win came at Fayettville Speedway on Oct. 4, 2008. He died from injuries sustained in a car wreck at the age of 46.
Fayettville Speedway honors Gibbons each year in a memorial race.
Slick, who also raced late models, was elated by the honor of his son being one of the five drivers chosen from more than 100 other racers.
“Ed had a short career and won a lot of races,” Slick said of his son’s 25-year racing career. “It shows how much he did and is a big honor.”
Among other items, the Gibbons family submitted a drivers suit, helmet, pictures and a racecar door panel signed by fans at the first Ed Gibbons Memorial race.
The ceremony meant a lot to Slick and his family.
“For Ed’s two sons to be able to participate in the ceremony was really nice,” he said. “For me, it makes me proud of my son and really shows how much he accomplished on the track.”
Ed’s son, Gib Gibbons, who won the Aug. 16 race at Screven’s Speedway, continues his father’s legacy, racing late models in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina.
Ed was inducted with Ken Walton, Steve Francis, Bob Kosiski and Denny Bonebrake.
Other notable drivers already inducted include Jack Boggs, Mike DuVall, Jeff Purvis, Buck Simmons, Freddy Smith, Scott Bloomquist, Red Farmer, Donnie Moran, Billy Moyer Jr., Chub Frank, Jack Pennington and Ralph Earnhardt.
Gibbons was also honored earlier as an inductee of the Cherokee Speedway Hall of Fame.
