DON GAY , CO FOUNDER OF HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK PASSED AWAY SATURDAY, JUNE 30TH AT HIS HOME. DON HAD A LONG AFFILIATION WITH PONTIAC AND HAD THE FAMILY OWNED PONTIAC DEALERSHIP IN DICKINSON. HE WAS ONE OF THE PIONEERS IN FUNNY CAR RACING IN THE 60'S - 70'S .

JACK

Sad day indeed. Prayers are with the family.

artiacl found in SUPER/STOCK & DRAG ILLUSTATED 1968

Nice person indeed, sorry to hear about this. (*Jack, the above photo is from DIMS, I recognize the staging lane designators)

NHRA WEB SITE

Early Funny Car pioneer Don Gay Sr. dies

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Don Gay Sr., a pioneer Funny Car racer known for his and brother Roy's line of Infinity Pontiac race cars, died June 30 at his home in League City, Texas, after a long illness. He was 60.

Gay began his driving career in his teens with a Pontiac stocker and later switched to altered-wheelbase machines that ultimately became today's Funny Cars, and brother Roy later took over the helm.

In the late years, he was active in the family automotive business, known as Gay Pontiac, Buick and GMC as well as Houston Raceway Park, where he was previous co-owner. Two of his sons, Don Jr. and Shane, followed their father to the cockpit on the dragstrip. Don Jr., had a successful career in Alcohol Funny Car but retired from the cockpit after an accident in a nitro Funny Car. Shane also had a winning career in the Super classes and in Alcohol Dragster.

Don Gay Sr. is survived by his mother, Marie Gay; four sons, Don Gay Jr. and wife, Kim, Shane and wife, Kate, Darren, and Glenn; two grandchildren, Eli and Caleb; former wives, Dawna Gay and Peggy Gay. He was preceded in death by his father, Carl and brother, Roy.

The family will receive friends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, July 2, with a wake at 6 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in League City. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, at St. Mary's in League City. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Dickinson.

I got to know Don when I was announcing at HRP 86-88 racing seasons (Wednesday nights).

He was a great and sincere man, he was also a man of integrity. Great loss for the racing community but Heaven has scored another victory.

Nick Tha P....

Definatley the "End of an ERA".

Made my first pass at Don Gays track in Dickinson
Won my first bracket race at Don Gays track in Baytown

The Houston Area Drag Racing Scene owe ALOT to the Gay family

God Bless & GOD SPEED DON!

Tommy Douglas
Crazy 8's Racing

WHEELS UP DON!!!

I fell in love with drag racing in the early 90's at Houston Raceway Park and have been hooked ever since. He will be missed, and our prayers will be with the family.

I remember seeing this car when I went to the tracks in Kansas City when I was a small boy and got to meet both my cousins Don and Roy. I will never forget that day.
Then years later our family moved to Houston from Kansas City. I recall sneaking into the race track in Dickinson with my high school friends from Clear Lake High watching the drags. Those were some good times!!!