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Guest - Jun 30, 2006 - 03:18 AM It's been almost two weeks since I received the devastating phone call of Dave's passing. I guess I have been in a bit of denial since then. You just felt he would come bouncing thru the shop door any minute with that grin going on and another story to tell. I have known Dave for quite a few years thru buisness and racing and always looked forward to meeting up with him. If you were not having a good day,by the time Dave was done you were laughing & smiling. He always had a way to make you forget about your problems and show you why life was great. Dave was full of life. He loved life!! My son had been racing in junior sprints on dirt and jr cascar since he was 9 years old. When he was 15 we had a discussion on the way home from racing at Peterbourgh speedway that he might be ready to move up into a Delaware weekly division. He wanted to try street stock. We contacted Dave to ask him about the idea. After all he was Mr. Street Stock. He told us he was having his sponser appreciation day in a couple weeks and bring Darrell out. We will put him in the car for a few laps and see how he does. We took him up on his generous offer. The first time out in the car Darrell was terrible. He had trouble even finding the proper gear. After a couple laps he came in very dissapointed with himself. Dave took him aside and calmed him down. there was another car out at the track that day sharing the time with bt racing and Dave took Darrell over to meet the owner and see if Darrell could take his car out. I thought what differance will that make. He couldn"t drive Dave's car so why would somebody else let him in theirs. Dave knew it was a simpler car to shift and handle and had figured out this would build Darrell's confidance back up. Sure enough that's what happened. He handled the other car no problem & by the end of the day took Dave's car out a couple times and did really well with it. Well enough that we took Darrell back to the track a week later on his own to see how well he could do with extended lap time. As Darrell said in his tribute it didn't go well. He got too brave too quick and stuffed the car into the backstretch wall after getting loose coming off turn two. Dave and I and Vic ran out to the wreck and the first words out of Dave's mouth were Are you all right. Darrell replied he was ok but he just wrecked the car. Dave replied" Car's can be fixed. As long as your allright that's the main thing." My son and I will never forget that. Mind you when we got back to the shop and saw how extensive the damage was he pulled me aside and in that famous grin of his said "Matt, it's not your lucky day" Needless to say we waited a couple more years before making the move the up to street stock but continued to drop in at bt racing for the stories and the great company and maybe the odd cold one. When we began our search for a suitable car again Dave was right there to take us around and help in the evaluation of the vehicles. In the end it was decided to take over a car already in construction at the bt race shop. I don't think Dave realized how inept I was at putting together a race car. If not for him, Vic, Sandi and all the rest of the bt racing guys who pitched in with a lending hand we would never had made it to the track. And with their expertise we were even somewhat competetive right out of the box. Dave quickly became the mentor to Darrell & his good friend Andrew Perkins who had also moved up into the street stock div. They both would listen intently to all the advice, critisisim and praise as they were coached along by Dave. As well i also tried to learn and absorb as much as i could from the bt racing crew. Over the last three years of being out at bt racing almost every night Darrell & myself got to know Dave and his family so much better. You couldn't ask for a better atmosphere to be around. The joking, laughing, story-telling, pranks and lessons we learned will be with us forever. There were nights Dave and I would end up discussing everything from race cars to buisness and one of his pet peeves, the seeming lack of customer service that abounds these days in buisness. As has been said previously, one of Dave's quotes was "people don't buy product from company's. They buy from people." That's what made him such a succsesful salesman. You couldn't help but want to deal with Dave. We've already read the stories about the save the cows, the bubble's glasses, the afro wig, the constantly running out of gas (ten bucks used to last me a week ) and all the fun he put into everyone's life he was around. I've never met anyone so ready and willing to help anybody with just about anything. Dave, you will be missed but never forgotten. My deepest sympathy to Heather, Kris and Jordon and the rest fo Dave's extended family. In closing ( I know I'm rambling), evereyone Dave came in contact with became better. A better racer. competitor, crewperson, worker or whatever. He made us all just better people for knowing him. God's speed and whip their butt's up there. We know you'll be smiling down on us. Just look for the brightest star in the sky!!! Matt Lake street stock #77 Heather - Posted: Jun 30, 2006 - 03:28 PM Post subject: Thank you from the Lawrence family I would like to thank all of you you have shared your thoughts and memories of Dave through this site, at the visitation and funeral service, phone calls, cards, at the house and at the track. The numbers are overwhelming. I would like to thank the entire Management and staff of Delaware Speedway for their very professional and dignified dedication on Friday night. To Brad Mcgonigle for his words of rememberance. Words cannot express my sense of loss at this time but I find comfort in knowing that your memories of Dave will keep him close. Thank you for your ongoing support and kindness. On behalf of Kris, Jo and the entire BT race team THANK YOU. Cherish every moment. Heather Lawrence 99 street stock - Posted: Jul 01, 2006 - 02:19 PM Post subject: Re: Please share your recollections of Dave Lawrence we have been racing with dave and his crew for 6 years and it didn't matter if you were a first place car or a last place car he always treated you with respect. always willing to loan you a part or give you a hand anyway he could ,he never forgot your name and always went through the pits to say hello to every one. friday nights will not be the same with out him shoving us past cars we couldn't pass on our own he made us look fast even when we were not ... he will be missed . From an anonymous email message ...
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