04.07.03_007_GRB_UNK_0060_1.jpg (62906 bytes)

Photo ID # 04.07.03_007_GRB_UNK_0060_1
Car #: #7
Driver (s) : Mike Grbac
Location: Not Sure...Trenton or Langhorne?
Date: 1960's
Photographer: Unknown
Photo provided by: Chris Grbac
Comments: A Vault favorite, Mike Grbac in what I think was a purple and yellow sedan sponsored by King Chevrolet.  I have another picture of Mike a few years later in a #7 coupe during one of the Race of Champions at Trenton.  Definitely a legend...
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04/08/03 Sqzin Mike was a all around good down to earth guy. Just liked to have fun and race cars. My sister had his fan club in the 70's we had a lot of fun with it. Sure miss the old days. (I remember the black helmet with the gold band that stopped in the back he'd never let me see it he was definitely a cool guy).    Thanks for the memory's Mike.
04/12/03 Walter O One of the best races held at the Nazareth National Track, was the day Mike Grbac beat Will Cagle. I believe this event occurred in the early 70's. Mike was driving the King Chevrolet Sedan.
10/04/03 Bucky Stevens I think you have this car in the wrong decade.  Look at the engine set back and tuned headers, alloy hubs etc.  Mike made the big time in the 70's
10/05/03 3-Wide Looks like the jury is in... I'll move it to the 70's when time allows.  Thanks
01/02/05 KEVIN VARANYAK I think Mike ran this car at Langhorne the last year they held the Race of Champions there then they closed the track and put up a Two Guy's store.
01/02/05 3-Wide Did the Two Guys store become the KMart and the Levitz Furniture store?  That's what was on the former site of the track the last time I was in the area.
04/16/05 Tom Grbac The race Mike beat Will, was the All Star League Race and Mike drew starting spot 33 or last in the field. He was driving the new King Chev. split front end car, built by Tom Cimpko and his brother Tom Grbac. For that race, the car had a 427 big block with a 4 barrel carb on gas.
07/31/07 Tom Grbac Crew on the 7 were Tom Cimpko, Butch Grbac, Emmett & Tommy Alfrey along with Butch Mullen
08.04.10 Frank Yes it was purple and yellow.  I was 8 or 9 years old when i used to see this screaming by under the Christmas lights at Flemington. 1968-69.
09.09.10 shard1 I'm getting old but what was the link between Sammy Beavers and Mike Grbac?
12.13.14 Al B

The "link" between Mike and Sam...everywhere together having fun. Much like Sam and Les Farley when Sam was the young gun coming up learning from Les.

12.14.14 3Wide I had a chance to say hello to Sammy at yesterday's Matheny Christmas party and he mentioned about how Mike was when it came to spending time with the kids at the school.  He said he and Mike got yelled at for having wheel chair races up and down the halls of the school back in the day...  They were just making sure the kids had something to smile about...  Thanks to Sammy and Mike... and to Ace Lane and Ken Kuhlman, that kindness to help others has continued for over 40 years. 

Things happen over the years... People come, people go...  we lose so many great folks along the way, but something that made the connection from those early years and the friendship (mentioned above) between Mike and Sammy was yesterday when Sammy and I were talking about how the Matheny benefit had started... and about how it had evolved during the years.  At one point Sammy drew my attention to one of the students who had just received her presents from Santa... and I acknowledge who he meant...  Then there was a pause....  And then another pause...    And then Sammy managed to get the words out....  "Mike always called her Betsy Lou..."

It was difficult to say anything after that... Just needed a minute to let that sink in...

I'm still thinking about it.

The friendships that we make along the way because of our racing community, and the memories of those friendships... are never far away.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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