Sad end to "The Best Damn Garage in Town"

Just saw this link to the Daytona news and thought all y'all would like it, too.

The end of the best damn garage in town and home of the Best Damn Mechanic who ever lived, Smokey Yunick.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/04/26/fire-destroys-racing-innovator-smokey-yunicks-garage.html

I stopped in & spoke with Smokey and petted his dog on several occasions when I would be in town. I even lend-ed a hand at selling off some of his auction goods many years ago.

Good guy / Great memories.

I just finished reading Smokey's biography, "Best Damn Garage in Town - this ain't no romance novel!" for the second time.

That property was originaly half below water at high tide - they sold a lot of property in Florida like that after WW II. That's why it was built on stilts and later added a riverwall. An alligator used it for home for several years - during it's use as a garage.

The most famous of Smokey's accomplishments is his early study and perfection of the combustion process going on inside the combustion chamber. That's why his cars always had the most horses and went the fastest. Unfortunately, longeviety and reliability weren't always understood. Smokey was an 8th grade school dropout. It's a fascinating book if you are technically inclined and don't mind his notorious bad language.

That guy was America. If we still made 'em like that the country would not be in the mess it's in right now. Good story about the fire too. Sad to see it go but glad to know Smokey wouldn't have been, particularly.

Thanks for posting it.

smokey was one of the greatest, in all of life, he knew how to bend the rules and get away with it. bioll