Official, historian

Wally Parks hired Gibbs in 1969 to sell ads for NHRA’s National Dragster. Six months later, they decided they needed the man who started in the sport helping out at the San Gabriel, Irwindale and Fremont dragways, even more, to help run the burgeoning number of NHRA national events. Soon he was the sanctioning body’s competition director, where he became known as “a racer’s best friend.” During his 25-year tenure, he conducted over 400 nationals and implemented numerous ideas to make the sport faster, better and safer, including reestablishing the NHRA Safety Safari. In 1990, Gibbs started NHRA Historical Services. In 1992, he created the California Hot Rod Reunion to raise funds for the proposed Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Six years later, it became a reality and Gibbs was its first director. Gibbs received the Ollie Award, recognizing career-long contributions to drag racing, from the Car Craft Magazine All-Star Drag Racing Team in 1991, the NHRA Lifetime Achievement “Wally” in 1995 and was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.