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Gary GabelichAmerican racing driver of Croatian descent
Date of Birth: 29.08.1940
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Gary Gabelich: Pioneer of Land Speed Records
- Early Life and Education
- Personal Life and Work
- Astronaut Simulator
- Land Speed Record
- Other Achievements and Legacy
- Death and Legacy
Gary Gabelich: Pioneer of Land Speed Records
Gary Gabelich, an American race car driver of Croatian descent, established the land speed record as per the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations, driving the rocket-powered 'Blue Flame' on October 23, 1970. The record was set on the dry salt flats of the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah.
Early Life and Education
Gary Gabelich was born on August 29, 1940, in California and grew up in Southern California. He attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School. The burgeoning interest in drag racing in Southern California inspired young Gary, who befriended notable racers of the era, including drag racer Tom McEwen. The Lions Drag Strip near Long Beach became Gabelich's home race track. He learned much from drag racing legend "Big Joe" Reath.
Personal Life and Work
Gabelich married Mary Ray Ramsey, who was six years his senior. She graduated from Palo Alto High School in California in 1964 and moved to Long Beach in 1968. They welcomed their son, Guy Michael Gabelich, in the early 1980s. Mary worked as a flight attendant before serving as a Long Beach City Council member.
As a young man, Gary made deliveries in a Volkswagen Kombi van for Vermillion's drug store. Later, he joined the aerospace company North American Aviation, which became North American Rockwell after merging with Rockwell-Standard in 1967. Gabelich started in the mailroom, working for nine years in various roles, including administrative assistant. Eventually, he joined the Apollo program in 1968-1968 to work on testing projects. A 2001 memorial plaque awarded to his family described his role as an 'astronaut simulator.'
Astronaut Simulator
Unlike actual astronauts, 'simulator' astronauts did not go into space but tested the durability of the spacecraft's cabin, recorded human endurance levels, and monitored the body's behavior under extreme conditions. One challenging task for the simulators, including Gary, was testing the spacecraft's sanitation system - not a topic that received much broadcast coverage. Gabelich's measurements were almost identical to astronaut Wally Schirra of the Mercury-Atlas 7 mission. He simulated countless situations for Schirra before the latter used the actual equipment. The Mercury project ended in the early 1960s, and Schirra, continuing his career, became the commander of Apollo 7, the first human to complete a third spaceflight.
Land Speed Record
Driving the 36-foot, 4,900-pound 'Blue Flame,' Gabelich broke the land speed record in 1970, running an average of 622.407 mph (1001.667 km/h) for the 'flying mile' and 630.388 mph (1014.511 km/h) for the 'flying kilometer.' Engine thrust during the attempts varied between 13,000 pounds (5,900 kg) and 15,000 pounds (6,800 kg). The maximum speed reached was approximately 650 mph (1050 km/h) on the first pass. According to FIA rules, a land speed record requires two passes, measuring in kilometers and miles, with the two measurements averaged to record the official time and speed. The two runs must also occur within one hour.
On his first pass, Gabelich averaged 629.412 mph (1013 km/h), and on the second, 631.367 mph (1016 km/h). The average, 630.388 mph (1015 km/h), became the new FIA land speed record. This was the first time the 1000 km/h (621 mph) barrier had been broken, and Gary's record stood until 1983, when Richard Noble drove his own jet-propelled car, 'Thrust 2.' In October 1997, the land speed record for wheeled vehicles reached an astounding 1227.99 kilometers per hour (763.43 miles per hour). 'ThrustSSC,' a British car powered by turbofan engines, remains the only vehicle to have officially broken the sound barrier.
Other Achievements and Legacy
In 1969, Gabelich set a quarter-mile drag boat record of 200.44 mph (323 km/h). However, this should not be confused with Donald Campbell's record under the Union Internationale Motonautique rules, who set the water speed record at 200 mph (322 km/h) on July 23, 1955, driving the jet-powered hydroplane 'Bluebird K7.'
Gary suffered a serious crash in 1972 while experimenting with a ¼-mile Funny Car that became uncontrollable at speeds approaching 180 mph (290 km/h). Gabelich almost completely lost his left forearm, and his left leg was so badly injured that he remained in a cast for a year.
This incident effectively ended his racing career, and Gabelich turned his attention to building even faster supersonic vehicles. In the early 1980s, Gary and Tom Daniel formed Rocketman Corp. with the goal of designing and building a vehicle capable of reaching speeds of 800 mph (1287 km/h). The project was named 'American Way' but was cut short by Gabelich's death.
Death and Legacy
On January 26, 1984, Gary died in a motorcycle accident.Gabelich appeared in the 1977 action film 'Joyride to Nowhere' and featured in the 1971 documentary 'One Second from Eternity: The History of the Land Speed Record.' He and his family were contestants on 'Family Feud' with Richard Dawson, where Gabelich presented the host with a key to the city of Long Beach, California.
In 2008, Gabelich was inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame. The ceremony took place in front of the Convention Center on Pine Avenue, and his widow, Mary Ray Ramsey, who served on the Long Beach City Council for eight years, retired in 2012.
