In Memoriam - Bryan Wescott

[Jimmy McKinley]

Jim...

Again...thanks. It was a privilege to have Bryan drive for us as well and win a few races along the way.

Thanks for teaching the kid a few things along the way.

It was scary to see - and hear - that crash again. I remember Dad brought home the videotape the week afterwards so we could try and see what happened.

[crobinson76]

its been a long time since bryans passing an i still think of growing up playing with him as my dad worked for his dad the same as i did later in life it was so much fun to be able to race with him later in life he an his wife jackie were always so nice to me fenton you do so much for all of us in one way or another as you did for bryan it seems as if olny yesterday miss you bryan god bless p.s thank you jim fenton for caring about the ones that were such friends weather past or present in there passing well done my friend call me any time 727 430 5386 craig robinson

[Jim Fenton]

Hey Craig,

Long time – no talk to you my friend! Yes, I remember that you & Bryan were about the same age.

As you know your dad Tom and I go back a long ways also as both co-workers at Big 3 Auto Salvage and with racing. As I have mentioned in another thread on this board, your dad was an innovator before his time.

Again, I don’t want to detract from the purpose of this thread but if you haven’t seen my post back on “Photo by Numbers” forum of the hand-written letter from your dad after the fire in the #14 Tornado car then check it out.

Your dad helped me a great deal early on in my racing days as well as helping Bryan after he got started. I remember that Bryan and your dad had a well-deserved, huge mutual respect for each other when it came to fabricating, set-up & racing.

Thanks for the kind words Craig. Hope all is well with you and yours.

[NeroGatto]

Number 12 Photos

My mom saw Jimmy McKinley's photos and was wondering if anyone had some more photos of my dad in the number 12 or even any pictures helping Mr. Fenton in the Four or in the number 3 that haven't been posted on here.

If so could you possibly email the full size to me at Bryan@LuckyDogDesigns.com so we may make some prints of them. Thank You!

----------------

Oh and in response to a question above... my Mom said my Dad chose the roman numeral number 3 because

1.) His father's Big 3 Truck Salvage

and

2.) The religious reference of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

-Bryan Jr.

[Jimmy McKinley]

Bryan Jr - when I get on my other computer, I'll e-mail you and Jackie (your mom) some more pics of him in our car - if I can get my girlfriend off of it

Oh - and if/when we get over that way again, would you and your mom maybe be interested in meeting? Are you still iving on the west coast over there in Clearwater/St. Pete? We get over to the beach over there once in a while. Doubt you'll remember, but used to watch/babysit you when we'd bring our car over to your house and I'd wheel ya around in the stroller...LOL

[tedrichard]

Bryan drove our car for a few years in the mid-'80s. We had the #XII at St. Pete, and the #III at Inverness in 1984-5. In 1986, we went back to just plain ol' #12, and Bryan won a buncha races against the best of the era: Pletcher and Moyer, Jimmy and Mike Cope, Butch Smith and Butch Yoakam, Carl Butts, Frank Barfus, Dave Dunkin, Dave Scarborough, Buzzie, Mike Bresnahan, Dave Yow, and a TON of other great drivers from the Gulf Coast. He got hurt in our car at St. Pete. I wasn't there that night, but I remember Sunday morning when Dad brought the car home on the trailer. It certainly wasn't pretty, and the top of the roll cage had been cut off.

After that, we were out of racing for over a year.

I never heard what happened to Bryan after that, until fairly recently.

I have a great story from before the accident, though. In the summer of '86, I was kinda seeing/dating a girl from Clearwater. We had gotten our parents to agree to letting each other stay over at each other's house for a week during the summer vacation. Well, while I was over at her house in Clearwater (I was living in Vero Beach at the time on the east coast), this girl decided she wanted to break up - in the middle of the week - with me 160 miles from home. So I kinda had to find my own way from that Wednesday to Saturday, when I was going to go to Sunshine to get my ride home with Dad. I told the guys about my, uhh, breakup, including Bryan. And then he told me I shoulda called him, I coulda stayed with him and Jackie for the rest of the week...LOL...Bryan Jr. was just a tike then, and I didn't want to impose on the family. But that's the kind of guy Bryan was. All around great guy, great race car driver - and...well...probably one of the best friends on and off the track. I don't think I had another one of our drivers over the years ever talk to me about that kind of stuff.

The first pic is 1985 at the Coca-Cola 50, which was part of the Triple Crown weekend: a 50-lapper at DeSoto on Friday night (LeRoy won it); the 100-lapper at St. Pete on Saturday night (won by Trickle in a V6 car), and the 200-lapper on Sunday back at DeSoto (won by Butch Miller in another V6). Billy Bigley's All-Pro-legal #28 Airboats of Naples car is to the inside of our car.

The second pic is one of those early-summer 1986 nights at St. Pete, just before he got hurt in this car.

The last pic is late 1984, when Childers had driven for us most of the year, but moved over to the #22 formerly driven by Purcell. Bryan wanted to keep his points, so we duct-taped a #III to the door...LOL...Car owner Bob Kirk is third from right, and my dad is on the far right in the black shirt and red and white hat.

Hey Jim...that pic of Bryan from New Smyrna...I was there that night. It was a Thunder Car feature for the World Series in 1981. Bryan beat out track hot shoe Joe Coupas by like a foot at the line to win the feature his one and only time at New Smyrna for a 100% win record at that track At least, as far as I know, it was Bryan's only time there. I don't think they stayed the whole week.

RIP, Bryan.

Bryan did run at New Smyrna more than once, I remember racing with him several times and he was a real class act. I really enjoyed racing with him. I remember one night in particular, because it was the only time in my 9 years at New Smyrna that I ever won a fast heat. I time trialed 2nd to Bryan and I think he had some kind of a problem in the heat and I won it. Pretty sure Bryan win the feature that night.

[anOPINIONATEDsob]

Complete shock at this!



I don't know now how I arrived at this site today. The shock of finding that Bryan passed away and that it took place so long ago took my breath away. I was around the Four as a glorified Gopher in the days of the Chevelle and the first Camaro when Bryan was restoring the 56 Bird and Palm Way was home to some rabid racers. Somehow I ended up racing IMSA and lost track of the Sunshine gang though i was aware of Bryan's crash well after the fact and knew Whitey had sold Big Three.
Took a little time to let this sink in and joined the site to express my sincere condolences to the family and all of you who he touched and who still. and always will, feel his loss. Being caught up in my own career in the sport is no excuse for losing touch with those who taught me so much and tolerated the constant annoyances. Bryan Jr. if you turn out to be one tenth the man your dad was you will accomplish much in your life. It would feel good to hear the names of all those I shared times with if not for this horrible, and horribly late coming news. When we get home from this race, I will find out what survived Charley and post some memories of better times when I hung around with some real people and racing was a passion, not a business. God, you took back a real good guy, take good care of him.

Jim Huffer, ProMotion Motorsports Group.

[Jim Fenton]

Jim - Thanks for the kind words about Bryan and his dad, Whitey.

The 56’ T-Bird you mentioned that Bryan and his dad built was a total frame-off restoration beginning with a real piece of junk. I remember them having some serious second thoughts after starting it but then as you’re aware it really turned out nice.

I’ll be talking to Whitey later today or tomorrow on another matter and I’ll mention your post to him. I’m sure he’s probably got some pics of the old bird somewhere that I can throw up on here. Or if Bryan Jr. sees this he may have some also.

In the meantime, if you care to take the time to see it, Bob Culbertson (Florida Video) happened to catch a shot of Whitey in the background in a pic on another thread from the Blast Fom the Past Reunion up in Lake City on 8/30/09. You can see him HERE on the 7th post down from the top. He appears on the scooter in the background with the straw hat on talking to Dottie & Frank Barfuss behind Gordon Lee with Model Car Man in the foreground.

[Jim Fenton]

Bryan’s dad, R.M. “Whitey” Wescott asked me to post this message on the board in his behalf. Since the message addresses two subjects, I will post it in both threads accordingly:

Blast from the Past Racing

Sunday August 30, 2009 was the anniversary of my son Bryan K. Wescott Sr.’s death; I felt it to be a great honor to have been invited to Columbia Speedway in Lake City. I saw many old friends, which brought back many good memories. To my surprise, my very good friend Jim Fenton took the time to post an article in memory of my son on Real Racin’ USA’s website. The feedback posted by others as a result of the post was a very kind and will always be remembered. Bryan was taken from us so tragically and left such good memories we will always be grateful for the years we had Bryan in our lives. My son led a good life so kind and gentle. Again I would like to thank everyone for the support as each year passes in support of my son.

Best Regards,
RM