The voice that most of us grew up listening too on Thursday Night Thunder has passed away. Gary Lee, Larry Rice and Dave Despain brought a lot of joy to race fans all over the world for many years. Please take a moment and share your favorite memory.

RIP Gary

Gary was always fun to work with. I did a lot of Espn stuff with him producing him in various voice overs of series and Espn since 1981. Rest in peace Gary Lee you were a good guy.
Prayers with your family
D.o.

Re: Gary Lee
 

Remember a few years ago when he voiced the MTQRL and it was oh so refreshing to hear.

Rest In Peace Gary Lee, Thoughts and Prayers to the family.

Re: Gary Lee
 

The man with the distinctive voice. He, Rice-a-Roni and Dave D made being at home instead of the race track a little bit more bearable. RIP!:13:

Re: Gary Lee
 

RIP Gary

Very sad news.
R.I.P. Gary Lee

RIP Gary. Still have many FOND memories growing up of Gary, Larry and Dave on Thursday Night Thunder.

So sorry to hear this, as good a friend as I ever had, he was always looking for my wife's brownies! God Speed old buddie, RIP. Bob and Peg. What a guy!

Sorry to hear. Had he been sick? I hadn't heard.

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Sad news. RIP, Gary Lee!

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Gods Speed Gary Lee!
I remember many nights watching on tv and then we got to share them again years later while racing and enjoying the Whiteland raceway with my sons racing karts.

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Gary was a great announcer. Great job on the Dirt Champ cars.
He helped set the standard.

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I remember years ago I went to Whiteland Raceway Park when he owned it. Gary was getting ready to head out to announce a race in Ohio that night. He still took the time to talk to me and made sure to make my visit special. Even though he could not personally go out on the track he had someone come out to run in front of my race cart to show me the lines. He also did not even worry about how long I was on the track even though it was a ten minute deal I think it was more like 20 minutes or more. This was my only time of personally meeting Gary in person but I spent many Thursday nights either at Raceway Park or watching him on ESPN.

Re: Gary Lee
 

Favorite memory is his emcee fun at the Jack Hewitt Roast that is on DVD. I was there that night.

I always thought it was cool he owned Whiteland Raceway Park, and worked with the MTQRL TQ's.

Godspeed.

I grew up listening to Gary on Thursday Night Thunder. I was fortunate enough to finally meet him when my son started racing with MTQRL. Gary always came around and talked with everyone. He always had advice and stories that he shared with my son. One night at Madison, we broke in practice so Gary had my son come to the booth with him. He did his typical interview with him and then taught him how to call a race, letting him call the final heat race that night. Gary asked us to represent the MTQRL at the Old Timers Reunion and that was one of our best days ever. Talking with Gary and hearing all his stories was amazing. That day, Gary gave my son a pair of racing boots that he has been wearing this year. We will miss you! RIP my friend.

Prayers for the family.

Always had to laugh, year after year at the Hoosier 100, Gary threatening to bring a chain saw to cut down that scoreboard that blocked their view of turn 1. God Bless Gary Lee, imagine the feature he's calling tonight.

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Always enjoyed listening to him announce races at any track he worked, thought it was great to see him doing the silver crown races. Losing to many of the people that actually had a real interest in presenting a professional product for the fans to hear while at the track no yelling and screaming on the pa system that seems to be happening a lot nowadays.:22::22::22:

Re: Gary Lee
 

I always enjoyed it when Gary and Larry Rice would do the P.A. work at the H.A.R.F. meetings. Rest in peace Gary.

Gary was a great man on and off the race track! He always took time to chat with me on the phone and I sure wish I could've told him that my first Announcing job went well the other night. I enjoyed any race that he was a commentator for! He also had his time behind the wheel too! God Speed, Gary!
Here is a great pic of Gary at the Hoosier Dome Invitational Midget race in the late 80s with legendary car owner and builder, Bob Lowe!
J.T. Stapp

Re: Gary Lee
 

Back in the early 1990s when I was an impressionable young kid, I began my lifelong obsession with sprint car and midget racing. Those key people who made me into the fan I am today include Gary Lee and Larry Rice on Thursday & Saturday Night Thunder. Now, both are gone. RIP Gary & Larry. Just know that you guys made a huge impact on my life and, for that, I will be forever grateful.

I have a huge collection of "ESPN Thunder" videos featuring Gary & Larry's work. Tonight, I'm reliving many of their great calls from the races of the past: https://www.youtube.com/user/charlesintestine/videos

Many, many GREAT memories. I'm very sad. Sorry to hear this. Godspeed!

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So very sad to learn of Gary's passing. His voice and commentary will always be associated with many of our favorite racing memories. The people are what keeps us coming back; Gary Lee was one of our guys.

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Way too young. Gary still had a lot left to give to our sport. RIP Gary. You will be missed.

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and the Vogler parties

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so sad to hear,,gary was a great guy,,just met him and got to know him in the last 5yrs and we became friends,,,he will be missed greatly ,,god speed my friend,,,,,don and Teresa td motorsports,,,,,,,,,:22:

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The Gary and Larry shows were great.

Re: Gary Lee
 

What a great champ car announcer he was. I met him at Vegas at an IRL race back in the 90's and swapped many good stories. May he rest in peace

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Sad news

Re: Gary Lee
 

So sorry to hear of Gary's passing - I can't think of the Thunder races without hearing the voices of Gary and Larry. A great time in racing for me, and wonderful memories. RIP Mr. Lee.

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Sad to hear Gary is gone.

This 4th. of July at Winchester Speedway Gary was there to be the MC for the new historical plaque noting 100 years of racing at Winchester. After the ceremony we gathered in the hospitality room and Gary told several stories about his time as drum major for Howe High School and he had a great time directing & singing along with the barber shop quartet that was there for the days racing pre-race festivities. He was always having a good time no matter where he was.

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god bless... RIP...

Re: Gary Lee
 

Sorry to hear the new of Gary's passing. He was the voice of short track racing on TV for years.

I had the pleasure of meeting him like a few other at Whiteland while running karts.

He will be missed!

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Gary always had that distinctive voice and a great
announcer! He will be missed. RIP Gary.
Best Regards,
John

Re: Gary Lee
 

My best memory of Gary Lee. The fall of 1994 after Tony Stewart won the national midget title running for the Ralph Potter family. The Tony Stewart fan club was in its 2nd year. We had a surprise celebration roast at Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria. The Emcee was Gary Lee. What a great job he did. From having Tony handcuffed by Metropolitan Police Officer to a chair for pass traffic violations (remaining on stage to keep an eye on Tony) to a young lady coming on stage with a child saying remember me Tony and Gary making sure Tony did the victory lane hat dance. Thanks Mr. Lee for this and other great memories. You were a great ambassador for the sport and will truly be missed and remembered. I know you are truly being blessed.

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A couple of years ago my wife and I went to a talk on the 500 that Gary gave in the basement of the bookstore in Irvington. Afterward, we came up and introduced ourselves and began chatting about Thunder, shared experiences at Ventura, how much he missed Larry and all manner of things until the bookstore owners tossed us out, and we continued talking like old friends on the sidewalk for at least another hour. His genuine warmth, ebullence and love of racing oozed gracefully out of every pore; I feel truly blessed for having had the opportunity to have shared that brief moment with him.

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So sad RIP Gary

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Haven't seen it mentioned yet, but Gary Lee was at the Hoosier Hundred this year sharing memories of Gary B.

Have there been any details released yet on his services? I heard there is to be a Celebration of Life, but no other details.

Re: Gary Lee
 

Re: Gary Lee
 

R.i.p. :22: