Vale Doug Gore

[Pat Clarke]

Long time FSAE, F Hybrid and Formula Student Judge Doug Gore passed away recently.

He had a fall at home where he lived alone and was regretfully unable to attend FSAE, the first event he had missed for 20 years since being recruited by Carroll Smith.
He passed away peacefully from complications from his injuries.

Doug was famous for his ability to talk with students at their own level and is shown here talking with the team leader from Erlangen after that team won Design in Austria in 2011.

Doug was a dear friend of mine. We had parallel interests in many things and shared a sense of humour. I will miss him.

Pat

Edit,
I have added another picture to support Claude's post. This was taken at 2am as Doug was hands on trying to get a team mobile before the Enduro!

[Claude Rouelle]

Very sad news....

I had the pleasure and the honor to perform design duties with Doug. Doug was an excellent engineer with an invaluable experience who delivered his critics and advice to the students with passion. I saw him many many times staying late in the paddock (in Germany for example where the paddock is accessible all night long) speaking for hours to several teams and deliver his observation, advice an encouragement.

Back at the hotel we often had a chance to have 1 or 2 (or 3 or...) beers together with other design judges. Found memories. Good laughs. Doug shared with us a few stories of his life: he had an amazing experience the students benefit from. He had also a great sense of humor.

We all work very hard, with passion, we deliver, we laugh, we love, we smile and then inevitably we all become the same thing: dust in the wind.

Sad

Claude

[DougMilliken]

Yes, sad to lose Doug Gore. The first time I was a judge at Michigan, I spent much of Friday walking the paddock with Doug as he did design reviews. He was full of good stories and common sense which he shared with the teams and with me.

-- Doug

[Forbes]

Oh dear - we have lost another Good Guy. Doug was my editor when I began contributing to the sister magazines ‘Open Wheel’ and ‘Stock Car Racing’. Seeking illustrations for my first book, I approached him, hoping to contact some of the photographers contributing to those magazines.

Doug went much further, not only offering full access to the magazines’ voluminous photo files, but insisting I stay with himself and his wife, Sherry, while I scoured the contents of 26 (I think) bulging file cabinets, over the course of a week.

Evenings, we talked race car technology into the wee hours, while he shared with me his affection for Maker’s Mark bourbon - and the bourbon itself!

I remember Doug’s intelligence and knowledge, but, above all, I remember a man generous in deed and in spirit. I miss him.

[JulianH]

Doug was one of the first Design Judges that I ever had and I can only second Pat's comment that he was one of the kindest judges out there and he cared about my nerves that it was my first time out there.
Sadly that's the only memory that I have from him, he sure will be missed.

Goodbye Doug.

[Steve Fox]

My association with Doug goes back to the early '80s. We both worked in the motorsports industry. I have always enjoyed the conversations I had with Doug. He was a practical engineer, who did not over-complicate things unnecessarily. Doug and I would frequently end up at the same race tracks in the course of our jobs... which of course led to down-time in the evening, where we would discuss all manner of topics. Oh, and we might have tipped a few in the course of those conversations as well.

Doug was selected by Carroll Smith as a Design Judge for FSAE, back in 1995. Carroll invited me in 1999. It was a whole new dimension in fun then watching Doug interface with the student competitors. Doug was always patient, and was a good listener, but he was also really good at telling stories and freely imparting his wisdom to anyone willing to drink from the firehose.

I know from talking to Dick Berggren (Doug's Boss while employed as Senior Technical Editor at Speedway Illustrated Magazine) that he and Doug made a formibable pair in Sprint car racing. Dick attributes the 20+ feature wins they enjoyed to the engineering prowess of Doug. (Of course Dick's driving might have had a little something to do with that as well...) Dick further told me that he owes his life to Doug. One of Dick's stock cars had a bolt-in cage. Doug took one look at it and said this needs to be done better. Doug proceeded to weld in the cage, while reinforcing it. Dick says that one night a yellow was thrown. Dick saw it and slowed. The driver behind Dick did not see the yellow and rear-ended Dick's car, climbing up and over the top of the cage. Dick is certain that if the cage had not been corrected by Doug he would not be here today to tell the story.

Doug dedicated his career to making racers safer. I wonder how many other racers have similar stories about improving their cars based on Doug's articles...

We will miss you Doug. You inspired us all to great achievements. I will be tipping back a bourbon in your honor tonight sir.

[Adam Farabaugh]

Doug was my first design judge last year at Lincoln/Electric. Sad to see him go.

[AmyFormuaHybrid]

Doug was a huge supporter and enthusiast of Formula Hybrid. We will miss him - his dedication, passion, and support.

[Edward M. Kasprzak]

In my first year of design judging I teamed-up with Doug during Finals. I learned a lot from Doug in a short amount of time. So many others--students and professionals alike--can say the same thing. What a keen intellect and a benevolent educator! He will be missed.

[Michael Royce]

Amen.

Michael Royce

[bmotorsports]

I agree with all that has been said. Doug was a kind, patient man with a good heart. He will be greatly missed.

Doug guided me through my first FSAE event as a judge and took me under his wing. While I followed him around, I saw a distinction between his behavior and methods compared to judges I encountered as a student and stories I had heard from other students. He met with every team he could, providing feedback & guidance in a gentle and helpful manner. Despite the hectic schedule judges and students are forced to work with, he always seemed to make time to go above and beyond.

RIP Doug, and thank you for your many contributions through the years.