It seems like every successful series has a group of “super fans” that supports them wherever they go, and Bob and Sandy Garby serve as an example of that. The couple follows the Dirt2Media American All-Star Series Presented by PPM Racing Products. The series recognized them during their banquet in January.
“We just started following [the series] on Facebook,” said Bob, of Salem, Virginia. “This is two full seasons we’ve been following it now. It started picking up an old romance we had with dirt-track racing 30-some years ago.”
Back then, the Garbys attended Eriez Speedway in Erie, Pennsylvania.
“We worked at the same grocery store, and we started dating,” Bob said. “We found out we have a mutual love for dirt-track racing.”
Despite spending time at Eriez Speedway, they found themselves without a home track after they moved south.
“We fell away from dirt-track racing for a number of years,” said Bob. “We didn’t think there were any local dirt tracks around here until we stumbled across one that we drove by on Interstate 81, Wythe Raceway [in Rural Retreat, Virginia].”
Now, they try to attend as many races as possible, especially when the American All-Stars come near their home. They enjoy the series for reasons that you might not expect.
“[We like] the way it’s organized, the way it’s put together,” Bob said.
While both share a passion for racing, the two disagree on their favorite drivers. Bob likes Ronnie Martin Jr. Sandy cheers for Kobe Gallion.
(For more on Martin, read “Ronnie Martin Jr.: Racing — A Respite from Reality”.)
Expect to see the Bob and Sandy Garby rooting on their favorites when the Dirt2Media American All-Star Series Presented by PPM Racing Products starts it season at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee on April 1. The bonus race will pay $5,000 to the winner. Then, the tour heads off to the first regular season event at I-75 Raceway outside of Sweetwater, Tennessee, on April 8.
Outside Groove Note of Transparency: Outside Groove is a sponsor of the Dirt2Media American All-Star Series Presented by PPM Racing Products. The American All-Star Series paid for the production of this article. The content was not subject to the approval of the American All-Star Series.
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
