Remembering Earl Ma

Hi everyone, hope you are enjoying the pictures of our creations? As most of the racing world knows my friend Earl Ma passed away a few weeks ago with a long bout with cancer. If I were scoring the fight at ringside I would give the decision to Earl. Earl fought this rotten disease for 5-6 years and was swinging until the end.

Earl was a member of our team for years and it's a huge loss for me and the guys. I took some time since he passed to write this because the healing process was a difficult one for me personally. He signed on to do decals and quickly took me into different projects in various types of racing. Earl was non stop! He didn't sleep, didn't eat, and I think he took his regular job as an top architect just to pay bills for his rabid addiction to racing?

Earl was so far ahead of himself it was an absolute impossibility to keep up with him. Before he got real sick, things were shipped here, and I have no idea what he wanted to do so it will take some time to get grip on what he wanted to do? But I will miss him, and because of my schedule being the night shift with my Diecast business, it was really cool at timeHour3Minute03AM EST to pick up the phone and call him and just BS with him about anything. He knew that I knew what his situation was and we talked about the times when he would not be here anymore and wondered how the racing world would function without him?

He was fanatical about the split with Champ Car and the IRL. He loved going to Indy every year. But there were a few things that set him off into a tirade. One was Tony George, and he could spend hours on his hatred for that guy. Tony Stewart was another. I called him 3 hours before he passed and let him know the results from Eldora's pay per view event and he said “what did Tony do?” so I said he hit the wall, and he said “that is awesome”. Then thinking of me he said how did Jeff do? So he cared about what I cared about and also my son, because he knew Kyle loved Jeff also!

I have a cabinet of photos, some I haven't even opened yet that he sent. Signed drivers gloves and boots, and just countless things I could never keep track of. He did a class project with my son and his 1st grade class. When we asked him if he was interested I was shocked how he dove right in and worked with Kyle. Together the got an A+ and Earl was thrilled to do it. He was just a kid in a mans body.

I could do a whole book on him, but I can sum up Earl Ma in 2 words “class act!” I still miss talking to him. He would command me to have a car done by a certain date and time. It was fun, and I met a lot of people thru him. He was responsible for an invite to the Playboy mansion, and since I couldn't go, I made sure he went and took pictures. He made me better and everyone around him better. I promised him I would not abandon the Rolex program we started last year right before we hung up that night! It was like a relief for him to hear me say that to him, because I could hear it in his voice. He reminded me to always take care of Memo, who was his good friend and racing idol. It was like we had closure on topics that were the farthest from my mind but on top of his because I knew how grave his condition had become.

I can take great pride in saying I knew Earl. I can also say to him, that Jimmy, Vic, and everyone will work together to keep everything he worked so hard and stood for going strong. I am honored to be able to say I got him his last sit down interview with Katherine Legge in CityplaceLong Beach this year! I think as a person he changed my thinking and helped me when I was in bad shape, and going thru a tough time. I want to thank you Earl, for everything. I always called him “Kid” and he got a kick out it for some reason?

So kid, you will be in our hearts forever! I will never forget your passion. And finally for once may you rest in peace. I always said you needed to take a break!

Hope you liked that car bro?

Your friends and family.

And again a final `thank you!'

Gary

Earl Ma & Memo Gidley with the 1:18 custom conversion of the 2006 Playboy Crawford Ford.