Ferrari Mailing List: Re: David Seibert

[George (ygpz4re]

This is incredibly sad.  We got to know David very well, from my first year on the Ferrari Challenge (FoW) team (1996) right through to our participation in the Grand-Am GT series.

David prompted me to write the first piece on my Dad's old car (250 Europa 0313EU), for PH#125.  At the team dinner following the last Challenge weekend in 1996 (Lime Rock), Gaston Andrey was there, and David introduced me (knowing that this is who my Dad bought that car from back in 1958).  When I mentioned the car to Andrey, David asked me why I haven't written about it for Prancing Horse.  Every excuse I tried was met with a smart and logical counter - "I really don't know that much about it.  --We'll help with research."  "But I'm really not a writer.  --That's why we have editors."  And so on.  With David's help (and my Dad's), the piece became a reality.

David also introduced me to one of the Challenge series stewards - Jim Barbour.  Who, as it turns out, also knew my Dad back in the 60's!  It really is a small world.

When we transitioned from Ferrari Challenge to Grand Am GT, David became our official PR rep and was present for many, if not most/all, of our races and wins.  I was lucky enough to have many great conversations with David.  And when he curated a display of significant Ferraris for the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA, he invited my wife and I (plus another race team teammate) to attend and got me a photo pass so I could photograph the cars, some of which also appeared in Prancing Horse.

David lived in the Atlanta area and was always happy when we went to Road Atlanta - no travel!  😉

But even all the car stuff aside, David was just one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.  Kind, gentle, friendly to everyone.  One of the greats in every sense of the word.

Very sad day - he will be greatly missed.

gp

[p.s. - Erik, who did the original fb post come from?  Thanks.)

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From: Erik Nielsen <judge4re [at] gmail.com>

To: The FerrariList <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Subject: [Ferrari] David Seibert

My wife sent me this early this morning.

From FaceBook:


On Tuesday, July 7th, the Ferrari world lost a giant and I lost a great friend. I first saw David Gilpin Seibert at the racetrack back in the early nineties. I didn't know who he was but from all that he came in contact with, I could tell he was someone of great importance. He was the creator of the Ferrari Challenge in North America and the Cavallino Classic Competition in Palm Beach, FL. He was also a Ferrari historian. I have always prided myself on knowing Ferrari's history and specs of the various models. Next to David, there was no comparison. He knew individual cars by serial numbers and engine displacements by sound alone. A visit to his home was like a field trip to Santa's workshop! Filled with all kinds of racing memorabilia and goodies from the Ferrari factory in Italy, reserved for special clients only. He was a racer himself and knew firsthand most of the tracks and drivers. And if you ever found yourself in the market for that rare, seven figure, vintage Ferrari, he kn
 ew where to find it, and the history of its ownership. He had a photographic memory, which was needed for the wealth of information that his extraordinary mind contained. Although his mind was strong, his body was often very weak. He was one of the longest living recipients of a double lung transplant. This may have slowed him at sometimes, but it didn't stop him from living a wonderful and colorful life! I was honored to be recognized by him for my work in 2011 at the Ferrari Club of America Annual Meet in Savannah, GA. Thank you David, for that and all of the great memories. You will be missed, but never forgotten, as long as there is still a prancing horse on the open road. Rest easy my friend.

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