[COYBILT]

Let me start and say my heart goes out to the Meadors family.
I was hit quite hard by the passing of Gary, He was an inspiration to me. It is hard knowing I wont see him floating around the shows anymore.
I grew up just three blocks away from the alameda county fair grounds in Pleasanton. It was hard not to be apart of the action going on there when Gary and his team put on there usual four shows a year. It was 1998 and I was a wide eyed 12 year old kid on a 1972 schwinn sting ray with a dream to some day bring my own car to one of his shows. I did get to bring a car in 2004 when I was 16 but it wasn't until 2009 when I met Gary personally after coming back from the SEMA show in 2009 and what a hell of a nice guy he was. He was very excited to see a young man such as my self into the hobby and running a shop. He was very encouraging and uplifting, I can truly credit that man for my existence in the hot rod scene. The good guys rod and custom association makes it possible to have all kinds of enthusiast at one show, including kids which is our future. This man inspired me to make hot rods my hobby, lifestyle and living. If one man can influence someone that heavily then he did his job in my book.
I think bret mentioned a lot of great things about how Gary changed the industry for the better and brought all of us together. The quality of cars has risen in recent years due to good guys widely successful auto cross series.
Gary truly built a empire that has changed everyones lives and this is how he will be remembered. My only thing I wish I could have said to Gary was "thanks for all the good times at your events".
Sincerely,
Josiah Coy of Coybilt