Gaerte engines being liquidated

[Mod22]

I remember seeing a picture of Kevin Claycomb hanging on the walls when I was there. Also, when the All Stars or WoO sprints were in the area, the parking lot behind the building became a pit area with all the haulers that were parked there.

[fastford]

we own a motor shop, you have to be able to adapt and always find new avenues to stay relevant. However the biggest issue is, building engines is a trade like many others that the older guys are hanging it up and no younger people care about learning how to run all the machines and how to build motors. I'm 28 and i dont know anyone my age that has any interest in learning it

you have basically made this post about my situation as well , I am the last man standing in my area , now i will say my business has picked up , just from supply and demand i suppose , but im 56 and cant find a single young person , including my son and step son , that wants to learn the trade .....

[Josh Bayko]

@ c&b

It's interesting to me that you talked about the smaller boosted motors. I've been saying the last couple years that as chassis for street stocks become harder and harder to obtain that maybe the way to go is AWD 4cyl racing. I know, I know, it would become almost exclusively a Subaru WRX class, but having circle track "rally" cars just might be what gets the younger set back into racing.

[Crossbones]

I don't see anywhere saying why Gaerte engines is shutting down, but people on here seem to think its over lack of business. Maybe the owner just shut it down?

[riddle28]

we do a good bit of diesel stuff but crates and ls have definitely put a hurt on the shops. my dad started working at a motor shop when he was my age and then when i was old enough started to learn. were nowhere near gearte size but weve also picked up in business, usually goes with the economy. And ppl my age are into bolting on parts not building engines, my original post said they dont have any interest in learning how to run machines or build engines

[TBSprintFan]

Stopped by Gaerte's shop to drop off a engne for rebuild for a local driver on our way to the World 100 in 1994 (back in the day when they used to have over 200 cars). I could not believe how well organized and how well run it was. You could eat off of the floor anywhere there. Took us for a tour throughout and watched them dyno one of Kris Patterson's engines. Less race cars nowadays because of the cost of racing, so less engine builders, it all goes hand in hand. Sad to hear and like the old saying goes, " all good things come to an end."

[BTExpress]

Makes you appreciate chassis builders like Rayburn, Shaw, GRT, Warrior and even Barry Wright that they have lasted as long as they did.....race car engine and chassis manufacturing is a TOUGH business to stay on top.......

[Mams]

They sold out to TOPP Industries in 2017. TOPP’s major business was making fiberglass basins for the wastewater industry. I wonder if TOPP had any intention of continuing the business or was planning to liquidate from the start.

[BTExpress]

I believe Topps did run the business as a speed shop since the purchase, catering mostly to sprint cars, while still building Gaerte engines. They own Justin Grant's USAC sprint car team.

[Cardirt0]

Like Buggy whips made some people rich. they cussed cars for years cause they put them out of business. All good things sometimes come to a end just cause the person dont want to do it no more. Or we dont need it no more. Use to love working on rebuilding motors now i dont care to touch one. Still love racing, Love to go cant do that no more ether just to sick.

[JDZ]

I met Joe Gaerte when I was a kid with some friends at a WoO race. He gave us each a used tire, which I thought was the coolest souvenir ever. My mom didn't think it was so neat when I brought it into my bedroom and used it for a night stand.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

we do a good bit of diesel stuff but crates and ls have definitely put a hurt on the shops. my dad started working at a motor shop when he was my age and then when i was old enough started to learn. were nowhere near gearte size but weve also picked up in business, usually goes with the economy. And ppl my age are into bolting on parts not building engines, my original post said they dont have any interest in learning how to run machines or build engines

I don’t mind the diesel stuff, but I want to have something sporty and able to go through curves and that.

Not a 3 ton plus truck boosted way up that will haul in a straight line but is still a tank, and is as much to fix as anything.

I like the trucks, but crappy fuel mileage, heavy, dumping black smoke, and not good handling ain’t for me.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

It's interesting to me that you talked about the smaller boosted motors. I've been saying the last couple years that as chassis for street stocks become harder and harder to obtain that maybe the way to go is AWD 4cyl racing. I know, I know, it would become almost exclusively a Subaru WRX class, but having circle track "rally" cars just might be what gets the younger set back into racing.

There’s quite a few besides Subies, I did own one. Was fun, but God have they come so far. An AMG CLA45 AWD has right at 400hp(4cyl), and will hit 60 in just over 4 seconds. Or the Audi RS3 is a I5, it’ll hit 60 in under 4 seconds. But the RS3 holds its resale value like crazy. I could go on and on on how far they’ve come with cars in the last 10-15 years.

That class you mentioned could be Subies, Evos, 3000GT, Subaru made a car like the 3000GT, Eagle Talon AWD?, and I’m sure there’s others. Maybe a AWD class and then a RW class also. Because you’re correct, all the stocks now gotta be close to using aftermarket frames.

Speaking of stocks, you going to the $10k at Sharon tomorrow? I really should hit that sometime, you know it’d be great racing. Brother came from 16th to 3rd in their mod special last week. Had like 40 of them, Brian Ruhlman won.