50 Years for The Gray Fox of Daytona

[Dave Morrill]

This may be a little off subject, but I hope the forum will indulge me, while I acknowledge a major accomplishment by one of my oldest friends:

I received the first installment of Daytona race reports for 2009 from George Taylor of Zepherhills, FL. George is pushing 70, and this is his 50th year of competing at the Daytona International Speedway. He began racing boats on Lake Lloyd in the Daytona infield, when the speedway opened in 1959. He's also raced cars and for many years now Grand Prix motorcycles.

George will be riding his 2 Old Racing 1972 Yamaha TD-3 250cc factory roadracer in several AHRMA vintage roadrace classes. He continues to ride against racers half his age and beat them soundly. In the 70s and 80's George, and his wife Sheila, owned Taylor Products and supplied roadrace fairings and seats to Team Yamaha, most of the AMA racers, and lowly privateers like myself. Sheila was also the parts manager at Orlando Yamaha and helped me keep my GP bikes on the track.

I turned wrenches for George at Daytona for several years. One of my fondest racing memories was in 2000 and when George won the AHRMA Formula 2 race. That was George's first Daytona win, and as he pulled his helemt off, he's was grinning ear to ear. I also gave him his nickname, "The Grey Fox of Daytona", that has stuck for many years now.

While George only races Japenese GP two strokes, his personal bike is an old Ironhead Sporty, so he's one of us old guys with a love for old bikes!

Congratulations George and Sheila for fifty years of competition, and may you have many more. Shiny side up, rubber side down Bro!

[nuklhd]

dave, thats cool your friends 70 and still racing. i bitch about being 52 and feeling old.

[Dave Morrill]

George's 50 years of Daytona competition was acknowledged by his fellow racers at the AHRMA riders meeting. He rode his TD3 in the "Great Men Great Machines of Daytona" parade lap along with past Daytona champions each day before the vintage roadrace competition began.

George admitted to being a little rusty blowing the start of F250 race, but had a great time anyway.

Not only did George race his 250, but he lent both his 250 and 350 racebikes to AHRMA Race Champion Chris Spargo, so he could compete at Daytona. George is a real class act!