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Topic: Carwash Mike Avilla passes away Email this topic to a friend | Subscribe to this TopicReport this Topic to Moderator
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Gary Thomas
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September 20, 2011 at 11:32:38 AM
Joined: 12/03/2004
Posts: 7412
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Sprint Car Racing loses huge contributor with passing of “Carwash” Mike Avilla

Rio Vista, CA – September 20, 2011…The sport of sprint car racing lost one of its biggest friends and supporters on Monday night with the passing of San Jose resident Mike Avilla, most commonly known as “Carwash Mike.”

Avilla was a lifelong sprint car fan and in recent months had been in need of a lung transplant, after effects from chemo therapy from an earlier bout with cancer had caused his lungs to deteriorate.

There arguably wasn’t a bigger and more positive supporter of sprint car racing in the Golden State than “Carwash,” who was one of the main members of the fan group “Hoserville” and recently won the Jason Meyers “biggest fan” contest. He ironically had a tattoo of Meyers’ car, as well as one of Jonathan Allard’s No. 0 on his leg.

Avilla had his favorites on the track, but one time said, “If you ever do a memorial lap for me, please say that all drivers were my favorite and don’t single any one out.”

Those were very true words for a person that supported any and all drivers, no matter if they were a regular main event winner, or a driver that struggled to get out of the b-main. Avilla was also a major supporter of the Dave Bradway Jr.

The following was a post Avilla had made on the Northern California Message Board following the recent Gold Cup Race of Champions in Chico:

“Since some of my friends are not on Facebook and still check the message boards, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped make Gold Cup possible for me this year. I won't mention names, you know who you are. There's no way I could have done it on my own. The help and support I get at the race track means more than you will ever know. For those not on FB, I spent a couple of extra days in Chico courtesy of a 911 call that had me delivered to Enloe Medical Center. I'm home now, seeing my doc tomorrow. Hoping this episode might speed things up for me getting to USC and on the transplant list. I hate to say it, but this was probably my last race for a while. Even with help, it's just getting to be too tough. To the friends I only see at the track, I look forward to seeing you next season. To those I didn't get around to seeing at Gold Cup, I'm sorry I missed you. Thanks again everyone, CarWash Mike.”

Golden State King of the West Sprint Car Series Operations Manager George Hague said, “This is a huge loss for our sport out here and Mike will be dearly missed by all that got to know him. He was an amazing contributor to sprint car racing and even made it out to the races when his health wasn’t the best.”

KWS Director of Communications Gary Thomas shared the same sentiment. “Carwash Mike was one of my best friends throughout the years and I can’t believe he’s gone. I always enjoyed hanging with Mike at the races and we had a ton of fun times that I’ll never forget. The races won’t be the same without him.”

Those that knew “Carwash Mike” know if his fondness for Jagermeister liqueur, so Mike….this Jager Bomb’s for you! You’ll be missed buddy.

Services are pending and for more info contact the KWS office at (707) 374-2222.



www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com


Gary Thomas
MyWebsite
September 20, 2011 at 11:33:04 AM
Joined: 12/03/2004
Posts: 7412
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www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

Gary Thomas
MyWebsite
September 20, 2011 at 11:33:18 AM
Joined: 12/03/2004
Posts: 7412
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www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com


Hawker
September 20, 2011 at 11:37:21 AM
Joined: 11/23/2004
Posts: 2809
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This message was edited on September 20, 2011 at 11:43:15 AM by Hawker
RIP buddy, though we only met twice, I could tell that you were as serious about racing as anyone I had met.
Member of this message board since 1997

mattmusselldesigns
MyWebsite
September 20, 2011 at 11:41:22 AM
Joined: 06/16/2009
Posts: 368
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Rest in peace my friend. You were one of the best ambassadors of California open wheel racing I have ever met. I will miss you Mike.
"Winged or non-winged its all about 
the sprint cars for me!"
http://mattmusselldesigns.daportfolio.com

BLUTEAM
September 20, 2011 at 11:45:06 AM
Joined: 02/12/2005
Posts: 680
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I can hear you and Marshall laughing about old times already. Rest In Peace Mike.


The greatest knowledge is to know that you know nothing
at all.


rj5150
September 20, 2011 at 11:50:22 AM
Joined: 07/29/2006
Posts: 515
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RIP "Carwash"! Another kick in the gut! This is truly a sad day for dirt-track racing not only in California, but for the whole country. Man what a rough couple of weeks we've had on the racing forums!


Trophy Cup......Best race of the year hands down!

The_Herrmannator
September 20, 2011 at 11:50:53 AM
Joined: 12/17/2004
Posts: 260
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RIP Carwash. I'm glad I got to see you again at the Gold Cup.



threadkiller
September 20, 2011 at 11:54:34 AM
Joined: 08/14/2009
Posts: 595
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Man. This sucks. I had intended to stop and say hi at the Thursday night "Gold Cup" USAC show and actually saw him below me to my left in the turn four bleachers. A rock to the head during one of the heat races caused me to evacuate and I never saw him again. Of course I expected him to live a very long time so never seeing him again was the furthest thing from my mind. We did not agree on everything but he made it a point to at least be receptive to my rants and that was his nature. Carwash made it a point to be understanding of just about everyone's viewpoint and to me that will be his legacy. Rest in Peace Mike. You will be missed by far more people than you could you have ever imagined.




Eagle Pit Shack Guy
MyWebsite
September 20, 2011 at 12:07:31 PM
Joined: 02/11/2005
Posts: 1457
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Boy, that's 2 big losses in a really short time.

R.I.P. Carwash, you will be missed.


I am lucky enough to work at one of the best tracks 
anywhere.

Grove
MyWebsite
September 20, 2011 at 12:07:46 PM
Joined: 01/28/2005
Posts: 332
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I am shocked! Mike was a great guy. I first met him at the '85 Gold Cup.

I bought my first video camera the tuesday before that Gold Cup and it was my first attempt at shooting sprint cars. I didn't do it with a plan to keep hitting all the races for the next 20 years. I just thought it was a good chance to practice shooting something in motion so I could get good shots of my grandkids! 6 people from that week-end wanted to buy a copy of that Gold Cup and Mike was one of them!

Through the years I tried many times to buy it back from him because it was "so bad."

What a guy. He was so easy to like, and always had a great attitude going for him. I will always be in the very large group that remember him kindly.



ethel
September 20, 2011 at 12:26:27 PM
Joined: 11/30/2004
Posts: 383
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RIP Carwash. my sincerest condolences to his family and friends


PetalumaPits
MyWebsite
September 20, 2011 at 12:30:04 PM
Joined: 04/04/2008
Posts: 389
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RIP Mike. Godspeed.

sprintman11
September 20, 2011 at 12:40:06 PM
Joined: 12/01/2004
Posts: 691
Reply

Never met the man, but read many, many posts of his over the years!! You could tell he was a true fan of the sport! RIP



singlefile
September 20, 2011 at 12:40:49 PM
Joined: 04/24/2005
Posts: 1341
Reply

Condolences to his friends and family.




MSPN
September 20, 2011 at 12:44:57 PM
Joined: 11/23/2004
Posts: 3943
Reply

Dang, stop the insanity! Petey, Mike and my neighbor in the last ten days or so, I can't take much more.

Mike was always soooo much fun, always an 'up' guy finding positive things to say and do. You always felt better in his company, how many people can say that about somebody?

Prayers and thoughts to his family and Hosehead CA friends who were lucky enough to spend so much time with him over the years, he was terribly special....



jknxville
September 20, 2011 at 12:45:25 PM
Joined: 08/11/2005
Posts: 86
Reply

godspeed carwash, my heartfelt condolences to the family



50thStater
September 20, 2011 at 01:18:01 PM
Joined: 03/03/2005
Posts: 301
Reply

I'm stunned, angry, saddened and just about every negative emotion I can feel all at once. The races won't be the same without you Mike. I'll just keep reminding myself that I was fortunate to have known you and that I should make every effort to follow your example of a life that was well lived and touched countless people in ways they'll never forget. God speed! - John Luther




chilly
September 20, 2011 at 02:34:24 PM
Joined: 12/01/2004
Posts: 975
Reply

Words can't come close to describe what Carwash meant to me and plenty of other Iowans that had the pleasure of knowing him -- but I'll try. Like some have already reiterated, Carwash was always so positive and so upbeat. You very rarely heard him say a negative thing about anybody or anything. I try to stay positive as well, but as Carwash showed me, I have a lot of room for improvement. I have a lot of great memories of Carwash, but among the best (in no particular order) are: the Kings Royal that Carwash rode with us to on the Dingus bus -- his first time to the Big E -- what a blast we had!! ..... the late night partying at the Nationals including playing bags in the dark (remember that Savage?) .... Duane Bonini Jr -- I bought a t-shirt from him several Nationals ago 'cause I liked the colors of his Vermeer-sponsored car (metallic green and white). Being a fellow Californian (Bonini from Discovery Bay), Carwash beamed when he saw the shirt & wondered if I knew him, or why I had the shirt. Every time I knew that Carwash would be coming to Iowa, I would wear the Bonini shirt and we would laugh about it ...... Terry McCarl -- not many people I know liked him more than Carwash. Most people love him or hate him, and Carwash was not shy to tell you why he admired T-Mac -- had the license plate to prove it......... maybe the most memorable, the weekend Carwash came to Iowa to support a friend of KK's who was dealing with cancer (something Carwash was familiar with). They had an auction, and Carwash put bids on anything and everything -- often bidding hundreds of dollars on stuff as small as a mini-basketball. I'm sure he had some monetary support from Hoserville CA, but I'll never forget the creative & hilarious ways he was allocating the funds to help a good cause.

You were awesome Carwash. I loved you, and I'm gonna miss you. I'm an organ donor, and I'm going to push to get more people signed up to do that so in the future we can maybe help save some people that needed transplants like you. In the meantime, I'm going to wear my Bonini t-shirt, stay positive, and keep thinking about you. RIP my friend.



Gary Thomas
MyWebsite
September 20, 2011 at 02:44:47 PM
Joined: 12/03/2004
Posts: 7412
Reply

Jonathan Allard statement on Carwash Mike passing

Jonathan Allard and Williams Motorsports are saddened to hear about the passing of sprint car super fan Carwash Mike Avilla.

“Mike was just a great guy and person and was an ambassador for our sport,” said Allard. “He was someone I looked up to when the chips were down to show me the positives in life. This is a huge loss for all of us out here and we are thinking about him today.”

Carwash Mike also had a tatoo of the number 0 on his leg in support of Jonathan and the Zero Heroes.

A memorial service is planned for next Tuesday September 27.


www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com



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