I got to know Dick Gappa personally through our membership to GOTRA (Good Old Time Racing Association). Dick started racing coupes in 1952, it was only fitting that he ended his racing career in 2000… racing a coupe!!
Dick won the Playland track championship in 1969. He came out of retirement for a spell but retired again for good in the mid seventies. As far as I know, he didn't race again until he raced with us in GOTRA.
He started with GOTRA in '98. I think he was 68 years old then. Dick bought a ’33 Chevy coupe that used to belong to another old time Playland racer, John Beeman.
Dick won a “clean sweep” the first night out in the coupe. He won almost every single race he entered. He kicked our butts routinely.
I was close behind him in Norfolk when he got tangled with another coupe and planted his #77 Chevy coupe on its top, HARD!! He had to visit the local hospital and hurt his back. He wasn’t out long however and went right back to his winning ways.
He always told me, "Danny (he called me Danny), you have to be smooth to go fast, Smooth wins every time."
That was Dick Gappa. Smooth.
Although Dick has passed on, he is still remembered by many Playland fans.
About seventy years old, here is Dick racing his coupe at the “last Sunset” race in 2000. He led the race for a time, before being tangled up with another racer.
The race was very important to Dick. While the cars were lined up and waiting in line to exit the racetrack and go into the pits. Dick climbed out of the mighty #77 and walked up to the car driven by the guy that spun him. Dick punched the “offender” right through the opening of his helmet!!
The punch got Dick kicked out of our racing group for fighting. Dick died in 2001 of cancer.
