Herb "Tootle" Estes

Racing Historian Gary Parker attended his first dirt race at the famed Boyd's Speedway in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1955. Over 60 years, he has watched hundreds of races all over the South and at several historic tracks that no longer exist. He traveled and became close friends with some of the icons of Southern dirt racing and helped drivers in the pits. He was a member of Jody Ridley's crew from the late 1960's through all of the 1970's, and he was part of H.E. (Doc) Vineyard's pit crew for several years in the 1980's. He has written a number of articles for such racing publications as Dirt Late Model Magazine. Parker holds a PhD. in Anthropology. He lives with his wife in Chattanooga, Tennessee.