Jan Gabriel, the voice of US30 dragstrip has passed, 1940-2010

[Tom Wells]

Jan Gabriel, Rest in Peace. 
Funeral services on Sunday, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!

Obituary and story on the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-obit-gabriel-13-jan13,0,3003069.story

[317C50KW]

I remember him well.  I grew up in da region and listened to him on WJOB.  He came on every evening at 7:30, following a half-hour of Garner Ted Armstrong.

His is a name that was on my "whatever happened to" list.  It's nice to know he did OK!

[gr8oldies]

He would also have done Detroit Dragway as heard on CKLW I take it?

[Hoosierky]

Rick O'Dell has a great blog entry regarding Mr. Gabriel. http://www.877chicagosmoothjazz.com/RickodellBlog/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10079041

[Tom Wells]

According to the Chicago Tribune, he voiced the ads for many racetracks and dragstrips nationwide.

I grew up hearing him on WCFL and WLS while literally being able to hear the dragstrip off the distance, so his voice
was a huge thing, and I suppose I'll never be able to forget this.

I once drove my car down US30 dragstrip, the '66 Plymouth I still have. This was in the mid 80's, a few years after it was closed.
As I drove past, I saw an open spot, and turned in. It was night, in the summer. I already had the top down.  I sat up on the back of the bench seat, and using the light of the full moon only, let the car go slowly and very quietly in idle down the length of the strip while I remembered what it was like in the old days.

[KlunkLetter]

I lived in Lake Station and then in Hobart during the 70's.  One can't forget those commercials, where the "Great Ones Run, Run, Runnnn!"