Dang, just saw it on The Bonneville Salt Flats racing group. Along with his racing exploits he was a true patron of automotive art who put a number of unknown shops on the map by taking a chance on them.
Back when I bought the 330 Desoto that’s in my 41 pickup, it was off EBay from Jimmy Dobbs, but was sitting in a Flagstaff, Arizona warehouse. I was planning on having it shipped, and was relating my plans to mutual Mississippi friend Paul Kosma at the time. Paul says “Hold on”, and calls George, whom I casually knew from Memphis Street Rods. He remembered me (!) and after hearing my crazy plan, said “No need to do that. Danny (his driver) will be going to Albuquerque next week to pick up a new trailer for me. Get me the address and he will pick it up”. It didn’t matter that the engine was several hundred miles from the trailer! Or that I was a nobody in his circle of friends and car builders. A week later I get a phone call, and my engine is on a pallet, sitting in Memphis, in one of Mr. George’s business warehouses. One freshly rebuilt 330 Desoto, delivered at no charge, just because he wanted to, and could do it. Humble, prone to bib overalls and old pickups, easy to talk to, and one to make you feel like you were important and he wasn’t. Rest in Peace, Mr. George!
Condolences to family and friends.. That Hemi story shows the character of a great man ..lived right and lived well..
Wow, truly left his mark in performance world. Sincere sympathy goes out to friends, fans and especially his Family
I never met him but admired almost every car he commissioned. He was known for hiring a relatively unknown shop or individual to build a vehicle that would eventually put that shop or person in the lime light. The hobby has lost an icon. RIP Mr. Poteet. https://www.motortrend.com/news/rem...-speed-racing-pioneer-and-hot-rodding-legend/
RIP…gave many people the boost they needed to become well known builders…one of the good guys for sure
Yikes, didn’t see this coming. Long will he be remembered as a fixture at Bonneville. Prayers to his family, friends and fellow racers.
I've known George since 1990. I was involved in building a few cars for him. I could tell you lots of stories. Super guy!
Around 1987 a group of us hot rodders from Ohio were gathered in the parking lot of the Howard Johnson motel on Merchant drive in Knoxville Tennessee. Just hanging around bull shitting as we always did . When up walks this guy in bib overalls and joins in on the conversation. Didn't realize who he was until years later. Just acted like another hot rod buddy. Rest in peace George. Our thoughts and prayers to his friends and family
So this guy in bib overalls (starting to see a pattern here) walks up to my booth looking for a 4BBL air cleaner to cover his "ugly" carb. I show him what I have and he says no, I need something bigger. I told him I had been planning to do a homage to the 14" die cast Cal Custom air cleaner and he knew exactly what I was talking about and said OK if I pay you will you do them? I tell him I don't take money for products unless I have them in production. He comes back with "Of course you do." Pardon me? "You take money up front for car club plaques don't you?" Hmmmm, I think, this ain't no country bumpkin I'm talking to. He says "Tell you what. You make ten of them, bring them to the Nats next year and I'll pay you for them." I knew when to fold 'em. Ok sir, do you have a card in case I have any questions? Pulls a business card out of his back pocket: Camel Toe Racing George Poteet. And that's when my 14" Cal Custom style a/c was born - to be followed by 9" and 6 7/16" versions. Rest in Peace George.
Everything I ever heard about George was good. He had impeccable taste in cars, and always chose the best shop for the job, with stunning results. RIP Mr Poteet, you were a gentleman and a true Hotrodder !
Story number two. George called me to tell me he won a part on Ebay (insert your comments here on how many times he out bid you for something - he never lost!). It was a two gauge holder that went on the bolster in the front of a 61(?) Ford liniar speedometer on top of the steering column. Won't tell you what he paid for it.) He wanted to know if I could repop it for him and since he said it was sand cast I told him to send it to me and I'd see what I could do. Next day the FedEx guy delivers it and I get to work and make some tooling and make a couple of samples. Throw them in the '34 and take them to the Nats to show him. He says how much, I ask how many, he says 50, I ask how many 61(?) Fords he has, he says just 11 but I have a lot of friends that will like them. Now the interesting part that tells you who George was: I give him a price XXX. He pulls his phone out of - yes- his bib overalls, starts punching on his calculator, I'm getting nervous, hands the phone to me and says here's what I am paying you for them. I look at the phone, look at George, look back at the phone and the number is XXX plus say 30%. I tell him, that's too much George! His reply (quote) "Dennis, you're a businessman and I'm a businessman. I know what these will cost to make and I want you to be in business the next time I need something. So that's what I am going to pay you - don't argue." That's the way he was with those he dealt with as long as you were honest with him. He spread his money around and did his best to keep the rodding and racing communities going. Rest in Eternal Peace George - may your salt be dry and smooth up there
Jay, those were some of my best memories building some truly amazing machines back then. The way George would come in ,give you a basic idea of what he wanted, and then hand the builder the reigns was pretty special. The trips across America with Gary and you guys were some of my best adventures.
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