So very shocked to have heard about this. My classmates and I are already missing him very much.

I am very saddened to hear this news about Richmond Gage, a very nice fellow. When I began managing the Kyle Petty / 7-Eleven program in 1984, Richmond could always be found in the middle of anything Petty at the track, volunteering his time and services. R.I.P. Richmond.

Richmond Gage, 51
by NSSN Staff

CONCORD, N.C. Richmond Gage, a program chair and instructor for the Motorsports Management and Technology program at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, died suddenly on Sunday. He was 51 years old.

Richmond had a lengthy career in the motorsports industry, including serving as the Chief Stewart of the USAC Eastern Ford Focus Midget Series. He spent several years working on various NASCAR teams before joining Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to direct and instruct the first accredited degreed-program in motorsports in the United States. He was also the Director of the North Carolina Community College Motorsports Consortium.

Gage is survived by his wife Carol, and daughters Alex and Sarah.

He spent his life around race cars, and turned that passion into a way to help students fulfill their dreams.

Richmond Gage was well known in NASCAR circles and served in several capacities with various teams, including as a business manager, and most recently was an instructor in the motorsports program at Rowan Cabarrus Community College.

On Monday, RCCC issued this statement to WBTV on the death of Richmond Gage:

"Last night, we received the sad news that Instructor Richmond Gage died unexpectedly from an aneurysm.

Richmond was program chair for Motorsports Management Technology at the College's South Campus in Concord. He was a talented and caring instructor who always put his students first.

Those of us who worked with him loved his energy, sense of humor and commitment to the College and his students.

He created a signature program - the first of its kind across the country - that will reap benefits for our community for years to come. He was an asset to the College and the community and his passing represents a huge loss for Rowan-Cabarrus.

We are deeply saddened by this loss to our Rowan-Cabarrus family and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends. He will most certainly be missed."

Richmond Gage had just been included in the Press Release issued in October of this year by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory announcing appointments to the NC Motorsports Council:

College instructor, motorsports figure Richmond Gage dies
By Steve Lyttle
slyttle@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2013

Richmond Gage, who went from working in the pits with NASCAR teams to pioneering the teaching of motorsports in college, has died of an aneurysm, according to officials at Rowan Cabarrus Community College.

Gage had been chair of the Motorsports Management Technology program at the colleges south campus.

Before becoming a teacher at Rowan Cabarrus Community College, Gage worked for many years in a variety of roles with auto racing.

Former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty tweeted this week that Gage was a member of Pettys pit crew in the early 1980s. Later, he served as business manager for several teams.

John Davison, a veteran motorsports photo journalist, said Gage was the first pit crew member to use a notebook computer in the pits during what is now the Sprint Cup series.

In the early 1980s, Petty bought a pair of early notebooks and had a program written to track fuel and tire use to predict pit stops, Davison said. Gage ran the computer as part of his duties with Kyle Petty.

He said Petty and Michael Waltrip also were ushers at Gages wedding.

I dont have any photos of that here - theyre all in my archives in Charlotte.

He began teaching motorsports at the college nearly a decade ago and helped build what is said to be the first college degree program in motorsports.

He created a signature program, the first of its kind across the country, that will reap benefits for our community for years ago come, Rowan Cabarrus Community College said in an official statement.

He was a talented and caring instructor who always put his students first, the college said.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/24/4566979/college-instructor-motorsports.html#storylink=cpy

sad to hear RIP

A memorial service is scheduled Saturday, January 4 at Hendrick Motorsports at 2:00 pm.