Early Life
Gamble was as car mad as any other 40’s teenager, but the South Florida winter season was a land of expensive European sports cars vs California’s hot rod culture. Gamble got hooked on road racing from the first issue of ROAD & TRACK 1947 and snagged a ride in the first MGTC being sold in Fort Lauderdale.
A family friend promoted racing (late 40’s) on an old abandoned Navy airfield(looked like a wagon wheel from the air) in Davie, Florida and hired Gamble and his high school buddies to set up bleachers, sell tickets, refreshments, programs, etc. for stock cars (before NASCAR) on the 2 mile circle taxiway. AAA midgets raced on an 1/8th mile oval on a parking ramp and sports cars on a simulated road circuit using the runways and taxiways. Big Bill France and his gang of good old boys in their hot rodded 39/40 Fords raced round the circle at speeds faster than INDY of that era! The big name INDY drivers raced their midgets in the winter season in Florida and California. The sports car crowd was led by SCCA founders Briggs Cunningham, the Collier brothers and northeastern friends.
Gamble graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1950 with his highlight being Captain of his State Championship Swim Team. He indulged in street racing his less than stock 1932 Ford and 39 Dodge.
The Korean War intervened and Gamble joined the Air Force to earn 4 years of college on the GI Bill. He served two voluntary combat tours but out of harms way as a senior ground radio operator. His last year in the AF was spent at Castle AFB, Merced, California (l954) and his hot wheels was a 500cc AJS Scrambler and spectated at the Golden Gate Park and Pebble Beach road races.
Four years of college further delayed his racing ambitions but his final 3 years as president of the U. of Florida Sports Car Club, got him established with the SCCA, organizing events and hoping for a ride.
During his Senior year (57/58), Gamble’s wheels were a 1952 Jeep Station Wagon and Zundapp Scrambler. On his trips home to Fort Lauderdale, he had many laps at Sebring in the middle of the nights, dreaming of really racing there some day.
Read more about this topic: Fred Gamble
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