Ray the Rat

[SPARKY]

   Ray Buck -- We Thank YOU for your PASSION!!!!!!

 It led the way, for RAY the RAT---

I met Ray the morning after his "I think" first night, before he actually set foot on the Salt---Andy and I were camped out way down the canal from the bend in the road. I do not remember who was there first---we were just way down from anyone else.  We introduced ourselves--and spent several nights as  camping neighbors.  Learned about each others sins and passions---when we breaking camp,  we laughingly said----"Well here's to us being able to say as we knew each other as nobody's sleeping by the canal" WE left laughing!!!

He and I often kidded each other about sleeping in dirt as "WANTaBEs" as we stayed in touch over the years!

  Ray, here's to your wonderful inspiration and legacy!
Few have done more with their 2nd chance at life than you did!!!

[Gary Perkinson]

Wow...sorry to hear it...never got to meet him, but I'm happy I got to at least e-mail with him a couple of times...RIP...

[Gu11ett]

Rest in peace Ray, you will be missed.

[Plan B]

First met the man at GNRS a few short weeks ago, introduced by the Good Doctor himself.
It was good to make the connection and talk with him.
His photographic record of all things automotive is timeless.
Sincere condolences to the family.
Rest In Peace.

DS

[Bob Drury]

  I feel like I have just been kicked in the heart...........
  I just spoke to Ray at the NW Reunion and thanked him for all his great work in and for the LSR community.  As we shook hands he commented how He felt appreciated in our midst and how much He felt blessed for every day because of his health problems.
  We both agreed that living "one day at a time to the best, because you never know what day might be your last" was a goal we were living because of age and health.
  Ray also mentioned that He was a "Living Miracle" having "flat lined" several times with heart issues.
  Before leaving, I shook his hand one more time and He was smiling as more and more people stopped to visit with him.
  I think Ray new his time on this Earth was drawing to a end, and He was spending it just as he wished... surrounded by a grateful crowd of like minded LSR fans.... His friends and family.
  Ray, may God grant you a special place in Heaven, We barely new Ye.............     
                                                                                                 Bob Drury

[Freud]

I have many things to attend to right now but in the near future I will walk you thru Ray's last hours.

Thank all of you for your sincere condolences.

I will make certain that his family has access to them.

If you have friends that knew Ray and do not use Landracing.com, please tell them for us.

I do not have passwords to Ray's online accounts and websites so many people will be uninformed.

FREUD

[Tman]

Godspeed Ray. We will all miss you.

[bigtim44]

RIP Ray.

[Texican]

AMEN!  to all of the above,and a hundred times over.

He always said; "If you are going to have a drink, have one for me, since I don't care to."

Jim

[bbarn]

Oh Ray, we hardly knew ye.

Let's all take some solace in knowing the we all, here on this Forum and this website, helped Ray gain some of his fame.  A good handful of years ago Nancy and I ran across him at the salt an, in our own way, helped him start taking more and more photos from Bonneville.  He was already an accomplished photographer of car stuff -- and he became one of the top shelf photographers at the salt.  He was brilliant, he was cranky, and most of all -- he was great to know.

His legacy will live on as long as this site is up and running, for we've got untold hundreds of his photos in the Gallery and other places here.  He was wise enough to have placed his watermark on his work - so you'll be able to tell which shots are his.  I hope that that alone will cut down on the number of times his work is taken and used without giving him the credit he is due for the photos.

An iconic shot of his"  How about the picture he took when Tom Burkland came into the pits "hot" at the Shootout five years ago?  Ray caught the car with four (out of all four) wheels in the air.  You don't see that in land speed racing very often.  Thanks to Ray -- we can see it again and again.

Rest in peace, my friend.  Say hi to Bill and Dr. Bob while you're at it, okay?

I just talked to Ray at the GNRS, I am a bit surprised by the news. I met Ray when we had the lakester at WOS back in '09, he took photos of the car for us right before we loaded it on the trailer and headed for home. As a matter of fact, I think I have a picture of Ray taking a picture of the lakester.

I have not seen this photo of Tom's car Slim and Stainless speak of. It might be a good gesture to start a RTR thread and pick out some of his "Best shots" and share them with the community. If you have a story to share about it, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to help those of us who didn't know him as well as others get a better understanding of the man.

[Freud]

bbarn, THANKS.

Maybe the fotos could just be posted on this thread. That way people that didn't know him

would be able to follow thru, meet him and see his work all at the same place.

I'll contact SSS and get his advice.

THANKS AGAIN,

FREUD

[Richard 2]

WOW, Rest in Peace Ray

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Before I start looking into the computers for shots that Ray took that aren't here -- well, here's a link to 842 of his pictures.  In case you didn't know it - we've got a photo gallery here on landracing.com and there are thousands of photographs there.  A bunch of them are unattributed, but many are from photographers who have given permission to use them.  This link takes you to the index page of the shots we have from Ray Buck.  http://www.landracing.com/gallery/index.php?cat=94

Enjoy them, everyone.

[Ron Gibson]

God Speed, Ray, You will be missed.

Ron

[Texican]

Before I start looking into the computers for shots that Ray took that aren't here -- well, here's a link to 842 of his pictures.  In case you didn't know it - we've got a photo gallery here on landracing.com and there are thousands of photographs there.  A bunch of them are unattributed, but many are from photographers who have given permission to use them.  This link takes you to the index page of the shots we have from Ray Buck.  http://www.landracing.com/gallery/index.php?cat=94

Enjoy them, everyone.

I'm trying to bring up his main website;
chevyasylum.com .
Now I remember when we chatted Tuesday that he was all in a trash about his servers had gone Tango Uniform, and he couldn't do much about the problem so many miles away.

Here's one that still works a little...http://www.myelcamino.net/ec_list.htm

Here are a few more; shows flats, etc.


http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=chevyasylum&qpvt=chevyasylum&FORM=IGRE

Jim