Gail O'Doski, A Bartow Legend Dies | by Bill Green Gail O'Doski is not a household name, but is best remembered by local race fans for his marketing work for a young talented Bartow, Florida stock car racer named Rick Wilson. Some local Bartow natives will remember a young Gail O'Doski as the voice of Polk county AM radio station WBAR before he become it's general manager in the late sixties. But his closest friends remember a loving family man, who's real passion was in his music and his racing. Neither of which he would ever strayed to far from. Gail O'Doski became addicted to stock car racing the first time he visited Sebring Raceway in 1958. That was the night he snuck out onto the race track in his own 1958 Dodge Desoto Firedome two door hardtop. He almost completed the 3.7 mile road course, but the track officials finally caught up to his attempt to navigate the course in the dark and he was quietly escorted off the premises. "He really enjoyed the years he spent working with Rick. Learning the marketing of an athlete as he went," said son, Rhett O'Doski a Tallahassee Lobbyist and road racer, of his father career. "My dad worked hard to secure the Kodak deal, but soon realized that his work securing a Grand National ride for the talented Wilson was complete and turned his attention back to family and music. His collection of memorable personal racing photos were a joy to him and the family over the years though." Included in those photos are the likes of A. J. Foyt and Marty Robbins around the race track, country singers Tammy Wynette and Ray Stevens were counted as friends in country music, but the legendary Dr. Paul Bearer was always over at Gail's house for parties and gatherings. "Man could he scare the heck out of my sister Ashley and me," Rhett said of the late actor, Dick Bennick and his Dr. Paul Bearer character. "He would pop out of a coffin at Halloween or jump from a closet at Christmas." Gail joined the U. S. Air Force in the early 60's and got his first real broadcasting experience at a combination radio/TV station in Goose Bay, Labrador, Newfoundland. At CFLA AM/TV is where Gail was a combination radio announcer and disc jockey on the radio side, while in the TV studio he doubled as news anchor and weather reporter. He also pulled a tour as a tuba player for the Air Force Band. In the mid-eighties a former classmate, whom had become a record producer, dropped in to visit Gail in his Bartow advertising office and after several hours, left with two demo songs co-written by Gail. The tapes went back to Nashville and soon after that Music City called with a record deal. Five singles were released by Door Knob Records, each one scoring slightly higher on the Billboard 100 than the last. Gail's son Rhett, summed up his father life elegantly the day after his father's death on Sunday, August 24th, 2008. "My dad was a great dad. An entertainer, a comedian, a disciplinarian when he had to be, but he was a friend to everybody he ever met. He love his music and his racing, and he had great success with both, but he was really proud to have broken onto the Billboard Charts five times with singles from his "The First Time" album, recorded in 1986." Gail O'Doski will be missed by his friends and family, but everyone in the community will miss the small town businessman that put Bartow, Florida and Rick Wilson on the NASCAR map forever. You can still order Gail's "The First Time" album from Door Knob Records. Visit http://www.doorknob-rec.com/catalog.txt and fill out the order slip. You'll receive your copy within a few weeks.
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