Fare Ye Well, Dicken Wear

A likely pair. Tom Stahler and Dicken Wear on one of many a lively meal. Image Credit: Tom Stahler

Fare Ye Well, Dicken Wear
A tearful goodbye to a close friend 
By: Tom Stahler, Managing Editor of the ClassicCars.com Journal - Republished with permission - published originally on July 1, 2020

When I would introduce Dicken Wear to people, I would say, “You know ‘the most interesting man in the world’ (from the Dos Equis commercials)? He’s got nothing on this man. Meet Dicken.”

Dicken may have been one of the most influential characters in motorsports and the automobile business that you never heard of. Some of racing’s biggest stars in the last 30 years were part of his karting programs; his grandfather, J.S. Inskip was the American coachbuilder for Rolls Royce – and one of the founders of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA); he took a group of Pixar animators on a trip on old Route 66 to inspire the backdrop for the Disney movie Cars.

Dicken - In Monterey, (from left) Dicken Wear, Johnny O’Connell, Tom Stahler. Image Credit: Tom Stahler

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Anywhere you went with him, the insiders knew him and respected him. Dicken passed away on Father’s Day morning after an 18-month battle with prostate cancer. Many of us will miss him greatly. For those of you who didn’t know him, you probably would be attracted to his magnetic humor and outgoing nature.

His entire life was spent in the automotive and motorsports industry. For many years, he worked for his grandfather’s dealership which was the importer/distributor of many English makes — MG, Rolls-Royce, Aston-Martin, Austin-Healy, Iso-Rivolta and Iso-Griffith — in just about every position imaginable. When the family sold the dealership in 1977, he took over the family’s Motorsports Division and Racing Team: “The Original Competition Engineering Since 1954”

A night out during the Long Beach Grand Prix (LtoR) James Groth, an unknown gal, Dicken Wear, Tom Stahler. Image Credit: Tom Stahler

He has been a race team manager, race driver and mentor to many “stars to be” in karting. He was also a journalist. He founded the Motorsports Report, which will now continue under the leadership of veteran IndyCar and car culture editor, Edmund Jenks.

With Craig Breedlove, Mr. World Land Speed Record. Image Credit: Tom Stahler

So many great times. So many great stories. So many late-night drives. So many on-track experiences.

Once the last engine was switched off at Laguna Seca at the end of Monterey Car week, the tradition became to make the 20-mile trip north to Watsonville to the Fish House. Come for the fish, stay for the bananas foster (video above - Dicken Wear, Tom Stahler, Charlie Vogelheim, Edmund Jenks ... from a "head's up" message by Josh Farmer).

Tom Stahler, Dicken Wear, John Kraman. Image Credit: Tom Stahler

What I will remember most is a guy who always had time to talk, help and just be a friend.

I’m missing you already, Dicken.

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: ClassicCars.com Journal, Dicken Wear, JS Inskip, The Motorsports Report, The Original Competition-Engineering, The EDJE

Dicken Wear . . . Gettin'​ His Kicks On Route 66

How does one define a Dicken Wear? Neither easily nor shortly. A recognition of a friend and colleague who passed from this life a bit too quickly on Father's Day 2020. Image Credit: John Dinkel (2017)

Dicken Wear . . . Gettin'​ His Kicks On Route 66
By: John Dinkel, Contributor to the SAE's Automotive Engineering magazine - Republished with permission - published originally on June 24, 2020

So . . . how to define a Dicken Wear.  That’s the third thought that hit me after learning from friends back in the north country (the One that is North of Australia) that Dicken had passed away.

My first thought was that Dicken was in a far better place, free of the cancer that had wracked his body for the past two years, and, secondly, great sadness at the loss of a dear friend.

Dicken behind the wheel of a Kidracer at the 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: John Dinkel (2017)

Dicken was amazing.  I don’t know another person who had the knowledge and connections in motorsport that Dicken had.  And seemingly in every area and at every level of motorsport.  And these were not just casual acquaintances from chance meetings.  He literally knew and was friends with motorsports connections from go-karting to Formula 1.

Dicken hauled my Meyers Manx all the way from Arizona when I bought it. And yes, that is "Competition-Engineering.com" lettered on the engine-protection bumper. Image Credit: John Dinkel (2017)

But Dicken was much more than a storehouse of motorsports knowledge.  He was a genuinely nice guy.  You got a problem?  Dicken was there to help. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I called Dicken, or he called me, when he wasn’t behind the wheel of a truck or a car . . . typically a BMW.  Someone needed a car or something hauled somewhere.

Question: Did Dicken ever NOT wear a car shirt? Image Credit: John Dinkel (2017)

About 10 years ago [2010], I posted the following words on Dicken’s Linkedin page that are as true today as they were then:

How do you define a Dicken Wear? 

Neither easily nor shortly. An East Coaster, from Road [sic] Island, with deep roots in the auto industry. His grandfather was a Duesey of an enthusiast who built Rolls-Royces and imported, distributed, or sold almost all English sports cars from the 1940s through the mid 1960s. Aston-Martin, Morris, MG, etc. In other words he Triumph-ed over adversity to live a live of Riley, but it was not an Austin-tacious lifestyle. 

Ditto his father. Dealerships, racing, fabrication . . . that’s a small microcosm of a Dicken Wear. 

Wanna design and build a go-kart track? That’s Dicken. Name a dozen top currents racers and more than a few probably attribute their success to Dicken. Formula Atlantic, IMSA, Grand-Am? Dicken has had his hands wrapped around all of them. SEMA, LBGP, PRI? Dicken will be hanging out. LA Auto Show, Grand National roadster Show? Yup, he’ll be there too. Ditto car museums. 

Write him a big enough check and he’ll design and build you a sports racer/track car/hot rod. And that’s not a complete fabrication! Right now he’s got a hot SEMA Dodge Challenger connected to his name. Dicken loves anything dealing with cars and car people. 

He owns more BMWs than most car dealers . . . and most of them need a little work. But they are fast and they handle. He also loves writing and shooting cars, following in the foot steps of one of his heros, Pete Lyons. 

I can’t think of anyone more fun to hang out with than Dicken Wear. Okay, Paris Hilton would probably get me “access” to a few more places than Dicken. Oh, and we have one other thing in common: We’re both pizza snobs! 

You owe it to yourself to know a bit more about this unique human being called Dicken Wear.  I suggest the following links as a start.

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/i/inskip/inskip.htm

http://www.competition-engineering.com/albums.html

http://www.the-motorsports-report.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dicken-wear-1b3a878/
ENDS

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: Dicken Wear, Inskip, Competition-Engineering, Go-Karts, Rolls Royce, Motor Press Guild, SEMA, PAPA, AARWBA, ASRA, The Motorsports Report, The EDJE