Viper Nation Loses Another Great Leader

[gtsviper]

More sad news for members in Southern California and the national VCA. On Thursday, Dave Kalemkiarian passed away after a long battle with prostate cancer. Ironically, many SoCal members learned about Dr. Dave when we attended the Cruisin for a Cure show in Tustin where 2500 cars appeared to support research for prostate cancer. Dr. Dave was involved in the Southern California automobile community and was a founding member of VCA SoCal. We can thank him for helping to make the largest VCA region what it is today. We extend our thoughts to his wife Betty and his sons. We will miss you Dr. Dave.

 

[David Jenkins]

I first met Dave in '95. He was a friend to us all. Always a kind word and a warm smile. He helped make the SoCal club the biggest and best that it is today. I'll miss Doc for sure....dj

 

[Jason-Middle Tennessee]

Our thoughts & prayers go out to the family.

 

[Dead President]

Dr. Dave was not only my friend, our friend, but an enthusiast for over 40 years. He owned a real 427 AC Cobra in the 60s that he subsequently sold to the Edsel Ford museum. Among the twenty plus cars his family has, he had a black '93 RT/10, a Panoz AIV roadster, a 1966 Shelby GT350 and a Shelby pickup as a daily driver. As co-founder of the Southern California Viper Club he kept us focused on having fun with our cars. Whenever you had other things to do, he'd talk you out of them and into your Viper for a road trip. "No" was not an answer he'd accept; but "No worries" was the best way to describe him. He was a fun guy to be around and he NEVER COMPLAINED.

I have so many fond memories of driving with Dr. Dave & Betty to Monterey, Scottsdale, Las Vegas, among other places. It is hard to imagine that those days are gone.

Off the track, he put four kids through USC; each of which he was proud of for their individual accomplishments. His son, Dave Jr. races a 300ZX in SCCA.

The automotive and Viper communities have suffered a tremendous loss with Dave's passing. We will miss him, yet we will never forget him. He was one of a kind.

Frank Creede

 

[George Farris]

This is really sad news. Dr. Dave is one of my all-time favorite Viper owners. Got to know him quite well during my stay in Palm Springs. Let's never forget his shiny black RT/10 being used in the Michelin magazine ad.