Alma Gates Honored

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Alma Gates Award

HUNTSVILLE, AL–

The combined national sound off finals called the Car Audio Championship this October will honor one of the industry finest competitors, Alma Gates, who passed away in March.

An award will be presented in her honor during the event here on October 20 for her contribution to the car audio industry.

The recipient of the award will be a competitor elected by a 12 person industry panel, who will be chosen based on their adherence to principles that reflected Gates’ values including passion and dedication to car audio and competition.

“There is no one in my opinion that has done more for our industry than Alma.” said Moe Sabourin, Director of Operations at IASCA Worldwide “Everyone knows who she is and her dedication to our industry was second to none. Her memory must be honored and we can’t think of a better way to keep her memory alive than to award someone who shares the same values that she had.”

Gates, a beloved figure in car audio, was an avid and formidable competitor in sound off contests, even while in her 70s.

Alma and Patrick Gates

(Alma and Patrick Gates. Credit: Ripley’s dbdragUSA)

Her Bronco, called “The Beast,” shattered many SPL records before she retired from competition in 2006.

Gates, a retired school teacher, became involved in 12-volt competition as a shared interest with her then-teenage son, Patrick, as it provided a means of spending time with him. Eventually, he grew up and stopped competing, although she continued.

CNN once called Gates the “boombox Granny,” and a local TV station called her “The Rockin’ Granny.”

The Car Audio Championship is a combined finals  for competition organizations dB Drag, IASCA, USACi, and MECA.  It will be held October 19th and 20th, 2013 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL.

For more information on the Car Audio Championship/Unified Finals or the Alma Gates Memorial Award, contact Celise Harris at [email protected], Moe Sabourin at [email protected], Steve Stern at [email protected] or Ralph Randall at [email protected].

 

 

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1 Comment

  1. Though I was only able to meet Miss Gates a hand full of time she was thee most amazing person I have ever met. That amazing smile would light up a room when she entered and also confuse you in the SPL lanes. LOL

    Alma to most of us was the “Mom” of the Car Audio industry. She helped us to not only learn about car audio but also taught us the passion and drive it takes to be 1# in this industry.

    Alma Gates will never be forgotten and always be missed.

    When I hear thunder during a storm I think to myself..

    There is Alma “Booming Angel in the sky.”

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