San Francisco Region - SCCA 
In Memory Of Scott Crawford

Scott's Candle (What does the candle mean?)

04/09/02: Scott Crawford passed away this morning. Daughter Jennifer was with her at Los Gatos Community Hospital. Memorial service plans are incomplete at this time.

-Marcy Crawford

04/16/02: San Jose Mercury News Obituary

04/18/02: Photo Tribute To Scotty Crawford   ............Prepared by SFR Member Gregg Schlaman

04/26/02:  I don't think there was a single person who'd been with the SF Region SCCA who didn't know Scotty. She used to keep me company at times in the air conditioned medical clinics (Used to be a nice place to hide out, especially after the improvements at Sears Point with the TV feed and all!). 

I always found it so hard to believe that Scotty was as sick as she was---She was tireless and her energy and positive attitude (even when she was being negative) was infectious. I wish it could have been bottled! 

I am sure her positive attitude is what kept her going. Somehow I believed she'd be the ONE to beat her cancer and have the last laugh at the end, despite what the doctors and the textbooks said. 

Scotty is a case study in class and bravery while facing the ultimate foe, and we are all better off in having known her and spent time with her.

Godspeed Scotty, and I do mean speed! There's got to be some challenging race tracks in heaven...... 

-Catherine Frazier, RN 

04/21/02:  Was there ever a person who worked so hard to make sure others around her were able to get their jobs done? 

Scotty Crawford did. She suffered no fools and welcomed the professionals whose job it was to make her life difficult (at best). She made us all better with her smile, smirk and knowing nods. As a working journalist, I came in contact with Scotty with sufficient frequency to build a friendship (in a minute). Our bond never ceased and still won't. 

I feel the tug of her love now. Right now. Always. Her love of motor sports and its worldwide village sustains all of us who know her. 

It is my hope that her ashes will be scattered at the places she loves best. Having lost a partner who lived to breathe toxic fumes (photographer Ron Hussey), I know that remains need to be sprayed at sites where friendships are born and grow. Friendships, real friendships, never die. 

Scotty, scold Ronzo for me, please! I miss you both. Tremendously. May we all congregate in Victory Lane someday...

-Annie Proffit

04/20/02:  I enjoyed many times with her at the races. She was a pain in the butt at times, but made me laugh and was generous to a fault. 

Everyone needs a friend like her. With teary eyes, 

-Diane Hooper

04/18/02:  I first met Scotty in 1966 when I first started rallying and autocrossing. 

Over the next three years we bacame very good friends. We spent much of fhe time at rallys etc, and when the Can Am cars came to Laguna, Scotty would join a bunch of us camping nearby for the weekend. 

We would spend the day watchin the races, while she worked the course. Unfortunately, the US Air Force had better ideas for my time, and I left the area in September of 1968. Unfortunately, when I came back state side, I could no longer participate in car rallies, and lost track of Scotty until a couple of days ago when I saw the article in the paper.

 I  have always had the fondest of memories of our times together, and am saddened she had to suffer with the cancer for so many years. 

-Bob Haley

04/18/02: Jennifer writes...... I want to personally thank each and everyone of you for all of your heartfelt memories of my mother. I am very touched to see these pages have been created, for everyone that knew her, to post all feelings and memories that they have of her.

I have had over 8 years to prepare for this and yet I am completely devastated. I miss her terribly and cant believe she is really gone. I lost my father and both of my grandparents (his parents) to Cancer. I truly hate this decease and what it does to its victims. My mother was my last living relative other than my children. I feel very alone due to this even though Im not completely. So many of my family has died in my lifetime, I don't know what to do now.

I got the call on easter night, after one hour of sleep, from the police dept. asking if Id been in touch with the hospital, as the hospital had tried to reach me but could not get through. I was not surprised as I have a block on the phone so I thought nothing of it. Once I called and found out what was really going on, I was on my way, crying all the way there. When I got there, her best friend was there and tried to prepare me for what I was about to see I was just a little freaked. I went in to see her, my heart just knew this was it. I stayed with her every nite and most of the days but it was hard with my little ones at home waiting for me. I told them I was taking care of grandma and needed to be with her as much as possible. Being disabled has some advantages and being able to be there for my kids and my mom made a big difference. I told her everyday that I loved her and forgave her.

The night she died, I woke up to go to the bathroom and when I came out I checked on her and again told her I love her, she took a last
breath and died. I have never been the same since. I think about her every single day and miss her even more.

I will be having a memorial at Laguna Seca April 27-28th if I can get a ride and a place to sleep for my children and I. 

If anyone can help me please contact Bob and Vivian and they will give me your info so I can call you. It would be greatly appreciated. We will also have one at Sears Point if I can get there and then another that will be at a church in San Jose, Ca. We will let you know when as soon as we can but out of respect for my mother I wanted to make sure that I covered the tracks and people that she loved so much. I spent almost my entire life at the races the one official race brat. I miss having her in my life and my kids, who don't understand, miss her too.

Thank you again for being there for here and giving her and myself the kinds words to remember her by. My daughter will be 4yrs old soon
and my son 3 yrs old this year.

I miss her most of all.........

-Jennifer Warburton

04/18/02: I worked for may years with Scotty at the races. I moved to Hawaii about 22 years ago. We have stayed in touch by email until just recently. She was quite a gal. 

-Suzanne Gillam

04/18/02: Friends -- Scotty Crawford, one of the kindest, prettiest, smartest and most feeling ladies who ever worked in a press room at any type of motor sport, has gone to her reward after an incredibly long illness that filled the last decade at least. She had one of the worst kinds of cancer imaginable but smiled through all her years of adversity with few complaints.

If you remember her from the Jerry Diamond days at Laguna Seca or Sears Point, from the NHRA and SCCA events at Sears Point and Portland, from Riverside, Ontario or Pomona, from short track racing in the Bay Area, you will remember a vibrant young lady who always smiled and laughed a lot and would kill to help you if she could. 

I last saw her at the wedding of my son John and his bride Robin in Santa Clara. Despite her deteriorating health she insisted on attending, and I got to dance with her one last time. She looked like a million bucks, and lots of the guests who didn't know who she was commented on how beautiful Scotty was that day. The beauty we saw that day was just on the outside. Inner beauty never had a better definition than Scotty Crawford. 

-Deke Houlgate

04/18/02: I first met Scotty at the Hillsborough Concours in the 70's when she was known as Scott Warburton. 

My friend Bill Cartwright had talked me into not only working at the races as a flagger, but in my spare time, working at the area concours. She was quite something with the flowing mane of blond hair - hard to miss or forget. In reminiscing years later, I told her I'd seen her in a movie that was shown at the then Import Car Show in San Francisco. She thought that was a hoot and wanted to know where she could get a copy. I had to tell her unfortunately I didn't know.

When I found out last year that I was diagnosed with prostate cancer(now cured) she welcomed me into the big C club not in a bad way. Just we could now connect on a different level and I found her words reassuring and I'd tried to do the same for her.

I shall surely miss her and her stories. She put up a valiant fight to the end and even though I know she's better off without the pain - I'll still miss talking to her in the paddock.

-Bruce Brunner

04/17/02: I, too, had known Scotty for many years....dating back to my early involvement with the Region in the late 60's. (Time does fly when you're having fun!)

Our friendship was not what one would call close but a friendship nevertheless. When my wife was diagnosed with cancer similar in type to Scotty's, the first person we heard from was Scotty....with medical recommendations aplenty. Her doctor, at the time, had been a saviour to her and she was anxious to pass on the information to those who might benefit from the same treatments. Unfortunately, in our case, it didn't work but obviously in Scotty's case, it did for a while, at least. 

She was truly a special person who will be missed by many.

My sympathies to her family...both related and extended.

-Marty Kaufman

04/16/02: Thank you for letting us know of Scott's meeting with peace. 

Through our sorrow, we can find comfort since she has finally met the almighty. We will continue to mourn her loss and wish those that loved her our best in this time. She had it real tough, yet stood tall through it all and she gave us her help. I think she gave us luck, hope and certainly inspiration. I hope that those with whom were at odds with her will now receive some spiritual metamorphysis and realize what a great and wonderful person she was to us that knew her on different terms. She helped more than we can express.

I pray that she rests in peace for an eternity and that there is dignity for her, as she is so worthy of that.

Now she joins so many more as symbols of courage.

May she rest in peace.

-Adam and Connie Rocke

04/16/02: I will miss Scotty. I've known her for 20 years. Her ongoing battle, and survival, was inspirational.

-Kathy Downs, Fox Frabrique

04/16/02: I met Scotty back in '72 when I first started working the races. I also remember her Black and White Checkered Dress with those wonderful White Go-Go Boots! That dress should really be put into a museum. There are many signatures on that dress that can NEVER be duplicated. Scotty and that dress were just classic when it comes to talking about the San Francisco Region.

I got to know Scotty in many ways over the years both before and after her marriage; while her daughter, Jennifer, lived with me for a few months; and during her battle with cancer. We talked many times over the years during her battle so I knew pretty well how her battle was going. It's still a 
shock though when you lose a family member and I consider Scotty as part of  the family.

God Speed Scotty! I'm glad you're out of your pain but I'll miss you.

-Jan Weaver

04/16/02: I just want to say that Scotty still has that checkered flag dress (& matching panties/shorts). She was very proud to show it to me several months ago when I took her out to dinner to celebrate her 8th anniversary of surviving. Scotty's collection of race memorabilia is awesome, bring back the good old days, many before I joined SCCA in '85. I will miss her greatly. She had a fighting spirit second to none. It always seemed that the faster life threw her lemons, the faster she made lemonade. 

Although I didn't know Scotty long or well, we hit it off and had a lot of great conversations about racing and life. I will remember the times we spent together.

-Trish Duarte

04/16/02: Last night about 1:00 I had a dream, I was talking to someone and telling them to be sure to tell Scott, the next time they talked with her to be sure to remember to have Potatoe Bread for the party. 

That memory went back to one of her birthdays shortly before they moved from California. Her "parents" had planned a halloween type party with a spook house. My mom never had me buy gifts for my friends but did the shoping herself and wrapped it for me, everything. I just took it over and handed it to them. Well this time my Mom gave me two loves of Potatoe bread all wrapped up nicely to give to Scott for her birthday. I felt horrified. I knew how much she loved my moms Potatoe bread but none of the other kids would understand a gift like that. I had made something for her myself and had it ready and off I went. Well Scott made a huge deal of the bread and it has been a thing between us all these years. I guess I had my little visit with her sort of anyway. 

Thanks all again for being there for her. I know it sounds trite but I just don't know what else to say. I hate death!!! I don't hate it for what it is but for what our society makes of it. I just don't know what to say to others that have lost the physical closeness of someone that they loved. My personal belief allows me to not view death as the complete loss that so many perceive it to be which makes it an easier event for me to deal with, oh there are still tears and a feeling of loss because I won't be able to spend physical time with that person any more but I believe there is so much more and I have the relationship alive in my heart, it can't be taken from me. 

-Ardythe Wendt

04/16/02: Scotty was a wonderful woman and a great friend of racing. I had known that she had been sick for some time but put off calling her ...

I'm sorry that I didn't get a chance to talk to her one last time.

Thanks for putting it into words for all of us.

-Doug Stokes

04/16/02: I know she must be in a better place now, with all the problems and legal issues and all the pain and suffering now at an end. Clint and I have ried to help and encourage her through her rough spots. She is the bravest person I know, and I'm sure she fought until the end. She gave her all to support racing, and we'd like to contribute one of our winner's flags to her in appreciation of her endless efforts all these years. 

-Pat and Clint de Witt

04/15/02: This is a sad day as it marks the passing of another of California motorsports' "old guard" (although Scotty would probably slug me for using that term)... 

I first met her around 1980 when I started covering motorsports in Northern California. It didn't matter to Scotty if you were representing the biggest daily newspaper or the smallest weekly. She treated everyone the same and made every press room she ever worked in a more enjoyable place
to be and an easier place to do your job.

The first thing I did when I took over as Public Relations Director at Sears Point back in 1983 was to hire her as my press room assistant. She never
let me down and the reputation we gained at Sears Point as a "media friendly" track was certainly due in large part to her selflessness, dedication,
hard work and love for both our sport and the people who cover it --journalists, broadcasters and photographers alike.

She was a gallant lady, a true professional and a true friend. I will miss her very much.

-Rick Lalor

04/15/02:  I first met Scotty in 1977 during the Portland Rose Cups. She and some other SFR workers stayed the night at our home in Salem before making the trek back to California. 

I didn't have any contact with her until June of 1993 when she was driving a PT Starion in group 5, and Tom Lepper told her to follow my dad during the race. She won her class. 

Scotty was one of the few people left in the club from the "old school". Being involved in racing was her life. 

I want to convey my deepest sympathy to Jennifer and Scotty's grandchildren. Scotty will be missed. 

-John Zanardi

04/11/02: It's hard for me to believe that Scotty is gone. She has been at the track as long as I can remember, and I grew up there. 

My favorite memory of Scott was way back in the early 70's, when things seemed wilder, people seemed friendlier and it seemed like anything went at the track. Those were the Can-Am, Trans-Am and F-5000 days and the people in the pits were about as unlimited in their spirit as the engines in those cars. 

Scott had this wonderful sleeveless, checkered flag mini-dress, with circles cut out of the sides. Scott would wear this material marvel with her white go-go boots and sometimes, I think she wore a matching checkered flag hat. I was young, too young to be able to work the corners, and she was a pit-lane diva in my eyes.  WOW, Scotty the hottie, with her long legs, long blonde hair and tall lean figure, she was really something to behold. Filled with a verve for life in the fast lane. 

I remember her working in the pit lane during the races, she would have the fastest, most famous drivers sign her dress, as she flight here and there, doing her various jobs. I always wondered if she still had that dress. Scott was like a flash of bright light, here one minute, there the next, never lighting for long. She was filled with energy and had a bright, broad smile like Carley Simons's. 

I'll miss Scotty and I'll miss being able to visit with her at the track. I felt lucky that I was able to visit with her last year, at the last event held at Laguna Seca. We had a nice time together and I'll always remember it. I guess her passing shocked me, as she looked so good and healthy at that time. I know she was suffering though and the burden on her physically, emotionally and financially was leaving a big scar. 

I know she'll still be at the track, but I'll miss seeing her there.

-Carla Chamberlain

04/09/02:  Scott was among the first people I met when I joined the club in 1980. We both worked in Timing and Scoring. Over a short time, Scott taught me a lot of the tips for scoring the passing cars in front of us so that I could do it quickly and accurately in ink. Really good lapcharters do it in ink, with pencils being for the amateurs. HaHA. She knew all the tricks and was pretty cool.  We often battled over mistakes, and she was usually correct. Our discussions over at Social, after most everyone else had left, since T&S is usually last to arrive, were long and enjoyable. Scott knew just about everybody, and was always traveling around the country. Scott got me a couple of lap charting jobs traveling around with an AMA race promoter, and the trips were always pretty memorable. In fact, they formed the basis of a long friendship and club association.

Scotty worked in lots of jobs around the race track. Many people knew her for a lap charting skills, second to none. Most people though knew her because she could run a press room like few others. Her hand typed and on-the-fly race notes were often sought and taken verbatim into print by her many friends in the media. 

At most every Pro Racing weekend for too many years to remember, from Daytona to Long Beach, Riverside, Willow Springs, Laguna Seca, Sears Point, Portland Int'l and Seattle, there she was in the media center, writing press notes, maybe doing a lap chart taking questions along the way, arranging and setting interviews in the podium victors, and always being the Little General. "We need more refreshments! Here's page 4 of the TransAm! Grab that phone! That was car #12 because it has a black mirror, not a white one! Here's the press kit you were looking for!"  Her smile and laugh befriended many, as the Media Chief wiped the sweat off on Sunday night because the press went home happy. 

She handled Trophys and Worker Awards for many years in the SFR, getting to touch just about everyone in the club at some point or another during a race season, both on and off. Anyone who collected a Race Trophy since about 1990 has probably seen and met Scotty.

My lasting memory of her will be how pretty she looked in a wedding dress in a garden that day she married Mike, and the great party we had that day with my new friend Vivian.  And the day she got her first computer, too. 

Scotty's in a better place now, free of the pain and suffering she's had to endure with her failing body these last few years. Its been very rough, as rough as it comes for people battling with the big C. Maybe even tougher for Scotty, as her strength would erode, and come back and erode again., such that her life was a roller coaster. She fought the fight as well as any, as long as any. And that best demonstrates her resolve and will in pretty much everything she set out about to do. She was a pretty strong (and stubborn but accepting) person.

She'll always be in my thoughts.

-Bob Stegall

Email The Web Team to share your memories of Scott and we will do our best to pass them along to the family. If you would like them posted on Scott 's page, then let us know that too.