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Tom Yeager Obituary
His early years were spent owning and running Town and Country IGA, Marion, OH and building a racquet club.
After retiring from the grocery business Tom raised and raced Whippets across the country turning them into national champions.
Always interested in sports cars and auto racing Tom worked his way up the amateur ranks in SCCA to win regional races and compete at the Runoffs at Riverside Raceway, CA.
In 1965 Tom received the first customer Ford Mustang GT 350R and competed as an original team driver for Carroll Shelby. He had a successful year of racing and did well enough to receive an invitation to the ARRC at Daytona International Speedway to represent the Central Division finishing a respectable sixth place against Corvettes, Jaguar XKEs and Tigers. In 1966 Tom and Bob Johnson competed in the first year of professional Trans Am racing and won the Manufacturer's Championship for Ford in a modified Trans Am Mustang. Both Mustangs are still competing in vintage racing today.
After a respite of over 20 years Tom was dragged to a vintage race in 1993 and was bitten by the racing bug again. For the next 20 years he and wife Scottie competed in several vintage race organizations in British sports racers. In 1996 Tom was awarded the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association's Driver of the Year award voted on by the former Drivers of previous years.
Tom leaves behind his wife, Scottie, five children, 2 step children and 9 grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to The Mark Donohue Foundation Inc., c/o John Fergus II, VP Treasurer, 8377 Green Meadows Dr. N, Lewis Center, OH 43035 or to Avow Hospice, Naples, FL. Online condolences may be offered at www.legacy.com/obituaries/NaplesNews.
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Memories and Condolences
for Tom Yeager
Sponsored by Beachwood Society - Naples.
Fred J Hilbert
January 2, 2022
Tom will always be in my memories. I had the pleasure of meeting him several times. He was the first owner of my Shelby GT350R (5R094).
chris & sally towner
May 23, 2020
just read about the sad news . will really miss the chats we had about racing and the fun we had at the chickee. always a gentlemen will miss him .
Pictured left to right Tom Yeager, Fred Hilbert & Bernie Kretzsschmar
Fred Hilbert
March 14, 2020
I offer my condolences. I just learned of Tom's death. He will be missed. I met him several times, once at Wichita, Kansas in 1975. He was there to verify that the 1965 Shelby GT350 R-Model (SFM5R094) that I just bought was the one he had in 1965. He also sent me some photographs of himself when he raced the GT350 in 1965 for Shelby. I met him a couple times at Tulsa Shelby meet where he signed SFM5R094 for me along with Bernie Kretzssschmar. Bernie is the one that built SFM5R094 at Shelby American. Once again my condolences for his for his passing.
Fred Hilbert
Tracy Millis
January 19, 2020
I'm so sorry to hear of Tom's passing. The memories of watching his whippets and going snow skiing in Vail, Colorado. He will be missed
The first of the Shelby GT 350's
Michael Roberts
January 12, 2020
So sorry to hear Scottie,
I will always remember those great times together
He was the Best of the Best.
God Bless
Michael
Jim and Barb Greetham
January 11, 2020
Had many good years skiing in Vail with Tom. Also had good years in Naples when my parents lived across the street . Barb and I send our condolences to Tom's whole family.
Henriette and Bob Short
January 11, 2020
Dear Scottie,
We are so very sorry for your loss, Tommy was a great friend and we'll miss him.
Thinking of you and your family ❤
Henriette and Bob Short
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