ONE FOR THE ROAD

The automotive industry lost a true icon. Television host, newspaper columnist, industry legend and godfather of the motoring beat, Ray Butch Gamboa, has reached his checkered flag.

I first met sir Butch back in 2001, when I joined the automotive beat with C! Magazine. I was a 20-something newbie with big dreams and zero credibility, while Sir Butch had already been on air for 14 years with his shows Motoring Today and Auto Focus. Yet despite being the pioneer who had already earned the respect and admiration of his peers, his audience, his staff, and all the top brass in the industry, he still welcomed me to the fold and treated me as kindly as someone who had also just started the job himself and was eager to make an impression.

Over the years, I would admire how Daddy Butch (as we all fondly referred to him as) was revered by everyone. I was always impressed by his powerful presence and how he would handle every situation with class and grace. People were just drawn to him. He brought such big energy everywhere he went that you always knew when Butch Gamboa entered a room, even if your back was turned. You literally felt it, or at least saw it in the faces of the people who did see him. He just had such a unique style and presence, but despite that monopoly he held over the crowd, he never got intoxicated by his own level of influence. 

He was larger than life for me; someone I felt proud to look up to and aspire to emulate; a man who seemed so in control of every aspect of his life, not just one single area that he excelled in. He was a true inspiration to many, myself included, and I can proudly say that he heavily influenced how I grew in the industry. I learned so much from him. (Except how to beat him in poker) 

Sir Butch was also the last of the true gentlemen. He always arrived impeccably dressed and groomed during every event, and always knew just what to say in every situation –  whether during small talk, long form conversations, or banter over drinks – as he placed tremendous value on good manners.

For example, despite being invited to countless trips and events, instead of acting like an entitled diva, he always took time out to thank our hosts after a launch or media drive by getting up on stage, grabbing the mic, and saying “On behalf of the  entire motoring media, we would like to thank our hosts for…” It was just recognizing effort and making people feel appreciated. Things like that mattered to Sir Butch. Probably because he knew it mattered even more to the ones he was acknowledging.

And when things were less than rosy, we all looked to Daddy Butch to settle them. Whenever there were quarrels that would break out among the editors or writers in the beat, whether he liked it or not, Daddy Butch was the final arbiter. Because nobody dared challenge him. And for good reason, too. Because despite words being his currency, he used them very sparingly. He measured them carefully and never just spoke for the sake of speaking – which made you listen even more.

So it is with a very heavy heart that I write this little tribute. Because aside from the personal sadness I feel saying goodbye to a friend, a mentor, and a powerful figure in my life, I feel that this also marks the end of an era for motoring. So as we remember our dear friend Butch Gamboa, let us never forget the impact that he has left behind. Goodbye, Sir Butch. Happy motoring!