Travis Pond

[Racing Fan]

My thoughts and prayers are with Travis' family and loved ones. May God Bless all of you.

[RACEGIRL78F]

Travis

This Is So Hard...we Were All Devastated When We Heard The News About Travis At Our Drivers Meeting In Franklin Yesterday. I, Too, Have Watched Travis Grow Into Such A Wonderful Young Man. I Met Him At A Hinton Nationals When He Raced With My Cousins, Mark And Tommy, In J Class. One Of My Fondest Memories Of Travis Is When He Was A Teenager He Would Bum A Cigarette From Me And Ask Me Not To Tell His Dad. If Gary Would Walk By He Would Hand Me Back The Cigarette. Travis Always Greeted Me With A Hug And A Grin. As He Grew So Tall I Would Always Tell Him I Liked Hugs From Tall Men. I Will Miss His Hugs And Grins...

My Family And The Families Of My Drivers Send Sincerest Condolences To The Pond Family. Word Just Cannot Express....

Vicki And Skipper Smith
78f

[Tom10W]

Pond Family

Gary, Marsha and family,

I along with many others was shocked and deeply saddened to hear the news of the loss of Travis. He really was a great young man. Travis was always smiling, lot of energy and very respectful. He seemed like the guy that all the younger racers wanted to hang out with. Some of the best pictures Krysti Allen took this year at Wakefield were of Travis…
I enjoyed racing against Travis the few times I had the opportunity. He was maturing and was becoming one of the best boat racers in the country. You should be proud to have raised such a fine young gentleman.
No one knows what you are going through right now. May God be with you and Travis and help you get through.
Sincerely,

Tom Kargus
10W

[Val16E]

My condolences go to the Pond Family. You guys are like family. Travis brightened up the pits, he will be missed by all. RIP

[Brew56]

24-e

One thing I will always remember about Travis was his positive attitude about racing. I talked to him at Curwensville and despite the cancellation of Sunday's racing, he thanked me for having the race and couldn't wait for next year. That moment really impressed me with how quickly Travis was growing up.

I always loved racing against Travis in 20ssH. He was a very clean driver who respected everyone out there. I consider his father one of the greatest people in our sport and really feel for him at this time. The Pond family has touched so many people over the years and you can see that by the outpouring of love here.

As for racing.....Travis, we will have many more battles in 20ssH in a greater place, at another time.

God Bless the Pond Family.
Jerry Brewster

[Check-book]

We share in your grief

Dear Marsha and Gary,
Like most of our boat-racing friends, Dave and I feel as though we have also lost a child. Travis was so much a part of each of our families, it was sometimes hard to separate who "belonged to us" from who "belonged to another family" (as if we would ever want to). Thank you so much for sharing him with us. He made our lives sunnier with his rascally smile and will remain in our memories as a bright light in a sometimes gray and inhospitable world.
Dave and Pat Augustine

[Dick Tyndall]

Travis.............

I can't believe I'm sitting here writing about this. When I got home yesterday evening I got on the computer and read about Travis. I am still in shock, as most of you are. I talked to Gary last night and he and Marsha are holding up as well as can be expected at this time. I will post any information and arrangements for Travis when they become available.
Gary and Travis have helped me so much getting involved in big boat racing. I would always pump Travis for information about things when I was out driving the boat. He always made time for everybody. The very first race I went to when I was getting involved I watched Travis out on the course and couldn't believe how talented and skillful he was. I told Gary he was a "natural". He just had that "feel" for what he was doing. He knew how to read the water, the other competitors and always stayed ahead of what was going on within the race. He was the best I have ever seen.
I will miss his ever present smile, his willingness to help others and just being around him at home, testing or at the races. His time here was short, but we can be thankful that he touched all of us in many special ways.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary, Marsha, Aimie, Abby, Jimmy and all of the Pond family.

[wagner-racing16-s]

Travis was a great racer sportsman and man. I only talked to him a couple time this year and i will never forget him. I will always remeber curwensville when after i won my first race he shock my hand and said congrats man we all job. The only good view of travis i had was the back end of his 20 rig and i remember following his lines trhough the turns to learn from him the fastest way around the track. Something i will never forget. I am deeply sorry and my prayers go out to the pond family

[Matt Dagostino]

Services................

Gary & Marsha will have the specifics for the services posted this evening on Hydroracer............This Thursday at 2pm is the tenative time in a church near Gary's home in Midlothian, Va (near Richmond).

Fyi.....Gary & Marsha's address is:
1841 Old Hundred Road
Midlothian, Va 23113

[roperz111]

Missing Travis.

I've been sitting here, going into and out of this site all day, numb and shocked with sadness. I still can't believe I will not be seeing Travis' quick and easy grin whenever we met up in the pits. I cannot express enough my deepest sympathies and condolences to Gary and Marsha, Abby and Amy. We've been close for so many years now. I remember my father Randy always seemed to take a likeing to Travis, mostly because he loved to spar with Gary, and would always root for Travis whenever he saw him race. I'm sure that Dad will look after him now, until we get to see him again one day.

Please let me know if there's anything I can do.

God Bless Travis.

Chris Johnson
111-Z

[sglossner]

One of a Kind

Travis Pond was a young man who brought a mixed array of emotions to all who knew and loved him. I can still hear Gary yelling to him or at him from the beach as he was racing. He grew from a young child trying to find himself into a man who brought pleasure and laughter to evryone who was around him. Travis, you will be missed more than words can say. To the Ponds, our deepest sympathies go out to you and know that if there is anything we can do or anyway we can help please call ther Glossners.
With love,
The Glossner/Breisacher family

[Gunjumper]

When I first started to date Greg he told me all about the races and how much fun they are,but it wasn't untill I met Travis for the first time that I realized how great you all really are. Travis never had a bad aditude about anything or any one. When I think of Travis and how much he lived every day to the fullest. I was driving home after I heard the news and all I could hear was Travis's laugh, and see his smile, and that is what you remember most about Travis the fact that he was so full of life and always will be. God bless Travis.
My prayers are with the Ponds.

Heather Lyons

[HRTV]

This is very tough and I just can’t seem to find the right words to say at a time like this. Like many others that have posted here I also remember Travis running around the pits when he was just a little guy and will always remember that bright smile and how proud Gary was of him. I just spoke with Gary and he is doing as well as can be expected during this very tough time be strong Gary we are all here for you.

[Janet]

Address Correction

I have a different zip code in CVRA's club records than Matt D. posted, checked usps.com, correct zip is below

Gary, Marsha, Aimee, Abby Pond, Jimmy Parker
1841 Old Hundred Road
Midlothian, VA 23114-7002

Janet Stoy

[jsilvestri]

Travis was a nice young man and a fierce competitor. It is hard to believe he is no longer with us. I don't think its set in with me yet. It won't be the same racing 20SSH without him. My condolences go out to the Pond family.