John C. Gaines, 83, of Hilton Head Island, SC, passed away on January 3, 2021 surrounded by the love and care of his family. He is survived by his companion Carlinda Belcher; his son, John Gaines (Kelly); and daughters, Allison Gaines (Daniel) and Kristen Bell (Rob). He is also survived by grandchildren, Madison, John and Ryan; and many nieces and nephews.
John celebrated life with great enthusiasm and will always be remembered for how much he truly cared about others, his loyalty and his generous and giving spirit. Most important to John was spending time with his family. His favorite places to be were on the golf course with his best friends Tay and Paul, at the race track or riding his bike on the beach. He was dearly loved and admired by all who were blessed to know him.
John was born on July 11, 1937 in Washington, D.C. to Eleanore Byrd Gaines and Robert Erroll Gaines and graduated from Bladensburg High School in 1956. He served time in the Air Force and then went on to pursue his dream of racing cars. He raced Top Fuel dragsters all over the East Coast and Midwest. He always said his proudest accomplishment in racing was “Winning!” His passion for racing later turned into a lifelong career in the automotive industry. In 1970, John formed G&M Performance Parts and was a pioneer and legend in the automotive warehouse distribution business. The success of G&M brought John many achievements including being awarded the SEMA Performance Warehouse of the Year and a seat on the SEMA Board of Directors. While John’s business continued to flourish, he also continued to support all forms of racing. Racing was always his first love and true passion and he was fortunate enough through the tremendous success of G&M to be a car owner and sponsor in both NHRA and NASCAR. Most recently, John had the distinguished honor of being inducted into the 2020 SEMA Hall of Fame. He considered this prestigious achievement as the highlight of his career.
The family is planning a Celebration of Life this summer in Hilton Head Island, SC. Memorial contributions can be made at the donation links below:
