Chad "GaWarrior" Clifton Memorial GOES LIVE at Deals Gap Crossroads : Yamaha R1 Forum

***SpidermanSS*** · 06-08-2009, 05:46 PM

I wanted to share a truly touching and incredible moment with everyone that could not make this year's 2009 R1-forum.com / R6-forum.com / McCoy Motorsports Convention.

Our friends from Deals Gap ( www.dealsgap.com ) Brad, Ben and Beth bestowed all of us and Chad an incredible honor by giving us the go ahead to build a memorial box in honor of one the greatest friends many of us have ever had!

(A quick side note I cannot say enough good things about Brad, Ben, Beth and the ENTIRE staff at the CROT! From the food to the accomodations they are truly one of the best places to hang out, stay at and ride with!)

SPECIAL SHOUT: goes out to our very own Kirk "KMAC" for building the box with his own hands and making it Chad! I'd like to also thank Fontana Village for attending the presentation. Craig your presence was appreciated.

During the presentation I became touched and had trouble with my entire speech and cut to the quick version so I could make it through it. Below in blue is the speech I did at the presentation and in red is the speech I spoke at Chad's funeral.

We love and miss you Chad you will be honored in one of the greatest motorcycle spots in the world! Ride brother ride!

Video of the presentation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIojejOeKJ8

____________________________________________

A few years ago a couple months before the convention me and Chad were talking about among other things being FAST and how good we looked... LOL. I mentioned to Chad that outkast wrote a song about me "Fresh and Clean" but they changed the words to "Fast and Clean."

I talked to Chad about daily and we played that song to each other, and everyone else along with saying SO FAST SO CLEAN about a hundreds times a day. It's even my ring tone. I own SOFASTSOCLEAN.com and a small group of us use that as our personal emails.

I know Chad is smack talking me all day because I've been a total emotional wreck or him. I miss him more then I can ever express!

Chad:

You are gone but never forgotten! Our lives have all been touched by yours each day. To have known you was truly an honor, to call you a brother and to have shared in your life was a gift from GOD. I know you are in a better place right now and I'm going to miss you more then words can ever express.

We've had tears of joy and sadness too, but nothing can explain the bond that was YOU! You tought me how to be FAST and I tought you how to be CLEAN. Together we formed the ULTIMATE TEAM!

Ride on brotha like only YOU CAN! Look after us all from above. Your friend and brother forever! SO FAST SO CLEAN! I LOVE YOU!

-Shane

____________________________________________

When I was asked to speak about Chad during this funeral many thing ran through my mind.

What the right thing to say
Will I be able to keep a level head and get through it?
Can I set aside my personal feelings and give everyone an unbiased acount about what Chad was and what he meant to all of us?

I decided after many days of pondering the subject over tears, denial and asking ?WHY?? That I should start off with this:

Chad's life was a celebration, and we all should celebrate what he is and always will be:

THE greatest person and friend each and every one of us could ever have!

Chad was exceptional which means.

Forming an exception or rare instance. Extraordinary. Unusually excellent, superior and intellectually gifted.

He excelled in everything he participated in: Motorcycles, baseball, golf and most importantly LIFE!

Chad was a PAL / FRIEND: Meaning a chum, a person attached to another by feeling of affection or personal regard.

It reminds me of the movie YOUNG GUNS (the word PALS). Friendship meant more to Chad then anything! As I reflect on Chad's friendship many things come to mind.

DEALS GAP and all of us meeting up yearly and riding and having fun through the night!

LATE NIGHT advise sessions from Uncle NED!

CHAD & EDDIE teaching me the FAST way to ride!

CHAD & ROB calling me on speaker phone to smart off about them racing that day and ask me why I'm not there. Or to engage in one of our EPIC smack talk sessions!

CHAD, ME and SCOTT riding back and forth in front of Laura SNAPZ for hours during our PICTURE taking marathons!

The SFSC Christmas Party with Big Kevin!

OUR FAMOUS SAYINGS. "That's messed up" or "I'm trying to see what that be about" or "SO FAST SO CLEAN!"

AND EVEN CHAD telling me about something cute that Taylor had done that day!

I WILL CHERISH each and every moment we had TOGETHER!!!

Chad was a CLOWN ... Not that I'd know anything about that, but he was a "COMIC PERFORMER" to put it lightly.

Chad was all about RACE.

Defined as a contest of speed. Riding or Driving. Chad lived life to be #1. His inherent drive fueled us all. He inspired greatness through his focus on the GAME and everyone who met him found GREATNESS from it!

One thing is certain Chad beat us all yet again in making it to heaven. He got there before each and every one of us. He's sitting up there with all of our fallen brothers and great ones talking about racing and laughing every time we do something GOOFED up or FUNNY!

Reflecting on everything all of Chad's family and friends have been through these last few weeks, I heard a Garth Brooks song posted on the forums. These words stuck in my mind:

I'm glad, Glad I didn't know - The way it all would END the way it all would GO.

I would like everyone to look at those words think about them:

I'm glad, Glad I didn't know - The way it all would END the way it all would GO.

The reason I want everyone to think about them is because:

I wouldn't change a thing about him. I am truly blessed to have known Chad and that I was given the chance to share our lives together and with all of you.

We've all LOST one of the GREATEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER KNOWN. He will live on in our minds and hearts forever. We all gained more than we can ever know from HIM as well.

IN CLOSING:

CHAD:

You are gone but NEVER forgotten! Our lives have all been touched by yours each and every day.

To have known you was truly an honor. To call you a brother and to have shared our lives together was a gift from GOD.

I know you are in a better place right now and I'm going to miss you more than words can ever express until we are together again.

We've had tears of JOY and sadness too, but nothing can explain the bond that was YOU.

You taught me how to be FAST and I taught you how to be CLEAN. Together we formed the ULTIMATE TEAM!

Ride on brother like only you CAN! Look after us all from above.

YOUR FRIEND AND BROTHER FOREVER!!!

SO FAST SO CLEAN!!!

- We love you!

***GPD270*** · 06-08-2009, 06:09 PM

It was an awesome week..... what a great way to pay tribute to a true "pal".

***DanQ*** · 06-08-2009, 06:11 PM

Absolutely excellent, Shane. Kudos, and thanks to all involved.

***Kmac*** · 06-08-2009, 06:22 PM

BTW, here's the engraved plate that is mounted inside the display:

DannyC188 · 06-08-2009, 06:25 PM

it all sounds truely touching...straight from the heart, Shane.

wish I could have been with you guys, sounds like a great time

Great job on the box Kirk, looks real nice

***blur1*** · 06-08-2009, 06:31 PM

great tribute, and a great job on the box thing kmac

shane, who is in the photos? i only know your pic.

ollie r6 · 06-08-2009, 06:35 PM

Damn, I didn't even know the guy and that has me all choked up.
Must have been one heck of a guy

***DanQ*** · 06-08-2009, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blur1

great tribute, and a great job on the box thing kmac

shane, who is in the photos? i only know your pic.

3d pic: Uncle Ned (Zrider), Shane (SpidermanSS), Larry (DucatiWV), Rob (Plimmer).

4th pic: Trevor, Uncle Ned (Zrider), Shane (SpidermanSS), Larry (DucatiWV), Rob (Plimmer).

***blur1*** · 06-08-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanQ

3d pic: Uncle Ned (Zrider), Shane (SpidermanSS), Larry (DucatiWV), Rob (Plimmer).

4th pic: Trevor, Uncle Ned (Zrider), Shane (SpidermanSS), Larry (DucatiWV), Rob (Plimmer).

ta, i wanna make the convention one year.

Bogie · 06-08-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blur1

ta, i wanna make the convention one year.

How about next year!!

Start planning now!!

***Aron213 ti*** · 06-08-2009, 06:54 PM

I pretty much went straight to this when we arrived at the Gap on Sat., Kmac, you did a great job, Chad would approve!

AT1Mike · 06-08-2009, 06:56 PM

Very beautiful tribute. I am sorry i missed it. All the post that interacted in with him, he was nothing short of stand up great guy. I wish all his family and friends my deepest and sincere prayers.

***Skanky*** · 06-08-2009, 07:13 PM

That was a wonderful tribute Shane. I know it must have been tough to do, but you pulled it off just fine. Chad would have been very proud indeed.

***SpidermanSS*** · 06-08-2009, 07:29 PM

Thanks everyone ..... I woke up at 4 AM Saturday morning and couldn't go back to sleep. The tribute started at 8 AM so I sat at in the Fontana lobby surfing the net and thinking about the tribute.

plimmer · 06-08-2009, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmac

BTW, here's the engraved plate that is mounted inside the display:

Kirk you did an awesome job.

And to everyone who contributed, thank you. The pictures in the box sum up our time with Chad perfectly. Definitely our Chad fun days

Saw an eagle while driving out of Fontana on Sunday morning, it flew low and right in front of the windshield, Chad was there with us.......................

fjorn · 06-08-2009, 08:24 PM

Very nice.

***ducatiwv*** · 06-08-2009, 09:35 PM

Excellent tribute to a once in a lifetime guy, and a true friend......

snapz · 06-08-2009, 09:54 PM

Beautiful job, guys. It is an awesome tribute.

**Peg Grinder** · 06-09-2009, 07:17 AM

Outstanding tribute for an awesome man.

InkedR1Pilot · 06-09-2009, 07:24 AM

you did fine on the speech shane

i know it was hard to get thru but you nailed it