From a press release issued by Sears Point Raceway:

Brown, Long-Time Sears Point Employee, Dies in
Motorcycle Accident in Southern California

SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) – Robert Brown, a long-time employee and close friend of Sears Point Raceway, was tragically killed on Sunday, May 12, in a motorcycle accident in Southern California. He was 40 years old.

Brown was employed at Sears Point Raceway for seven years (1993-2000), serving as Controller (1993-98) and Vice President of Operations (1998-2000). It was Brown who first fostered the idea for construction of the hillside terrace seats that now surround the Sears Point road course, based on a concept he’d observed during a vacation visit to an Italian racetrack. The hillside terraces are a signature element of the massive two-year renovation project at Sears Point Raceway. Brown departed Sears Point Raceway in December, 2000, to become president and owner of G&B Kawasaki/Yamaha in Petaluma, a motorcycle dealership.

Brown, a native of Wilmington, Del., was an avid motorcyclist and member of both the American Federation of Motorcyclists and the American Motorcyclist Association. He was also a member of the Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club, where he served as treasurer from 1999-2000. In addition, he was a residential real estate developer in San Francisco and involved in a variety of charitable projects, including The United Way and F.I.S.H. (Friends in Sonoma Helping).

“Rob’s passion and commitment helped define what Sears Point is today and what it is becoming. More importantly, he was a dear friend to those of us who knew and worked with him and we will miss him terribly,” said Steve Page, president and general manager of Sears Point Raceway.

Brown is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and economics. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a master’s degree in finance.

In addition to his wife, Mera Granberg Brown, other survivors include his father, John P. W. Brown III of Wilmington, Delaware; his mother, Mrs. Charles (Eleanor) Quarles of Hockessin, Delaware; one sister, Catherine B. Sloan of East Greenwich, Rhode Island; one brother, John P.W. Brown VI of Atlanta, Georgia; a nephew, James M. R. Sloan of Providence, Rhode Island; and one niece, Catherine E. R. Sloan of East Greenwich, Rhode Island.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 19, at First Unitarian Church, San Francisco. Memorial contributions may be made to the Robert P. Brown Memorial Fund; a family charity designated to provide technically advanced safety equipment for Sears Point Raceway. Please direct donations to: Georgia Seipel, Sears Point Raceway, Highways 37 & 121, Sonoma, California 95476.