Tracing an involvement in snowmobiling back to 1968 when he first worked as a volunteer mechanic in the pits of a snowmobile oval track race near his home in Suamico, Wisconsin, Dick Gokey exerted a profound and lasting influence on the development and progress of snowmobile competition of all kinds for nearly 40 years. Making his contribution as a technical expert, race official, competition director and rules committeeman, he became an expected part of nearly every important race association and competition development during a long 40+ year career.

Recognizing during the early years of snowmobile racing that proper rules, technical expertise and relentless attention to all aspects of driver and track safety were crucial elements in the continued progress and success of racing. Gokey worked first as a technical official in the United States Snowmobile Association (USSA) during the 1970;s, helping assure that races were conducted with the highest level of integrity. He was part of the racing association reorganization in 1978 that created the World Snowmobile Racing Federation (WSRF) where he served as president.

Always alert for ways to bring consistency and fairness to every type of snowmobile competition, he became a member of the team that formed in 1979 to create the long-standing group of racing organizations known as International Snowmobile Racing (ISR) where he served as its spokesman and president while continuing as an untiring advocate for the highest possible level of snowmobile racing safety in all forms of competition for nearly 30 years.