A dear friend and Drag Racer, here in North Carolina, Mr. Billy "West" passed away last evening. Billy West was a legend among drag racers, especially MOPAR. He was an inductee into the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame. Billy always had a smile and loved to talk Mopar.
For those on this board who I have not met, in the 60's and 70's I was one of the racers who thought you could alway out run a mopar with a chevy. After being away from drag racing for over 30 years, I have just recently gone back to racing, with a Plymouth Duster, thanks to my son at the Mopar Speed Shop. We were at the Mopar's at the Rock Show and I was doing a little tune-up, several people were standing around and I heard this voice say "look under that Mopar hat, it took you 40 years to learn." I looked up to see that usual smile on Billy West's face. And yes he was pulling a little red wagon with a Chrysler 4 speed in it.
When Larry Davis published the book Super Stock Drag Racing the Family Sedan, inside the first pages is a little black and white photo of Billy West and Melvin Yow at Easy Street Drag Strip in North Carolina. One day I asked Billy if he would sign a photo in my book. He took the book, turned back the pages to that little photo of the early days and said "can I sign this one."
There are so many memories of Billy West and Drag Racing. God Bless You Billy West
For those on this board who I have not met, in the 60's and 70's I was one of the racers who thought you could alway out run a mopar with a chevy. After being away from drag racing for over 30 years, I have just recently gone back to racing, with a Plymouth Duster, thanks to my son at the Mopar Speed Shop. We were at the Mopar's at the Rock Show and I was doing a little tune-up, several people were standing around and I heard this voice say "look under that Mopar hat, it took you 40 years to learn." I looked up to see that usual smile on Billy West's face. And yes he was pulling a little red wagon with a Chrysler 4 speed in it.
When Larry Davis published the book Super Stock Drag Racing the Family Sedan, inside the first pages is a little black and white photo of Billy West and Melvin Yow at Easy Street Drag Strip in North Carolina. One day I asked Billy if he would sign a photo in my book. He took the book, turned back the pages to that little photo of the early days and said "can I sign this one."
There are so many memories of Billy West and Drag Racing. God Bless You Billy West
