# 11
# 11
# 11
# 11
# 11
Billy and Gale Forester
Billy
Billy and Dwight Cheney
Billy at the trailer
Billy with Ann
Billy with Evelyn Pratt
Billy poster
Billy and Hogle
Billy's car
Nice shot
Billy and Janie
Troy Cline with Paul and Helen Bagley
In memory of Paul and Helen
Billy with a race car
Billy with Richard Woodland
Billy's old stock car ride
# 2
# 2
# 2
# 2
# 2
Billy with Dwight Chaney
Billy
# 27
Billy
# 11A
# 7
# 8
BILLY WILKERSON – THE MAN – THE DRIVER – THE CAR OWNER – THE HALL OF FAMER – THE LEGEND.
By Ken Wagner
August 9, 2009
Billy Wilkerson was his own man, a quiet one in my memory, but a strong one. Although his sprint car driving career wasn’t as long as some, he still won 21 CRA victories beginning with his first one at Clovis, California in 1965 and ending at the same track on August 3rd in 1973. In his CRA career he racked up 59 fast times, 41 trophy dash wins and won the CRA championship in 1970. He is 24th on the all time win list that includes 305 drivers who have won at least one race! He won five 100 lappers, five 50 lappers and ran at Ascot Park, Irwindale and many more of the great tracks tracks of his day. Lofty numbers for Billy, but the respect this man commanded in the racing world to the end was the most impressive thing about him.
As a car owner he also won championships with Ron Shuman as his driver and continued to support several car owners in his later years including Buzz Shoemaker and Dwight Cheney among others. Billy, as a member of “the old guard”, was very involved in the original CRA and follow-on organizations thru the years and supported his racing right up to the end. He missed few races and his warm smile was ready for everyone who stopped in his pit.
One thing about Billy I didn’t know became clear to me when I asked him to be the Grand Marshall of the Wagsdash one year. He said no! But then went on to explain he didn’t like the attention and noted one time he got caught up in a winner’s circle for a Shuman win, he said he messed up and didn’t do it again. He said he didn’t like the limelight and respectfully declined my offer.
Billy was always there to support his world of racing and was vocal there. His fame included his induction into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Legends of Ascot Hall of Fame the same year. Everyone who knew him liked and respected him; he was never alone when out and about.
He was celebrated at Rose Hills on Tuesday, August 11 at 1 PM. Rest in peace Billy.
Updated 8/18/17
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