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Tornado Alley – High Banks Bully!
(Bill W) June 19, 2008 – The SA Racing #22 team and driver Billy Alley were a force last weekend, whether it was in a 410 or a 360. After a pair of strong 410 runs at Huset's Speedway and Knoxville Raceway, Billy took the 360 to the Belleville High Banks in Kansas on Sunday night and brought the winning hardware home to Lincoln, Nebraska. This weekend, he'll be racing both cars at Knoxville. Friday, the American Sprint Cars on Tour visit, while Saturday he'll try to improve one spot on his second place standing in the Knoxville Championship Cup Series 410 standings.
The Kansas high banks at Belleville have intimidated plenty over the years. Breakneck speeds on the ½ mile are not for the leery. For Billy, the Sunday night NCRA foray was all about mashing the gas, as he led every lap of his heat and the main event. "We were fast there, but really lucky at the same time," he says. "We were able to win the heat from outside row one, and got to start on the pole of the feature. We raced side by side with JD Johnson for a couple of laps, and took the lead. After that, the car kind of drove itself. It was fun."
Crew Chief Bob 'Buns' Richardson related a story to Billy that repeated itself Sunday. "'Buns' raced there back with Doug Wolfgang in the day, and Doug won the race and came in and when 'Buns' asked him if he lifted, Doug said, 'Twice…once for myself and once for the car.' I told him the same thing when I came in Sunday," says Billy. The win was worth $2000 and was the second of the season and the second in just over two weeks.
After a couple of rough and tumble contests with the World of Outlaws the week prior, confidence was not sky high heading into last Friday's race with the best in the business at South Dakota's Huset's Speedway. Billy timed in 16th quick, before failing to get through his heat into a transfer. After a dominating performance in the B, he lined up outside row eight for the 35-lap main event. "We kept getting stronger as the night went on," he says. "Every time we get this car out, we're getting closer and closer with it. We've changed a lot since we first started with it. As I get more comfortable, it starts to get driven the way it's supposed to be driven."
Billy surged forward into 13th, staying on the tail of Steve Kinser. The pair was lapped by the leaders before a late restart. Despite getting by two more competitors and crossing the line 11th, Billy was scored in 13th since he was a lap down to the leader. Nonetheless, it was a good run. "I really felt the best I have ever felt with the Outlaws," he relates. "I know I've finished in the top five at Knoxville with them, but that was our best run in a long time. We held our own, and didn't get walked over like we had been lately. We can build on that."
The good run with the WoO at Huset's and a win on May 26 at Knoxville, set Billy up for more success on Saturday. After registering the 8th quick time of the night, he put on an impressive performance in winning his heat from outside row two. Starting sixth in the main event, he worked his way up to the top three early and maintained his standing before eventual winner Mark Dobmeier got by him. He worked back to third, but a late restart allowed Lynton Jeffrey to drive by him on the low side, relegating him to fourth at the checkers. "I screwed up a bit there in the feature," says Billy. "The only thing we changed after the heat was gear and tightened it up a bit. We went a little too deep on gear, but we were good on the bottom. I should have stayed down there and I didn't. It's hard to stay down there when someone (Mark Dobmeier) passes you, and there wasn't much left down there."
Billy is in second place in the Knoxville Championship Cup Standings at Knoxville at this stage, and seems to be up front wherever the SA Racing #22 team tows. "Racing a lot gets a guy in a comfort zone, and the cars are rolling around there pretty good right now," he says. "Hopefully, we can continue the consistency. This week, I'd like to thank Buss Excavating and Schmit Automotive for all their help. We can't thank them enough!"
Stop down and say "Hello!" this week at Knoxville.
Hoseheads Radio
If you are too far from Knoxville to make it on Saturday night, Billy's races will be on the internet at www.HoseheadsRadio.com all season long! Join "Hot" Rod Pattison and Bill W for all the action starting at 7:30 p.m. CST. SA Racing is a proud partner of Hoseheads Radio this season!
Billy on the Radio
Billy is making morning appearances all race season long on KJJY (92.5 FM). He's looking forward to talking about racing…and other things with Hatfield and McCoy. "Because it is a country station, I think we'll talk hunting," he says of his love of the outdoors. "I think the people in Iowa can appreciate that!"
Kids, Design Your Own Wing!
For all the kids, please use your imagination and color a top wing picture in the Kids Page section of my website. Your design could be used on our car the week before the Knoxville Nationals! During the Nationals the wing will be auctioned off for charity. To learn more about Billy Alley and SA Racing, visit www.BillyAlley.com!
T-shirts
SA Racing apparel can be viewed at www.BillyAlley.com and purchased at the track! Also visit www.RacingThreads.com for apparel on clearance!
Down the Alley
Rod from Bloomington, MN asks: Congratulations on your win last week at Knoxville. I've never driven a sprint car. What is it like, and is there anything you can compare it to?
Billy answers: It's a huge adrenaline rush. Once you do it for awhile, those lessen and you concentrate on winning. After awhile, you don't notice the forces and speed so much. That takes a bit of the fun out of it, if you don't win! It is a lot of fun because they're so radical, but that's not what it's about anymore. Sometimes you need to remember how fun it is. If you crash, there's a point where you realize you're not in control, and that's kind of a weird feeling. Sometimes it hurts a little bit when you hit the ground too.
Got a question for Billy? Send it to us at [email protected], and we may answer it in this section! Put "? for Billy" in your subject line.
Alley's Anecdotes
Billy has performed well on the ASCS National stage at Knoxville. In nine starts, he has five wins. All have come in the 360 Nationals against the best competition (3 preliminaries and 2 finals). In 2004, he beat Wayne Johnson, Terry McCarl, Jason Johnson and Jake Peters in the finale, and in 2005, it was Gary Wright, Brian Brown, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Dusty Zomer who were in tow.
Tornado Alley
"Tornado Alley" is an up close look at the past, present and future of 2006 Knoxville Raceway track champion, Billy Alley. To receive "Tornado Alley", send an e-mail to [email protected] with "Alley" in the subject line.
Billy and SA Racing would like to thank Delta Oil, Sterling Physical Therapy, PC., Bolz Farms, Aeroquip, Awesome Racewear, The Buckles Brothers, Buss Excavating, JEI Chassis, McLain Motorsports, Schmit Automotive, Wesmar Racing Engines, Red Devil, Brakes, Pro Shocks, Fuel Safe, C&R Radiator, Vortex Wings, Sander Engineering, K&N Filters , Harris Decals, Toad Valley Golf Course, Speedway Motors, Featherlite Inc., Autometer, D'Agostiono Racing, Monarch's Restaurant, Volvo, Hoosier Tires.
 
Billy in Victory Lane at Belleville (IBRACN Photo)
Bill W MediaMonroe, IAUSA[email protected]
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