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Tornado Alley – Return to I-80!
(Bill W) April 13, 2010 – Billy Alley got things started at the Park Jefferson Speedway last Friday night in Jackson Sprint Touring Series action. Though the night ended with some gremlins, he came out of the event confident that the car is fast. This weekend, he'll look to duplicate his win of one year ago at the ASCS-Midwest season opener at the I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska.
The Park Jefferson Speedway near Jefferson, South Dakota, got things started with the JSTS sprints. Though the draw didn't go well, Billy's Eagle was working great. "We had to start towards the back of the heat, but that was o.k., because the car was fast," he says. "I was passing a driver for second, and he drove off the racetrack. For some reason, he turned back into me, and somehow I was paying enough attention to miss him. I went off the track to miss him and lost a few spots there."
The heat suffered from what Billy estimates 25 caution laps. It was too much for the fuel tank. "(Having to pass those cars again) would have been o.k., but there were so many cautions," says the Lincoln, Nebraska driver. "For a lot of the drivers, it was their first time out for the year and we had spin after spin. To make a long story short, we had three cars run out of fuel in the heat and we were one of them. Eric Lutz was fast and he earned his win in the feature, but he wouldn't have been up front if that didn't happen (three cars out of fuel)."
The finish put Billy in the back of the pack in the main event. It wouldn't matter in the end. "We started towards the back, but there were only about 18 cars there, so I felt good about our chances," he says. "The car was fast, and we had a caution about five laps in. I looked down at the temp gauge, and it showed about 250 degrees. There was no way it got that hot, that fast. Well it stayed hot, so I had to pull off."
The problem resulted from a simple mistake. "We had one of the hot new engine heater setups, and we had some trouble hooking it up, I guess," says Billy. "We had the water sucked out of the motor. It holds about two gallons of anti-freeze and being a gallon short didn't work too well."
After assessing things, Billy has the #22 ready to go for this weekend's action at I-80 Speedway. "Everything is good to go for Friday, so it's WFO all the way!" he exclaims. "I've really been happy with everything this year. I'm excited to get some more racing in, and we'll get to run a couple of nights this week at a track I love. We've got some good people backing us, and I'm thankful for that too."
On the Web
To learn more about Billy Alley, including updated results and photos, visit www.BillyAlley.com!
Billy Alley Gear!
For t-shirts and other apparel, visit www.BillyAlley.com!
Vintage Ric Flair Clip of the Week!
Racing needs the promotion and showmanship of the "Nature Boy"! In this installment, he reminds us that not everyone can be born with a "Golden Spoon" in their mouth like he was…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5DIjKEAnXQ
Down the Alley
Dave Riemer asks: This is the second year of being the owner/driver. What are some of the pros and cons?
Billy answers: A pro is that you are your own boss. Also, you control the money. That last one is a pro and a con. Last year was tough, because the motors kept breaking. When that happens and you own your own team, you can't just jump in your car and go home and not think about it. You can control things, but if even little things go wrong, they can turn big. I'm fortunate to have good people who support me.
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's win at I-80 Speedway last year came from the 12th starting position. In the non-stop event, he wasted no time getting to the front and taking the lead on lap seven. Brian Brown finished second, ahead of Mike Chadd, Dusty Zomer and Wade Nygaard. The win was his fourth in ten features run at I-80.
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 would like to thank Buss Excavating, Bolz Farms, Schmit Automotive, Aeroquip, K&N Filters, Stepping Stone Genetics, Awesome Racewear, Hoosier Tire, Wesmar Racing Engines, McLain Motorsports, The Buckles Brothers, F&K Rod Ends, "High Roller" the Pig Farmer, JEI Chassis, Red Devil Brakes, Harris Decals, Penske Shocks, RCI, and Terry's Body Shop.
Billy at Park Jefferson Speedway (Gene Kaderabek Photo)
Bill W MediaMonroe, IA USA[email protected]
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