Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Are prayers are with you from South Dakota, R.I.P. Billy.

If you have not had the chance to do so yet, visit the guestbook section of www.billkimmel.com Since last night, the site has had over 8,000 hits and over 400 messages posted. In addition to many, many drivers, car owners and fans from central Pennsylvania, people have also posted in Billy's guestbook from Australia, New Zealand, California, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Washington, Nebraska, New York and I am sure other places that people did not list.

The www.williamsgrove.com site also has some amazing and sad posts about Billy on that board.

singlefile - it is amazing to see just how strong the racing community can be. Brings tears to your eyes reading some of the posts on Billy's website. Just reading some of the names of this great sprint makes one proud to be apart of it.

.

R.I.P. Billy ..

dttfowtm ...  
Proud Member of Sprntlover's Babysitting Service
Pa Posse Says Race or Shut Your Pie Hole!
Work hard & become a leader. Be lazy & end up a slave.
I Challenge anyone to give an example of a program that
the government has managed efficiently and/or cheaper
than the private sector. Please no enactments, laws or
statutes.

‘Ultimate underdog'

Friends remember Mechanicsburg driver Billy Kimmel after his death Sunday at Williams Grove

By Alex Roarty, Sentinel Reporter, September 4, 2007

Bill Kimmel's friends described him as a down-to-earth, lovable friend whose blue-collar style and underfunded race car team made him a fan favorite.

"If anybody could define the term 'underdog,' that was Bill," said Gregg Obst, a racing enthusiast who knew Kimmel.

Obst said before one race, Kimmel showed up without any usable tires or money. Obst said Kimmel's fans responded by buying his merchandised T-shirts until he had enough money to buy new tires. Obst said the gesture overwhelmed Kimmel, a Mechanicsburg native.

"He was standing there with tears in his eyes," Obst said.

It was just a symbol, Obst said, of the bond that had developed between Kimmel and his fans.

"He was never going to win the race," Obst said, "but, by god, he would capture the hearts of the people watching."

Those hearts hang heavy today after Kimmel, 27, died after an accident at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg on Sunday night.

He was flown via Life Lion to Harrisburg Hospital after the accident, where he was pronounced dead at 11:51 p.m., according to the hospital. The hospital said Kimmel was alive at the scene, but crews had to begin CPR while he was in flight.

Kimmel was on lap 24 of the 25-lap 410 Sprint car feature when the accident occurred. He lost control of his No. 47 sprint car in the fourth turn of the speedway, hitting the wall and landing helplessly in the path of oncoming traffic. Drivers Michael Carber and Jeff Shepard both smashed into Kimmel's disabled car -- at the second hit, Kimmel's car burst into flames.

Kimmel did not have any burn marks on him when he was pulled out of the vehicle, but his helmet was cracked and he was already turning blue, according to friend Jim Kybe.

Sprint cars are smaller, high-powered vehicles that often race on dirt tracks. The cars feature "wings" on their roofs, a three-sided piece of metal with sides that point toward the sky.

"It's a sad holiday weekend for everyone associated with Williams Grove Speedway," said Morgan Hughes, owner of the speedway. "Unfortunately, spring car racing can be a violent and unforgiving sport, but that does nothing to lessen the loss of a member of our Williams Grove family."

Kimmel was involved in local racing for many years. He started as a pit crew member before beginning his driving career in 2003, soon becoming a fixture on the local sprint car raceway.

Dave Stewart was a friend of Kimmel's and member of the Beerhill Gang, a sprint car fan group that had "adopted" Kimmel.

"He was the greatest guy you could ever talk to," Stewart said of Kimmel.

Stewart said he and his friends often would give Kimmel money to help him with his car.

"He spent every dime he had on that race car," Stewart said. "His whole life was pretty much about putting his car on the track."

Kimmel's death was the first at the Speedway since Daryl Gohn was killed in 1998.

State police at Carlisle they are still investigating the accident.

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

Cubic, thanks for posting that article on the board so people in other parts of the country could read it. I wanted to do the same thing, but it didn't work for me when I tried to post the article.

We all agree to disagree on many of our opinions. This we can all agree that it's a cold, sombering slap in the face everytime it happens to anyone involved in racing.

I could hardly talk with Steve Kings wife this year when they were at the Nationals without getting a lump in my throat thinking what they have went through and what it took for them to return to the track.

To the Family of Billy Kimmel and all Pennslyvania fans my sympathies go out to all. Very sad.

Paint....(Iowa)

Brings about a soboring reality that these guys put their lives at stake every time they climb into a ride - no matter what division it may be.

The drivers we travel to watch every week are my biggest heroes , each and every one.

The bro and i have only made it to the Grove once (being quite a distance from the track) but it was enough to realise what a special track and atmosphere it is...and we sat on Beer Hill too , what a great crowd!

Our hearts and thoughts go out to everyone affected by this - tragic.

Darren Ray

USA_digitalman

RIP Billy....life is always so short....peace be with everyone of his friends and family.

Not a problem, one picture seems to be worth a thousand words however. Beat up old van with everything he owned in the back, single axle tag along, and a number 47 duct taped on the wing. God bless Billy Kimmel.

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

FYI.............

The Viewing and Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, September 8 at Myers Funeral Home from 10 AM - 1 PM. Myers Funeral Home is located at:

37 Main Street
Mechanicsburg, PA.

Following the funeral services, there will be a luncheon held at Shepherdstown United Methodist Church. Food will be provided along with an open discussion about Billy. The church is located at:

1934 South York Road
Mechanicsburg, PA

The family also wanted to pass along, per the way Billy would have wanted things, everyone is asked to wear RACE TRACK ATTIRE. Billy would have wanted everyone to come in what they wear to the race track.

"The Outlaws have people out here that don’t know 
anything about racing. I don’t understand how they 
come up with some of the calls they do. It makes me 
think that they just might be that stupid. It’s 
scary."     -Steve Kinser

Cubic - I took a couple of photos of the Ground Force One (as they called it) for Gramm (Trailer Trash) that night. Proud moment for him that night to be pulling Billy's sprinter to the track.

So true that statement that one photo speaks volumns for that young man.

.

Link: Jerry Reigle Article "Fellow drivers recall Kimmel's passion"

Link: Brad Vores Article "A Tribute to Billy Kimmel"

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

I went to the grove for the first time a month ago with a 360 driver I know from New York for the shot drop nationals. I remember them talking about how all the 410 drivers made good money in central PA and how they all had huge trailers and rigs. Then I saw one car being towed in on an open trailer by a pickup truck. At first I figured it was a 360, then I saw it go to the infield. Since all the 360's were parked outside the track by turn 2 this told me it was indeed a 410. I had no idea who it was at the time, but I think I do now. RIP Billy Kimmel.