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Tornado Alley – Victim of Circumstance!

(Bill W) May 22, 2008 – Many nights in sprint car racing, you're a victim of circumstance. Often, that is a bad thing. For "Tornado" Billy Alley, positive circumstances resulted in a second place finish at the Knoxville Raceway on Saturday. On Sunday at Huset's Speedway, the circumstances dictated a rough night resulting from a simple mechanical gremlin. The Lincoln, Nebraska hot-shoe will be at it again this week with an ambitious four-race schedule planned for the Holiday weekend.

The draw was everything at Knoxville on Saturday. With the wind howling from turn three to turn one most of the sunny day, it didn't take long for the black clay to surrender to the elements. Luckily for Billy, he drew one of the early numbers (12) for two qualifying laps on the clock. He made the most of it, registering the 5^th quick time of the night. "That ended up making our whole night," he says. "Drawing well made a lot of guys' night."

In a racy heat, Billy followed Danny Lasoski into third and the pair cruised behind Mark Dobmeier the rest of the way to earn transfers into the A main event. "Getting through the heat race was a big part of the night," says Billy. "Not getting through that would have changed the whole complexion of the night."

The invert was six for the feature, putting the SA Racing #22 on the front row beside Justin Henderson, the pole-sitter. The track surface promised to be a one-lane parade, and it would be a race to turn one. "I knew if I went too hard into turn one on the high side, I'd get shuffled back," says Billy. "I tried a move to cut turns one and two low and duck under Justin. I almost got it done, but we had to settle into second. It rubbered up, and was a single-file affair, and that was about it."

A couple cautions came late, and a few were expecting a late move around the top from "Tornado" Alley. "I thought about taking a shot, but I was pretty proud of myself for not doing it," says Billy. "I'm not a good rubber racer, usually. I normally get impatient in those deals and try something stupid. I knew I didn't have much tire left, and was cutting it close, so I hung there in line. Justin just didn't make any mistakes. He drove a good race."

The team headed for South Dakota and Huset's Speedway with a ton of confidence, but a simple motor part failed. "We had motor problems," says Billy. "We didn't catch what it was in time trials or the heat race. It was a broken spark plug, so the car was running on seven cylinders. We changed a bunch of things and thought we had it fixed, but we didn't actually take the spark plugs all the way out until before the B, and by then, it was too late to contend."

The circumstances had reversed in 24 hours. Laboring to 18^th quick and a finish in the back of the heat meant the team's work was cut out for them. "The situation was the opposite from Knoxville," says Billy. "We timed in bad, and played catch-up the rest of the way. My confidence was sky high going in, but we went out to qualify and the motor doesn't run. You can't dwell on something that's out of your control like that. We had it so tight that it just killed it when the motor wouldn't run and I had to putt around the bottom."

Once the spark plug was replaced, Billy stormed to a win in the B going away from row two. With a 21^st place start on another rubber-down track, Billy fell in line, coasting to a 14^th place finish. "We passed all of those cars in the first couple of laps," he says of moving up seven spots. "Then once we got going single-file, it was just boring for everyone. We've been dialed in at Huset's. Not the whole way, but we've got some more things we'll try there this week."

Tentative weekend plans have the team getting the 360 back out on Friday at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska with the ASCS-Midwest series. From there, they will compete at Knoxville on Saturday, and run Sunday and Monday at Huset's.

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

Doug Wilson from Knoxville, IA asks: Billy, you mentioned growing up in Lincoln (Nebraska). Some guys in that area never venture towards Knoxville and just stay local in that race area. At what age did you first hear about Knoxville Raceway and what made you decide that you wanted to race there? Thanks for making that tow east and west on Interstate 80.

Billy answers: I started out as a little kid as a race fan. That's why I like to stay after the races for a long time signing autographs, because I used to be one of those fans. I know that if my dad hadn't started his own business, I would have never gotten to race. When I was young, probably about first grade, there was a home video of the Knoxville Nationals. I remember making a birthday wish to just go watch the Knoxville Nationals in person. Once I started in sprint cars, I hooked up with Bob "Buns" Richardson, and he had been to Knoxville with Ray Lipsey and some other drivers when he owned a car. It's a good place to get your name out there, the people are great, it's fairly close, and if you win there, everyone in the world knows about it. Knoxville does a great job publicizing their drivers. If you would have told me I'd be racing at Knoxville while I was watching those tapes as a kid, I'd have thought you were crazy.

Got a question for Billy? Send it to us at sprntcar@iowatelecom.net, and we may answer it in this section! Put "? for Billy" in your subject line.

Alley's Anecdotes

Memorial Day weekend has been good to Billy. In his short career, he's won three times during the Holiday weekend at three different facilities. In 2002, he bested Ron Love, Rick Ideus, Mike Chadd and Jason Danley at Eagle (NE) Raceway. In 2004, he beat Chadd, Justin Henderson, Dusty Zomer and Danley at the Butler County Speedway near Rising City, Nebraska. In 2006, he won at Knoxville with the 410, beating Skip Jackson, Kerry Madsen, Brian Brown and Lynton Jeffrey!

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 sprntcar@iowatelecom.net 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 action at Knoxville (Bob Jones Photo)

www.hoseheads.com/billw.html