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Tornado Alley – Mind Games!

(Bill W) May 29, 2008 – A race driver's mental state seems to ebb and flow depending on how things are going. Last week, sprint car driver "Tornado" Billy Alley drove a one-lane racetrack at Knoxville to a second place finish. This week he drove a one-lane racetrack at Knoxville to a fifteenth place finish. Track conditions, luck of the draw and Mother Nature had a lot to do with the finishes, but don't tell that to a race driver striving to hit the top of the podium every night.

As with many things in life, too much focus it put on either the good or the bad side of things. Billy is a testament to that. "It doesn't matter if it's a one-lane track," he says. "There's somebody up front, and there's a reason it isn't you. I'm guessing (winner) Justin Henderson is about on cloud-nine this week."

Maybe a mental break will help him heading into this weekend. "I took a couple of days off away from racing this week," he says. "Maybe I needed that. I do a lot to take care of myself and those around me, but the last few days what I've been eating would make anyone sick."

Despite what he sees as a terrible finish (15^th in the 33 car field), Billy is still only 15 points out of third in the Knoxville 410 standings. "I really can't believe we're still that far up in the standings," he overstates. "That must mean everyone else is having problems too. I think this is as high as we've been in the standings this time of year, and that includes '06 (when he won the track championship)."

The "luck of the draw" factor was in play again last week at Knoxville. Over 1/2" of rain hit the area Saturday morning, and track crews worked all day to make the ½ mile oval race-worthy. The week before, sun and wind made track conditions the opposite, and Billy's early pill draw in time trials was to his benefit. This week, an early draw yielded the opposite effect, and he registered the 20^th quick time of the night. "Jack Dover went out before we did and had a good lap, so really that's no excuse," says Billy. In reality, other than Dover, who was third quick, the top ten qualifiers went out 23^rd in the order on average.

Billy made the most of his front row start in the heat race, leading start to finish. "That's the first time I've won a heat race at Knoxville in quite awhile (June 9, 2007)," he says.

Starting outside row eight of the 20-lap feature event, Billy tried to make something happen early. "I had a killer start and got around several cars," he remembers. "Randy Anderson got a real bad push, and my visor was full of mud. He was coming up the track right at my front end, and I had to lock up the brakes. Every car I had passed got back by me. We about crashed there."

The track conditions provided little action back in the pack, while the leaders but on a good show. "I have one of those special Butlerbuilt seats, so I can just rest my head a bit," Billy jokes. "Unfortunately, I've ran in a few boring feature races this year. I started to doze off around lap twelve. It looked like a good race up front at least; I was watching that on the scoreboard as I went down the backstretch."

Billy followed Randy Anderson for much of the race, and then it was Toni Lutar later on. He decided to attempt a pass on the last lap. "I was behind Lutar there late in the race, and it was hard to pass people the way the track was," he says. "Finally, I had enough and took a shot when the white flag came out. I wheeled it into turn one, closed my eyes and I was ahead of him in turn two."

Billy explains why the team didn't run at Huset's Speedway last Sunday and Monday. "We needed to fix the motor and we delivered it to Oklahoma," he explains. "It was a good weekend to do that. That's why we missed Huset's. We'll be back up there soon."

Billy and the SA Racing #22 team will be back at Knoxville on Saturday.

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

Keith from Omaha, NE asks: Do you have any routines or superstitions on race day?

Billy answers: I don't have any superstitions anymore. When I was a young kid racing go-karts, I had some goofy ones. They drove me so crazy that I finally had to quit them. I had a lucky necklace, lucky ring and a lucky rock. I'd drive myself crazy when I forgot them, but then I would go out and win. I finally figured out it didn't have anything to do with it. So I don't have any of them. You may even see me down there in the pits eating peanuts with nothing but green underwear on!

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

In 2003, Billy became the third driver in track history to grab a Knoxville Raceway 360 championship in his rookie season. Billy joined David Hesmer and Brian Brown as the only drivers to accomplish the feat. It wasn't until June 21, that Billy won his first feature that season, but he ended with five, including a clean sweep of twin features night. He led 40 laps during the season, and topped Jesse Giannetto, Josh Higday, Hesmer and Ed Ergenbright in the standings.

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 earlier this year at Huset's (CRP Photography)

www.hoseheads.com/billw.html