Just recently, the Living Legends of Auto Racing named Billy as the winner of their "Saturday Night Hero" award for 2013. He will receive his award from that prestigious organization at their annual banquet on February 20, 2013. All information on the banquet and the rest of LLOAR's SpeedWeeks agenda can be found at this link.
To say we are proud of Billy would be a gross understatement. We are ecstatic that he will take home this meaningful award, and I personally am more than proud to call Billy and his lovely wife Barbara my friends. Barbara is, as the guys say, my sister by another mother. A few years back, she posted a few Blogs about Billy, their family and his racing here on RacersReunion, and I'd like to present them to you, my gentle readers, here on our Home Page. Between us, Barbara and I have "dusted them off" if you will, and brought them back into the spotlight in honor of Billy's great accomplishments in racing.
In this first one, Barbara had an idea that she could coax racing stories out of most everyone on the site. Unfortunately, that didn't occur, as many folks proved to be just a tad afraid to offer their thoughts in writing. I'm very happy though, that she tried her hand at it, as it gives me a lovely way to familiarize our readers with both Billy and Barbara herself. You will note that she tends to write of herself in the third person, as if some unseen hand were penning the words. I find that endearing and wouldn't change it for the world. Please, enjoy the words of my "sister" Barbara.
Driver and Fans Racing Stories
April 11, 2010
If there was anything learned during 43 years of following the dirt track racing circuit, it was the fact that every driver and fan has a racing story which made them laugh, cry, or just get upset! It would be a wonderful idea to share these stories with other drivers and fans. As long as the language is clean, it will be pleasing to everyone. Possibly everyone may have more than one story, but please put some time between posting, to give everyone a chance to tell theirs.
Hopefully you will allow us to tell the very first one we have, which happened in 1958 at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, South Carolina.
Billy, Barbara, daughter Debbie (6 yrs),and another to be born in a few months, went to every race together, except for one race. Billy was to race at Cowpens Speedway in Cowpens, S.C. Barbara, being the manager of a ladies' chain store, had to stay behind to take inventory after store hours. One of their friends came into the store as inventory was ending, and found Barbara in tears. When she asked what the problem was, Barbara related that Billy had to leave her behind to go to the races. The friend told Barbara to stop crying for she didn't have a problem; she and her husband would take her to the races.
In those days the driver and his wife got in free, but when Barbara got to the gate, the gateman didn't know her so she purchased a ticket. That track and Cherokee Speedway were working together to sell tickets and pool them together for a chance of winning a new 1958 Ford to be given away July 4, 1958. From the beginning of March until July 4th, the topic of any discussion when fans got together was the new car. They would each state what they would do if they should win. Billy, being a diehard Chevrolet guy, said he would sell it on the spot. Some of the drivers, who could afford to do so, would buy a ticket to get a chance to win. Billy was not one who could afford to do so, with a new baby on the way and the fact he had just purchased a 53 Chevrolet and had not yet made the first payment on it.
July 4th came and so did the drawing for the new Ford. The stands were completely filled, as it was unheard of in those days to have a prize as expensive as a new car. The ticket was drawn and Barbara followed each number called to compare to her ticket. The drawn ticket matched hers, but she was so afraid to say anything, having fear of being wrong and embarrassed. She told the lady with her she believed she had the winning ticket, so the lady said, "Yell", but Barbara wasn't sure she had heard the numbers correctly. The number was recalled, with the lady sitting with Barbara checking it. She jumped up and yelled, "Here it is! I have it!"
Her husband, in the pits, thought they had won and he nearly had a heart attack.
It was announced that the ticket holder was to come to the pits, and to pay the child who had drawn the winning ticket $25.00. Barbara and Billy were embarrassed because they didn't have the money to even pay the child. People from all over the infield were trying to give Billy the $25.00, which he took from one and repaid the gentleman his next pay day. All the people who remembered Billy's words when everyone would discuss what they would do if either should win, approached him and asked what he wanted for it. Billy's reply was, "Shucks, I'm going to drive the wheels off that thing."
God was good to the Scotts then and has been ever since!
~Barbara
Now then, isn't that one of the best racing stories you've heard in a long time, related by one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet? I think it is indeed, and I feel privileged to be able to bring you not only the stories, but the chance to meet and know something of both Billy and Barbara Scott. Around these parts, they are what we call "Good people." Barbara has three more of these, which she has promised to let me "dress up" as it were. I do hope you look forward to reading them as much as I look forward to presenting them to you.
Be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks so good on you!
~PattyKay
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