Big Willie (2 Viewers)

[Nick Name]

For those of you west coast guys that had the opportunity to run at Terminal Island, we lost Big Willie this morning.


He had been in poor health for some time. He was just about the coolest dude one could ever meet.

Thanks for the good times Willie.

Lots of photos and stuff over on the bullet.

 

[yoda]

Damn... LA icon. Father of the underground racing scene in the 70s... R.I.P.

 

[Nick Name]

 

[Butch]

Another week another racing icon gone. RIP BIG Willie.

 

[marlin]

Maybe I'm mistaken ,but back in the day ,didn't they do a model car or van of somekind of Big Willie ?

 

[glofria]

Big Willie was larger than than life and the drag racing world will be missing a great ambassador of the sport.

The history of Big Willie told by Willie himself.

Big Willie, IDRC - YouTube

Rest in Peace old friend.

 

[Toejam]

Look at that kid with the Afro, looks like the Mod squad!

 

[mw6789]

Big Willie was larger than than life and the drag racing world will be missing a great ambassador of the sport.

The history of Big Willie told by Willie himself.

Big Willie, IDRC - YouTube

Rest in Peace old friend.

Thanks for the link. That was a really good piece on Big Willie. RIP brother.

 

[glofria]

Tonight 6 PM PST as a tribute to Big Willie, Speed Scene Live will be airing the last time he was in studio taped a few years ago.

Speed Scene Live - The Fastest Show On The Web

 

[d'kid]

Look at that kid with the Afro, looks like the Mod squad!

Joe,
That's Mrs. R. Tameco <hope I spelled that correct> Did get to meet Willie after hours out at The County, right before I went into the "canoe club"

d'kid

 

[Nick Name]

Yes, third from the left, the late Tomiko.

 

[Toejam]

Yes, third from the left, the late Tomiko.

You knew the whole gang? Lol.....

 

[Nick Name]

Drag racing was never more fun that when it was done at The Brotherhood with Willie, Tomika and crew.

At times, the track would open up on Friday afternoon and run around the clock until Sunday evening.

There was even rumors that funds may have changed hands at times

 

[Toejam]

Drag racing was never more fun that when it was done at The Brotherhood with Willie, Tomika and crew.

At times, the track would open up on Friday afternoon and run around the clock until Sunday evening.

There was even rumors that funds may have changed hands at times

I remember when he got Street drags at Terminal Island near Long Beach in the 90's, but where did they race in the 70's? OCIR?

 

[Tiggy]

Big Willie was larger than than life and the drag racing world will be missing a great ambassador of the sport.

The history of Big Willie told by Willie himself.

Big Willie, IDRC - YouTube

Rest in Peace old friend.

What an incredible spokesperson for drag racing. I've seen a few vids in the past of Big Willie and you just know you don't have to meet him to know what he has done.

 

[Randy]

I remember when he got Street drags at Terminal Island near Long Beach in the 90's, but where did they race in the 70's? OCIR?

LOL. No.

"Big Willie and the street racers" used to hold court at a shopping center parking lot at Brookhurst and Orangethorpe in Fullerton on Sunday nights in the 1970's.

Big Willie was a pretty smart dude. One night when I was there, there were about 50-60 street racers waiting for Willie to announce where the race was going to be held. Finally he announced the races were going to be in Compton off of Alameda. In a wild frensy, nearly all the cars started peeling rubber out of the parking lot heading south on Brookhurst to the 91 freeway toward Compton. From the shopping center parking lot you could hear them burning rubber on the freeway on ramp.

Once it was clear that the crazy people were gone, Big Willie (who never left the parking lot) poked his head out of a station wagon and told the small group that remained that now that the idiots were gone the race was actually going to take place in an industrial area in Anaheim and gave directions.

Later in the week we heard stories about how the cops were undercover at the shopping center that night and they fell for Big Willie's Compton announcement. They followed the crazy people, making several arrests and writing several tickets. But in Anaheim, Big Willie's street racers ran in the industrial area without a hitch.

It was later that Big Willie opened Terminal Island, around the 1980's. Ask Jim Rizzoli about his dragster crash against me in my altered there. Big Willie was announcing that day and he thought I crashed into Jim. It was pretty nasty!

 

[DrRocket]

Great story Randy. Thanks for sharing.

Wonder where those Daytonas are now? Think they're still out there?

It'd be kind of cool to do a tribute car to him.

 

[none]

Here's one of them eBay

rip Big Willie

 

[none]

Sorry link is no good Google Big Willies Daytona

 

[Toejam]

LOL. No.

"Big Willie and the street racers" used to hold court at a shopping center parking lot at Brookhurst and Orangethorpe in Fullerton on Sunday nights in the 1970's.

Big Willie was a pretty smart dude. One night when I was there, there were about 50-60 street racers waiting for Willie to announce where the race was going to be held. Finally he announced the races were going to be in Compton off of Alameda. In a wild frensy, nearly all the cars started peeling rubber out of the parking lot heading south on Brookhurst to the 91 freeway toward Compton. From the shopping center parking lot you could hear them burning rubber on the freeway on ramp.

Once it was clear that the crazy people were gone, Big Willie (who never left the parking lot) poked his head out of a station wagon and told the small group that remained that now that the idiots were gone the race was actually going to take place in an industrial area in Anaheim and gave directions.

Later in the week we heard stories about how the cops were undercover at the shopping center that night and they fell for Big Willie's Compton announcement. They followed the crazy people, making several arrests and writing several tickets. But in Anaheim, Big Willie's street racers ran in the industrial area without a hitch.

It was later that Big Willie opened Terminal Island, around the 1980's. Ask Jim Rizzoli about his dragster crash against me in my altered there. Big Willie was announcing that day and he thought I crashed into Jim. It was pretty nasty!

Good story RG, My only question is did all these places have a 1/4 mile mapped out to race?