Remembering Big Black Broke Bill Bailey

[glofria]

I don't know if this title is appropriate for today's times, but on the Nitro Revival Facebook page Steve Gibbs gave Bill Bailey a posting and people are responding with wonderful memories of this icon of the racing scene in Southern California. don't think he ever race a car, but everyone knew of him and many of the racers would use his craft. Bill passed away years ago and now his sewing machine is on displayed at the NHRA Museum at the Pomona Fairplex.

Here is a story written by fellow mater Darr Hawthorne soon after Bill passed away;

Founding Member Of Southern California 5-B Club Passes Away - BangShift.com

According to reports, our drag racing community has lost one of its hardest working and beloved members… Bill Bailey. For many years, Southern California racers and fans found Bill at tracks like Lions on Saturday night, Irwindale on Sunday and Orange County International Raceway and most...

bangshift.com

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

I did a lot of business with the president of the 5 B club. First patched and stuff sewn on at Lions. He was great, watched him embroider and so much more. The guy was awesome and super nice. I would talk to him every time I saw him. His early bus and the later one was really trick.


TopFuel@Lions

 

[drag racer]

I remember meeting him at Firebird when I first got into the sport..5B Club! Cool dude

 

[qtermile14]

I had a jackect that he embroidered my name on at OCIR

 

[roscoe37]

that is a nice display of his stuff at the nhra museum,i remember the last time is saw his bus going up the 5 by gorman. maybe 20 years ago.

 

[sammi]

If you had an embroidered track jacket you were the s&*t back in the day. Saw Bill at OCIR and Pomona. He was a very important part of SoCal drag racing,

 

[Rajunz]

Thanks for the story, I had never heard of him.

 

[Nick Name]

His son is a customer of ours. I asked him about the buss and can't remember what he said.