Wild Bill Waller takes Devils Bowl Sprint win

[rebelracewriter]

This was too good not to share. It kind of reminded me of my Team Texas experience. Bill, to say the least, is quite a character and one of the 'good guys' of racing.

 

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Wild Bill Wins It!

 

August 12, 2006 Mesquite, TX

 

 

 

The Waller Racing Team claimed their first victory of the season and their first at Devil's Bowl.

 

It has been a long time coming. We have been close so many times. I have sat around all week thinking, plotting, and praying, how can we get faster. Only to watch as we get passed and someone else stands in victory lane. It was a very sweet night. I have been watching sprint cars race at Devil's Bowl all my life, so to finally stand victorious on the front straight and receive all the congratulations, was amazing.

 

For the heat, we lined up on the outside of row 1. We were in the second heat and I had 2 people come up and report to me that the track was very slick in turns 3 and 4 right after they exited their cars. Dusty gave me some words of advice. I nodded and they pushed me off. Coming around for the green flag, all drivers play with the other driver to try and make him mess up the start. The polesitter was pulling ahead and I was holding back. We have to be even at the start. So once we evened up, I knew it was on! I wasn't even looking at the track, just his car. Slowly we start rolling a little faster. Then a little more faster. Then, then then..turn four...aaaahhhhh..... PUNCH IT! whoops... forgot about all the slick track! He drove straight off the turn and my car fishtailed almost completely sideways. I gathered it up, but all the other cars were all over me. Still in second, I rolled into turns 3 and 4 and could probably count the seconds as the car was sliding sideways. Man, was it slick. We held on for 4th.

 

Feature time. The track had not changed much. A rain shower a few hours before the race had wet the track pretty well. It looked like we were going to have a sticky track all night. I lined up on the outside of row 1 again. I had just watched the winner in the late models and said to myself, that is the line I am going to use. When all the cars were getting in position, I held back a little from the pace truck and gassed it in turn 4. Tacky. Excellent. On the start, same thing. The polesitter slowly started getting a little faster, then a little faster, then I PUNCHED IT! Honestly, I think I bent the gas pedal. He ran with me down the straightaway, but when we got to the turn, I had the spot by about a half a car length.

 

Lap 2. Still in the lead.. this is good.

 

Lap 4. Don't let up Bill, they haven't caught you yet.

 

Lap 6. Whew.. how many laps have I been, a hundred?

 

Lap 7. Dang, I am tired. BREATHE BILL BREATHE.

 

Lap 8. What if the motor quits? Naww.. this is a Well's Racing Engine.. it will hold up. But you worked on it.. yeah.. but..

 

Lap 9. Lap cars..

 

Coming up on the backmarkers, I said to myself, this is it. We are either going to win this thing or flip it, because I am NOT letting off the gas. The car had been sliding up in turns 1 and 2. A couple of times, it had got up in the rough stuff and bounced around. I never let off the gas! Just as I committed to go on the outside, the guy moved up. But then he turned into the turn. I went all the way around in the rough stuff. The car was bouncing. The front end came off the ground, the tires grabbed and I drove straight off the turn. Next turn, I came up on another lapped car. This time I went low and he gave me a little room. I squeezed by on the inside of turn 4 and never let off the gas.

 

Lap 10. Only 5 more to go.. come on Bill... Don't screw up!

 

Lap 11. Hey that was a flag that guy was holding out. They don't have a moveover flag and I am not around any other cars..

 

Lap 12. Checkers. Hey that was the checkered flag.... naaahhh.... No lights are on.. I am standing on it.

 

Lap 13. Checkers again. What the ? We are supposed to run 15 laps! What is going on...

 

Finally, the lights came on and everyone started pulling off the track. Not me! I stayed on until I saw Dusty run towards the wall waving. Then I knew. We Won It!

 

I tried to wave at the crowd, but the arm restraints kept my arms from getting high enough. None the less, I was waving with both hands! I headed to the scale. First car there. Usually they give you some directions so you pull on straight. This time, I drove off the side of the scale. I was so excited, I couldn't hardly breathe! I was out of breath and shaking. Talk about adrenalin! After they got a wrecker over there to set me back on the scale, we headed to the front straight.

 

When I got out of the car, there was my Dad and my sister there. Big round of hugs from people I don't even know! I think I was hugging everyone! I was shaking so bad, I could barely sign my name on kid's t-shirts. But one thing for sure. I was certainly smiling. I don't know how many kids sat in the car or how many autographs I signed, but I was certainly chatting up everyone that came by. Right after the interview, Dusty caught me with a well shaken can of Dr. Pepper. We posed for many pictures as I exclaimed.. I can do this kind of work ALL NIGHT LONG!

 

Pictures are coming soon. I have to get them from the track photographer. I may have one blown up and hung right over my fireplace.

 

Every win is great. But to win one at Devil's Bowl holds a special meaning to me. Dusty and I have been racing together for 13 years now. Since 2000, we have been racing sprints all over Texas. The last race we won was in 2003. This has to be the best win of my career. All the nights working till 1,2,3 oclock in the morning. All the hours spent. All the time out in the heat. All the disappointments. All the money spent. This night made it all worthwhile.

 

I am grateful to all the people that help me do what I love.

 

Lubrication Engineers, Brenco Industrial Services, Pro-Racer Supply, DeDWeb Designs, DFWCountry.net and Kay's Magic Quilts.

 

Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

 

You are only as good as your last race. Next week begins the whole process again. But I plan on riding this high all week long!! We only have 4 more weeks left in the season, so come on out.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Thanks for supporting DIRT TRACK RACING. The greatest sport on the planet.

 

Bill Waller