(Bill W) June 24, 2009 – Billy Alley was back in his element at the Knoxville Raceway. It had been three full weeks since he had felt like he had a winning racecar. The result was a third place podium run at the end of the night. With the World of Outlaws coming to Knoxville on Saturday, he feels the confidence needed to finish up front with the best.
The Lincoln, Nebraska driver registered the ninth quick time of the night in qualifying. “The racecar was good, but I was off a little bit,” he says. “It was the first time we’ve run at speed for three weeks, so that makes a difference. We were off on setup, going with a gear that would build momentum in the slick stuff. It was greasy on the bottom, and slick up top. We just didn’t turn a good lap.”
After hurting his best bullet on May 30, Billy went to the back-up the next week, before a June 13 rainout. It was good to have his Wesmar power back, and he finished in the show position in his heat. “The car was good in the heat,” he says. “We were just kind of maintaining. We were still a good solid third.”
Slated to start inside row five, Billy got to move up a row with the absence of Kerry Madsen. A slow start held him up. “Realistically, I started seventh, and you have to run flawless every lap to win it,” he says. “I dropped back to tenth before I came back and started picking them off one at a time. I needed to be in fifth at that point to have a shot at winning it.”
In a matter of two laps, he picked off Johnny Herrera, Mark Dobmeier and Lynton Jeffrey to move into the top three with a handful of laps remaining. “We’ve had a good balance with the JEI,” Billy says of his chassis. “We can run up top or on the bottom right now most nights.
Dave Reedy with Penske shocks has a really good base setup. That helps our confidence.”
Billy ran well both on the cushion and the low side in his charge, but being a real racer, wasn’t satisfied with third. “I don’t like to make excuses,” he says. “Sometimes you have the luck on your side, and sometimes you don’t. We’ve had one of the fastest cars at Knoxville this year, we just haven’t taken advantage of some of those situations, or something has broken on us.”
Hindsight is 20/20. “I felt like I goofed up at the beginning and the end of the feature,” the 2006 Knoxville track champ says. “If I hadn’t done that, we’d have had a shot at it, but that’s all hindsight. My confidence level wasn’t where it needed to be coming in, but we will build on this finish. We definitely have a fast racecar, one that’s capable of finishing up front even with the Outlaws in town. We’ll be ready Saturday.”
Billy has experienced a lot in his brief time as owner/driver. He hopes his experience adds up to a win with the Outlaws this weekend. “I can take these experiences as being a car owner to make me a better racer and a better person in the sport,” he says. “We’ve had some good people get on board while we were having a rough spot here, and everyone that’s a part of the team is appreciated.”
Billy’s Mona Vie Team
Billy is involved with Mona Vie, and would like you to be as well. Mona Vie has a full line of products that help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. “I’m excited to educate others about Mona Vie, because it is a good product,” he says.
Mona Vie is adding an energy drink in the next couple of weeks. “I’m really excited about the energy drink we’re coming out with here in another week,” says Billy. “This is going to be a ‘health based’ energy drink, and there aren’t many of those around. If it’s half as effective as the rest of Mona Vie’s products, it’s going to be awesome!”
If you are interested in learning how to be a part of Billy’s Mona Vie team, give him a call on Billy’s Mona Vie team hotline at 402-202-7237.
The product’s website can be found at www.monavie.com.
On the Web
To learn more about Billy Alley, including updated results and photos, visit www.BillyAlley.com!
Billy Alley Gear!
For t-shirts and other apparel, visit www.BillyAlley.com!
Vintage Ric Flair Clip of the Week!
We need someone like Ric Flair in racing. He is the winner, you are the loser!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioXCjN3xBe8&feature=related
Down the Alley
James Jackson asks: What do you remember about the first time you got in a go-kart?
Billy answers: I just remember how excited I was to race. I was always scared the races would rain out. I was very superstitious about keeping the rain away, more than whether I would win or lose. That didn’t matter. I was just excited to go race. Good tires and a good motor used to be enough. I’m glad I’m not in that game anymore with all the
tire prep stuff they use. Now, without that stuff, you can’t compete.
Go-karts back then taught you how to be very smooth, and I still use that in my sprint car.
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
Billy has fourteen career feature wins at Knoxville, nine at Eagle Raceway, four at Nebraska Raceway Park and four at Butler County Speedway, but two of his biggest wins came at tracks he is more unfamiliar with. On September 27, 2003 he won the Sedalia Shootout at the State Fair Speedway in Missouri. The win paid him $10,000 and Shane Stewart, Brian Brown, Zach Chappell and Jesse Hockett trailed him to the checkers. August 16 of last year, he won the Jackson (MN) Speedway Nationals worth $5,000 ahead of Brown, Wayne Johnson, Gregg Bakker and Johnn Cressman.
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 would like to thank Buss Excavating, Bolz Farms, Schmit Automotive, Aeroquip, K&N Filters, Pella Motors, Stepping Stone Genetics, Awesome Racewear, Hoosier Tire, Wesmar Racing Engines, McLain Motorsports, The Buckles Brothers, F&K Rod Ends, “High Roller” the Pig Farmer, JEI Chassis, Red Devil Brakes, Harris Decals, Penske Shocks, RCI, and Terry’s Body Shop.
BillyAlley_MG_6945 copy
Billy at Knoxville Raceway (Danny Howk Photo)
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@iowatelecom.net
- Bill Wright on Jun 26, 2009
- Article Date: 6/26/2009