This was sent to me by Jeff Champion;
"On a personal note,
Hope you have a great day and do tell Billy I said hello. He sponsored
our softball team a thousand years ago. This team featured premium
athletes such as Lamar Walker, Jimmy Gold, myself and others! Billy
bought a case of beer anytime we won a game. I remember drinking much
more beer than winning games so I imagine we took advantage of Billy’s
generosity. Also…..on our shirts, the name Standridge was
misspelled as Stanridge….leaving out the D. He was cool about it and
still wrote the checks. That is your Dad…..just a cool dude."
Stacey Walker - shared March 14, 2014
I can remember when I was about 5 years old going to work with dad on Saturdays because mom had to work. I would ride around with him in the wrecker to pick up cars. This was back when no one wore seat belts. I would sit in the middle of that old faded red truck and he would let me change gears, then he would let me control the lift on the back. No doubt about it, I was a daddy's girl, always have been. Stacey Walker - shared March 26th Racing days
I have so many memories of racing days, but I remembered a quick one I could put on here tonight. Usually racing in Daytona meant being at the track for several days and we needed lots of people to help on the pit crew. Since most of the pit crew were volunteers some had to stay with us at a condo. One year there was so many that only needed a night or two because they would drive down the day before the race. They ended up staying in the condo and that meant that me and Deedra and Jody had to sleep on the floor. We ended up sleeping in a the walk-in closet. We were very young at that time and thought it was was pretty cool.
Wow where do I even begin!! I was the hoola hoop magic queen of the beds in the hotel rooms..... I remember endless nights helping daddy on his race car washing parts, using my welding skills. My favorite thing to do was help pop the rivets in the race cars. The times we got to spend together as not only a family with my dad, sisters and mom, but a great racing family we had. We could not have asked for better people. I could go on and on what a wonderful dad and Man God allowed us to have in our lives!
ReplyDeleteSo many memories, but one that I must share. Spring race, Talladega 1998. Lacking sponsorship, Billy would come to the track with an all white Thunderbird, hoping to make the Race and then pick up a sponsor from the non-qualifiers. Our family company, Diabetes Home Care was an associate sponsor on the “C” post, somewhat a trade off for work done and a few bucks on the table. When Geoff Bodine failed to make the Race, his sponsor, World Com wanted to purchase all the sponsor area on the car. Billy said “No Deal” unless “DHC” stays on the car. We stayed on the car and did not know about this negotiation until the fully decaled car showed up for inspection.
ReplyDeleteBilly, We love you and continue to pray for your recovery.
Gary and Barry Buchan
Thanks for sharing your story.
DeleteI read on Jayski today about Billy's illness. I created the logo up there on the Team FCR car. I owned the hosting company that first hosted Jayski.com, Xobyte. I spent a couple of nights at Billy's house back in 98.
ReplyDeleteBilly is a great guy, it breaks my heart to hear of his sickness. We'll put him in our prayers. If I had not met Billy Standridge I would have missed out on some of the greatest sports memories of my life. I was standing on pit wall during the 98 Daytona 500 and after the 3 car won, I stepped out to give the man a hi five... then I like to think everyone else followed me out there :) Without knowing Billy, this wouldn't have happened, so thank you Billy for allowing me that opportunity.
God bless you Billy.
-Chuck Barnett