By Bill W
August 18, 2011 – Billy Alley went in to the Nationals ready for a fight, and exiting the Nationals it looked a bit as if he had been in one. The Bennet, Nebraska driver paired with car owner Alan Barton and his #7AB Hedman Husler Hedders team last week. Though the week was tough to say the least and ended in a broken nose for Billy (not his first or last), things stayed positive and the team is looking for opportunities to partner in the future. He’ll drive his #22 360 this Saturday night with the NCRA in Doniphan, Nebraska.
Billy was grateful for the opportunity to drive the #7AB. “I’d really like to thank Alan Barton Motorsports, Hedman Hedders and K&N Filters,” he says. “Alan was great just to give me the opportunity. The odds were against us a bit going in. I’m just grateful that Alan gave me the opportunity through Hedman Hedders. I hope that we can work with them in the future and get more drivers using their great products.”
Getting things rolling on the run while the Knoxville Nationals are going on is a tough chore. In Thursday’s deep qualifying field that saw him time 40th, Billy had the car rolling and won his heat. After dropping out of the main event, he was slotted outside of the top 50 for Saturday. “I don’t want to look at it as a disappointment, but a stepping stone,” he says. “We went into Friday and we were learning more every time we hit the track.”
Scheduled for Friday’s non-qualifier semi-feature, Billy had the #7AB moving forward until he was drilled by a rock that broke his visor. “When I finally got comfortable in the car and we were moving forward, I got hit in the head with a rock and broke my nose,” he says. “People will think I was lying, but I went back out there with my new helmet and we made a few laps, and I got hit in the visor a second time with another rock. I couldn’t make that up! I pulled in after that one.”
Billy stated that the times he has been hit with a rock at Knoxville can be counted on one hand. To be hit by two in the same race was truly ironic. “It was a learning experience,” he says. “When I showed up, Alan had a rock screen on the car. I took it off. I just never liked them, but I can see why it’s in my best interest to put one on. That cost everyone, not just me. Alan was never mad at me, that wasn’t the case at all. He was nothing but positive.”
“I was pleased with Billy,” says Barton. “I think we can move forward together, and it’s going to be a great opportunity for both of us. I think the folks at Hedman Hedders liked his demeanor and his personality too.”
Billy adds, “Usually when things go bad racing, and you’re struggling, people don’t get along. There is usually a lot of drama. With everything we had going on, with the fuel systems, to getting comfortable to getting hit in the head with a rock…everyone got along good. There was no finger pointing or anything. Alan said he had fun, and that was important. I’d be lying to say I had a lot of fun. I went to the Nationals to win it, but he is a great guy to be associated with, and like I said, we’ll get better.”
Hedman Hedders is looking to make more inroads into sprint car racing. “Hedman has a great muffler out that is actually quieter than the Schoenfeld, but gives you a few more horses,” says Barton. “Most tracks and series have approved it, but we’re waiting on a few more. They have been huge in drag racing and other forms of motorsports with their headers and other products, and they are getting back into the dirt stuff. They are a great company with great products.”
Win a New Sprint Car by Purchasing Hedman Hedders
Buying a set of Hedman Husler sprint car headers could get you a new sprint car. Buyers of Hedman Husler sprint car headers will be entered in a drawing for the giveaway car…an Eagle chassis supplied with a Gaerte 360 engine.
About Hedman Husler
Hedman Husler is part of Hedman Performance Group comprised of Hedman Hedders, Trans-Dapt and Hamburger’s Performance Products. Hedman Hedders, began as a one man shop in 1954. Bob Hedman, founder of Hedman Hedders, sold his highly sought after exhaust tubes to fellow racers on the salt flats of the Mojave Desert. But, what started out as a way to make a few bucks to pay for Bob’s racing hobby, quickly turned into the premier hedder manufacturer for both the racing and street hedder marketplaces.
Originally designed for straight-line drag racers, word spread quickly about Hedman’s reputation for building hedders that gave you the best boost in power for your dollar. It wasn’t long before Hedman Hedders was the brand of choice among racing’s elite engine builders, racers and race series. Familiar names like Don Garlits, Warren Johnson, Shirley Muldowney, Bob Chandler and his BIG FOOT Race Team, and the IROC series.
Hedman Hedders constantly reshapes itself to meet environmental requirements and incorporates computer technology to ensure that its products offer the best performance improvement.
Whether you’re a Pro or sportsman racer, Hedman Hedders builds your hedder with one goal in mind, optimum performance. Even if you’re not a racer, the lessons Hedman learns at the track and on the dyno make it into every street hedder we design.
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!
Classic Ric Flair Clip of the Week!
Ric is headed to Honolulu! Wooooooooooo!
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
In addition to being the Knoxville track champion in 2006, he was the 360 track champion there in 2003, the New Zealand Grand Prix Winner in 2005, he has won two 360 Nationals, has been named both the National 410 and 360 Rookie of the Year (’04 and ’03), won the ASCS-Midwest crown in 2005, and was the 2002 Eagle Raceway Champion and Rookie of the Year.
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 Bolz Farms, Schmit Automotive, Manion Framers for Life, Aeroquip Performance Products, K&N Engineering, Stepping Stone Genetics, Ironwood Builders, KDM, Buss Excavating, Harris Decals, Hoosier Tires, Stewart Alley Concrete, Klone Farms, Bianchi Boys Pizza & Pasta and Hedman Hedders.