Billie Harvey Memorial Program Cover...

[Mark Keeler]

Programs will be for sale for $3.00 at NSS & OSW

[Frasson118]

Good looking cover, but just curious to why Billie is being honored... he didn't exactly live his life as a role model for others. He was "roommates" with Gary Balough for a "stretch" of time.

[racetech63]

Good looking cover, but just curious to why Billie is being honored... he didn't exactly live his life as a role model for others. He was "roommates" with Gary Balough for a "stretch" of time.

OOOPPPSSSS

[JackTripper]

To best honor Billie's memory, track officials will inspect every hauler a minimum of three times before they are allowed into the track.

[dd38]

A Dennis Boyd Memorial would be more appropriate.

[Frasson118]

Good thought Dave... much more appropriate. I like the Dennis Boyd Memorial idea much better.

Another thing.... why does evey track go overboard with the "Memorial" races, yet not 1 track will host a race on Memorial Day? Wouldn't it make much more sense to honor our fallen drivers on the day that is designed to remember them in the first place?

[hanley_72]

Could someone post a photo of the program please. Would like to see it.
THANKS!!

[JackTripper]

Jokes about Billie's jail time and improper use of race haulers aside, check out this fleet of cars. If I recall correctly his buddy Balough drove the #31 Grant King modified at Syracuse.

[Frasson118]

You are correct Jack... I believe they both showed up in a helicopter (Billie's, of course) on race morning.

P.S. - Where did the picture go? It was on here earlier!

[dd38]

IT has misteriously dissappeared. Can someone explain? Voice of NSS?

[ancrdave]

As a point of note, two drivers have lost their life at New Smyrna in actual racing accidents (the others resulted from medical conditions)... they were Marion Edwards, Jr. and Richard Coffin... Since Edwards was from S. FL and called Hialeah home, it was only fitting for his Memorial race to be run there and no Memorial race has ever been run for Richard Coffin to my knowledge.....
Harvey's presence at the track was always a specatacle... He was really the first to show up with a Winston Cup-style rig, and everything was chromed, even the floor jacks!! It was an interesting time in LM racing in the state...
He gave us a lot of memories, so why not a memorial race...

[Frasson118]

I'll make sure to bring a Silver spoon (a real little one) and a chrome straw in Billie's honor!

No disrespect for his family and survivors, but to honor a convicted drug-smuggling felon just because he was "interesting" at the racetracks is not the most outstanding idea. There are others... like Richard Coffin.... that never got the posthumous attention that he should've had. Dennis Boyd, Pete Orr, Ed Meridith, Bruce Everett, Tommy Patterson and dozens of others made a POSITIVE influence on the local race tracks.

Sorry.... I just can't think of anything that Billie Harvey brought to New Smyrna Speedway (other than the DEA, the FBI and the IRS).

[OLD STYLE RACER 2]

Right on Jerry!!!! I'm sure they could find other people to have a race named after. I remember when that all went down. I was a teenager then but I remember it like it was yesterday. Dave, shame on you for defending this guy. Even if he would have won the Winston Cup, still brought more negative press by what he did.
I personally think that more people who are not here anymore, did more for New Smyrna than he did. Maybe not as "flashy", But with a lot more RESPECT!!!!
Just my .02 cents.

[ancrdave]

Not defending anyone here, it's FASCAR's choice, not mine... All I'm saying is it was a really great time for LM racing... Even better late in the year when Hanley, Trickle, Miller, Malcuit, Eddy and more came down to race the "locals"... There were a lot of people within the "clique" along with Harvey and Balough including Pee Wee Griffin, Bob Castoro, Bill Elswick and a few more... Some got caught, some didn't... But their time with their play-toys trying to beat the likes of Hanley and Trickle made for some good racing and a lot of good stories...

[derf]

what happened to elswick and castoro?i know elswick did some boat racing other than that?.