[racephoto1]

I met Bill at a PRA race at Illiana in 2006, if I remember correctly. He asked me to post photos. I told him I'll have to learn, I've just gone digital. He told me to figure it out and that I need a website. I listened, and because of him I also have a website.

I really miss the guy. There was no bullsh*t with him, and you knew where you stood. There aren't many around like that anymore.

Now the story, and it isn't about me, but about Mrs.G . Not to embarrass her, but if you know her, she's very pretty. Bill and I were talking at Putt one day , and I said," Bill, you sure married up". He looked at me and replied," Chris , I knew nothing that good looking was coming my way again, so I better not let her get away". He didn't let her get away, and boy did he love her.

[brian2h]

bill was a sprinter in high school and belive it or not he was pretty fast. of course that was 75lbs ago and 20 years lol. one day we were in the shop razzing each other like we always did he told me he could beat me any day any time. well it was on i told him lets go right now so we went outside the race was down the drive into the back yard around the swing set and back. so we lined up still passing verble abuse lol. cinder give us the start command we took off as we went from the rocks to the grass (when i tell the story we were neck and neck when bill told it he had a step on me) anyway from the rock to the grass i got loose spun out and went down bill is still running and i can hear him chuckle i got back up and took off after him as he rounded the swing set he pulled a hammy this was my bigh chance as he is running now holding his leg i was gaining on him as we get close to the finish line i passed him. then we go back in the shop both off us hurting laughing thinking that we probably shouldnt have done that. but im sure glad now that we did its one of my favorite memorys. i loved that jack wagon and miss him every day

[Mrs G]

Originally Posted by racephoto1 I met Bill at a PRA race at Illiana in 2006, if I remember correctly. He asked me to post photos. I told him I'll have to learn, I've just gone digital. He told me to figure it out and that I need a website. I listened, and because of him I also have a website. I really miss the guy. There was no bullsh*t with him, and you knew where you stood. There aren't many around like that anymore. Now the story, and it isn't about me, but about Mrs.G . Not to embarrass her, but if you know her, she's very pretty. Bill and I were talking at Putt one day , and I said," Bill, you sure married up". He looked at me and replied," Chris , I knew nothing that good looking was coming my way again, so I better not let her get away". He didn't let her get away, and boy did he love her.

Chris,

You are way too kind! It was the Gardner charm, as he would often refer to it, that sucked me right in!

[Kirk Spridgeon]

I don't even remember what year Bill started the online racing league, probably 1999 or 2000, and started the original message board for us to use. I was 13 or 14. We were the two using the keyboard to race!! Haha it's still crazy to think what it turned into from that.

I can't recall the exact time when I met Bill in person, but he was a big influence on me in the early 2000s. He probably thought of me as a huge annoyance, especially back then. But he was always helpful to me and reassuring that following my passion would not lead me wrong.

In the last five years or so, I would hear from him every time I hit a new track he liked or wanted to visit, or same from a new ballpark. I always loved to talk big ideas with him, or just road trips and the thought of sprint cars at this track or that track. He is a big reason why we went to Deer Creek in Minnesota last year, and I wish he could have been there.

[BrentTFunk]

I don't remember actually meeting Bill, I just kind of knew him from working at Kokomo in the 90's, when Bill was helping Brian. I was late to the internet thing, and didn't realize he was the guy doing this site until we talked at the HARF banquet. Shortly before he passed we talked in PM's a lot,and I feel like that is when we really got close. Always thought he was a class act. Thank you for keeping this going. I hope we don't drive you too crazy.

[mayor31]

Probably meet Bill in 2010 or so when we came back to race at LPS. I was always telling him how much better Modifieds were then sprint cars. Even got him to start a Modified section on here for a while. Funniest story I have is the first year of the Smack down we were on the Phone talking and I said can't believe Paragon is the only track racing and we kinda laughed and I said it was the B team race or something like that He said here I just made a new profile name for you and password get them fired up on IOW and know one will know its you. So I got on and posted something about them running and he called me back and we laughed as people were getting pissed. That was his sense of Humor. On a serious Note I spent hours on the phone with Him when we found out Katie had Cancer and he helped more then he will ever know thru that for a couple of years. I told him when we knew his time was coming I wanted a picture in Victory lane with him I tried like hell get that and never got it done. He told Me he doesn't do pictures anymore but said he would be honored to get one with me there. Love and Miss that Jackwagon

[Bad Dad 54]

I never met him but shared a few e-mails, I lost my wife unexpectedly last Mar 10, the 26th would have been or 38th anniv. You have my sympathy

[2HWrench]

The night in Minnesota when we hit the Walmart at midnight after our first race to grocery shop for our week at Deer Creak Speedway. That was hilarious to see Bill loading up on Oreos and any other cookie he walked past. We filled 2 carts and ran up a $300+ tab for the 4 of us. An awesome trip that will always be one to put a smile on my face.

[dirtfan98]

Ill try to make this short, I've know Bill and shondra since I was 18, I'm now 34, so I have many memories of Bill! One of my favorite racing moments together was one of my first trips to the action track with Brian and Bill, there was a red during the A and Brian had stopped outside turn 4, I went to the wall with Bill and was talking to Brian, the right rear was low and we had left the air tank at the trailer,Bill looked at me 20 at the time and said u can get there quicker than me! Forget to mention we were paked way in the back outside turn 3! So I take off in a dead Sprint excited that I'm doing something to help and grab the tank Sprint back get back completely out of breath meanwhile Bill is cracking up and I said what is so funny! He's smiles with his sarcastic smile and says u could have taken the 4wheeler! Then chuckles some more!!!! All I could do was laugh with him! I know wasn't the coolest story but to me always sticks in my mind to this day! I have looked up to Bill since I was 18! He is/was a great man, taught me so much! Ready for this weekend to see some racing in his honor!!! Miss u buddy!

[bgardner2]

I have know Bill all my life as being his brother Brian. My story is going to have to be of one that Bill and I fought about the details ever since it happened. Back in the day we would play super techmo bowl. Bill in his gracious way was beating the crap out of me and rubbing it in my face like he did most of the time. I got really mad and he got up after beating me and rubbing it in his face. So like any little brother I picked up the closest thing I could find to throw at him. It just so happened to be a flashlight. I threw it and hit him in the chest when he turned around. He said that I hit him upside the head. Within about 1/2 second he had me on the ground and was saying calm down Brian calm down and will let you go. I finally relented to the fact I needed to calm down and he let me up. That was one of my many stories with Bill. The other was involving the fact that we used to race our bikes at Putnamville church just as if we were at Lincoln Park Speedway. Bill always beat me being 4 years older. However one day I was ahead of him and he was not to happy as it was coming to the end of the race so he decided he would knock my back tire out. It worked however what Bill did not realize is as I went down he was behind me and he had no where to go. So he layed the bike down and slid the metal pedal into my head. Blood came running down and I went riding home to get stictches. He said that I never looked crossing 40 and I said I did. These were some of the stories that when we would get together we would laugh about. It was great growing up with him and having him to compete against. I miss you Bill. Shondra I thought you would like these to.