[fasterthanu]

article from Columbus newspaper:

Wilkerson , , ., , , named Hometown Hero

EACH spring area racers and race fans meet at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds for one last session of “bench” racing to get them in the mood for the upcoming season.
In 1999 Jerry Castor and Dave Norris held the first Columbus Old-timers Racing Reunion to provide the right atmosphere for the change of seasons. They decided that the event would make the ideal backdrop to recognize an area racer as a Hometown Hero.
The first Hometown Hero was Larrett Crockett, a typewriter repairman who started racing jalopies, moved up to sprint cars, and finally became the Rookie of the Year in the Indianapolis 500.
Other drivers so honored include Gene Minor, Pat O’Connor, Bobby Baker and Bobby Black. While some of these drivers like Wilbur Shaw and Pat O’Connor were heroes on a statewide, or even nationwide scope, others like Baker and Minor were heroes locally. The local drivers had a big impact on a smaller number of fans. As a kid, my family and I regularly attended races at the old Columbus Speedway. From the start I was a Bobby Baker fan and I remained one as long as he raced.
The identity of this year’s Hometown Hero remained a secret until announced last Saturday afternoon.
Butch Wilkerson won his first race at Columbus Speedway — on a bicycle. Butch then switched to go karts. In fact, for a time, Butch held the track record with a go kart powered by twin West Bends.
From go karts, Butch graduated to stock cars, TQ midgets and midgets. Obtaining a ride to take a driver to the next level often involves making a pest of himself. The theory is that you’re not going to get a ride unless you ask for it.
Bill Arnold, the father of midget racers Steve and Kevin Arnold, was a noted midget owner and he was in the process of building a sprint car. Steve recalls one of Wilkerson’s visits to the shop.
His wife, Betty, was outside, honking the horn every few minutes. Life was seldom easy for a racer’s wife either.
In 1965, Wilkerson got his first USAC sprint car ride driving for Art Peacock. Butch recalls challenging car owner Jess Kinder. He told him, “I’m going to drive your car for you at Bloomington Friday night because I’m going to outrun your driver here tonight.”
He did — and he did.
Wilkerson continued to land better and better rides and he scored his first feature win at Lawrenceburg Speedway June 25, 1967, when he took Dizz Wilson’s sprinter and outran inaugural Knoxville Nationals champion, Roy Robbins. Butch went on to drive for many great car owners including Karl Kinser, Jim McQueen and Wilson.
In 1973, Butch drove the Dizz Wilson No. 61 and they won the track championships at Bloomington Speedway, Lawrenceburg Speedway and Tri-State Speedway at Haudstadt. It was said that Dizz Wilson had fired more drivers than ever drove for most other owners.
Wilkerson’s temper put him crossways with Dizz one night when Butch had driven to a second-place finish and was fired. Wilkerson said, “I’d had just about enough of Dizz and I knocked him on his butt.
“Later, I ran across A.J. Foyt at another race track and he asked me, “Did you knock Dizz on his butt?” I had no idea what the right answer was for A.J, so I admitted that I had. A.J. reached in his pocket, pulled out a hundreddollar bill, and handed it to me.”
After Butch finished telling his story, Jerry Castor commented, “Racers all have a lot of stories, but I can vouch for this one. Butch and I were taking a show car to Phoenix and while we were in the garage area, we ran across A.J. He said, “You’re Butch Wilkerson. I gave you a hundred dollars for knocking Dizz Wilson on his butt.”
Wilkerson had a tremendous record at the Little 500 as well. He ran in more than 10 of them. His best finish was a second in 1972.
They blew up the engine the night before the race and the car owner, Karl Kinser, bought a junkyard engine and put it in the car.
Kinser didn’t expect that a junkyard engine would last and he told Butch to lead as many laps as he could to get the lap-prize money. He led 410 of the 500 laps, according to the officials, for second place. Wilkerson’s crew was certain that they had won, and are to this day.
Still, second-place money and lap-prize money combined was more than the winner’s share.
For all practical purposes Wilkerson’s career came to an end against the Winchester Speedway concrete in 1979. Butch and driver Bob East touched wheels and Butch hit the wall hard.
Butch was taken from the track to Methodist Hospital where he spent 28 days in a coma.
Butch remains grateful that was covered by USAC insurance. My hospital bill was $300,000,” he said, “and they paid it all. hen I got home from the hospital, Frank Miller showed up at the house with a 27-inch console color TV and told me that USAC had sent it. They paid all of my bills until I was back on my feet.”
Tim McKinney is an auto racing columnist for The Republic. He can be reached at 372-3936.

[Charles Nungester]

Congrats Butch. Also glad you mentioned to have plenty of insurance or race with a organization or track that does.

[jim goerge]

Couldn"t happen to a more deserveing guy. Congrats Butch! Hope to see you and talk with you at Haubstadt again this season .

[ronmil]

Congratulations, Butch! I enjoyed watching you compete at Haubstadt for many years and was present when your career ended much too soon at Winchester in 1979.
I enjoyed a conversation with you at Bloomington last summer, during which time you introduced me to former driver Eddie Bond.
I also want to thank you for the prayers for Earlene before her surgery on March 10th. It meant so much to me and I have no doubt contributed to the positive outcome.
Again, congratulations, on this honor!