Big Willie/L.A. Street Racers

[andrewlandon67]

Hey, would any of the older guys, at least the ones who are still on here, have any good stories to tell about the L.A. Street Racers/Brotherhood guys from way back when? Where they much of an influence in the VW guys or were the geographic boundaries too big?

[mg]

Should be a couple of good Cal Look memories in this thread.  
https://youtu.be/fbYgbVoIPkQ

First time I became aware of Big Willie was at about 14 years old on the Garden Grove freeway.
I was in the back seat of my parents stationwagen and Big Willie was next to us in his lettered up mopar, it looked very racey.

A couple years later around the mid 70s we hung out in a strip mall across from Nick's (old cruise night spot) where the Street racers met before races.
Along with all the V8 racers there was a small row of perfect Cal Look cars.

One night there was a big race between an altered from Compton and a pick up truck owned my Tom McMullen the owner of truckin magazine.
We followed the group to La Palma and Imperial Hwy.
They raced on La Palma just a mile from where we lived.
The altered beat the truck by a mile and it was rumored won the race and $1,000.

Decades later we raced at the Brotherhood dragstrip at Terminal island in Long Beach.
Very relaxed atmosphere with Big Willie and another gal in the tower on the PA system loudly joking and betting hot dogs on every race.
The burn out box had some serious deep ruts but the track was 1/4 mile long and seemed safe and smooth enuf for my 12 second street car.

Big Willie was an interesting guy that did accomplish many good things for local racers.
https://youtu.be/72-ugqolIxk

[andrewlandon67]

Should be a couple of good Cal Look memories in this thread.  
https://youtu.be/fbYgbVoIPkQ

First time I became aware of Big Willie was at about 14 years old on the Garden Grove freeway.
I was in the back seat of my parents stationwagen and Big Willie was next to us in his lettered up mopar, it looked very racey.

A couple years later around the mid 70s we hung out in a strip mall across from Nick's (old cruise night spot) where the Street racers met before races.
Along with all the V8 racers there was a small row of perfect Cal Look cars.

One night there was a big race between an altered from Compton and a pick up truck owned my Tom McMullen the owner of truckin magazine.
We followed the group to La Palma and Imperial Hwy.
They raced on La Palma just a mile from where we lived.
The altered beat the truck by a mile and it was rumored won the race and $1,000.

Decades later we raced at the Brotherhood dragstrip at Terminal island in Long Beach.
Very relaxed atmosphere with Big Willie and another gal in the tower on the PA system loudly joking and betting hot dogs on every race.
The burn out box had some serious deep ruts but the track was 1/4 mile long and seemed safe and smooth enuf for my 12 second street car.

Big Willie was an interesting guy that did accomplish many good things for local racers.
https://youtu.be/72-ugqolIxk

Those are both awesome videos! He seems like he was a really cool guy who really just wanted to help his community out, and go burn some 114 at the same time!

[beatnik beetle]

I can remember following some of the DKP guys from the Classic ( I think ) over to Terminal Island...I had never seen anything like it as far as betting in the bleachers went..Jeff had the yellow Fiat racing back then and the guys betting near me were not ready to see the little yellow car take v8 scalps...RIP Big Willie

[DaveN]

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[mg]

At the Brotherhood raceway...
That's my red VW but evidently Mike Smith in his red nitrous VW had been racing there recently.
So when we arrived a small crowd surrounded my red bug looking for the nitrous...
Fun day I remember enjoying a long lightening show on the tow home to San Diego on the 5 south. 

[andrewlandon67]

Looks like a good day at an awesome track! Thanks for sharing your stories everyone, let's keep them coming!