This was posted on the SCTA website for everyones information.
Tom G.
02/08/10: Dear Gear Grinders [and fellow SCTA Clubs]:
This is Richard Parks, from the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians Newsletter at
www.landspeedracing.com. First, I want to offer my condolences to Sheri, Willie's family and to the Gear Grinders. Secondly, I want to thank all of you who have kept me informed, so that I can inform others. Thirdly, I would appreciate it if you could write a bio on Willie, or send me a story about what he was like. The SLSRH is not a blog. We rarely publish short sentences that tell us nothing new, such as, "He was a great person." But we do publish articles, bios and stories that tell us more about our history and heritage and the people who participated in straight line racing. So if you can write something, even if it is just one incident at one event that tells us something special and unique about Willie (and others), then send it to me and I will be grateful to put it in the next newsletter. If you want an example, go to
www.landspeedracing.com and see how we handle the bios and obituaries. Fourth, and lastly, it's really hard to do YOUR biography when you are gone. Jim Miller and I find it much easier to talk to you and get you to write your story when you are still with us. We have asked you to do your bios and caption your photographs even if you don't want them published. Because your families will want them and we want them too. I can't begin to tell you how much I have learned by helping LSR and hot rodders write their bios. If you don't leave a history behind then you have no history and that is tragic for the rest of us. So please, during the off season jot down some words and send them to us. We'll edit them and we won't publish until you are happy with "your story." Remember, bios are factually true, but "stories" can be completely true or even a bit "Ak Millerized."
Richard Parks
