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Bill Homeier – From Texas To California And Indianapolis

After World War II, it wasn’t uncommon for a driver who cut his racing teeth in the Midget race car boom of post-war America to make the jump to the “big cars.” One driver who made the leap was Texas driver, Bill Homeier.

Born on August 31st, 1918, Homeier was a native of Rock Island, Texas and like many in the post-war 1940’s moved to southern California to race midgets and chase the big purses. In the late-1940’s, midget racing was king in California. A driver could make four-figures in one night, big money in a country still recovering economically.

During World War II, Homeier found himself in the U.S. Navy. However when on a ship, he suffered from uncontrolled nose bleeds and after several occurrences, he received a medical discharge. After the war he discovered auto racing and drove midgets in Texas. Among the many acquaintances he met was Houston car owner, Tony Foyt.

In California, he met tough competition, racing against the likes of Bill Vukovich, Sam Hanks, Troy Ruttman, Rodger Ward, Don Freeland, Bobby Ball, Danny Oakes, Allen Heath and others. In 1948, Homeier won at tracks such as Tulare, Fresno and Balboa driving the V-8 of Mike Casale on the red circuit, which was for non-Offenhauser engines. The following year he won at Culver City, once driving for Casale, this time in an Offy on the blue circuit. However, he had setbacks with accidents at Gilmore Stadium and even went over the wall in a scary crash at Orange Show Stadium. He did rebound and capture victory at Fresno once again on the red circuit driving the Swift & Eadie V-8.

Homeier lived in Burbank, where drivers like Manny Ayulo, Mack Hellings and Gordon Reid also resided. Homeier continued driving on the West coast but started to drive at tracks in the Midwest in summer as many drivers did with one goal in mind — Indianapolis.

Driving in the AAA midget ranks in 1953, Homeier finished his best in points: second to Leroy Warriner of Indianapolis. Homeier’s wins that year included, West Palm Beach, Heidelberg, St. Louis and Springfield. In fact, he won the first two races of the following year at Gardena. He even won a 100-lap midget race at the tough Langhorne track in 1958, overall winning 12 national midget races (AAA/USAC).

It was in 1953 Homeier made it to the big track, Indianapolis. He passed his driver’s test driving the Coast Grain Special, a Lesovsky upright dirt car which he was unable to get up to qualifying speed. On bump day, he tried to squeak the Cal Connell Special, a Kurtis KK500A with a trick special-reverse torque Cadillac into the starting field, but burned a piston on a late qualifying attempt.

In 1954 he made his first “500,” driving the Jones & Maley Special. It was in this race he became a trivia answer, finishing in 33rd place, but completed 74 laps (184-miles), the most for a last place finisher. During the race, Homeier had come into the pits. During the stop, his foot slipped off the clutch, causing the car to lurch into the wall, bending the suspension to a point that the car couldn’t continue.

The following year, he drove Ernie Ruiz’s Travelon Trailer Kurtis KK500B and was unable to crack the starting field. During the race, he did drive relief for Walt Faulkner, driving 30-laps for the “little dynamo” as he was known, assisting him to fifth place.

Homeier did not appear on the track in 1956 and 1957. In 1958, he tried two cars including the former Jones & Maley Kurtis KK500C he drove in the 1954 “500.” Now owned by James Shreve and named the Safety Auto Glass Special, neither Homeier nor Warriner who beat him in the ’53 midget points championship could muster enough speed.

It wasn’t easy making the show at Indianapolis. In 1959, Homeier fell short as he lost an engine in Ollie Prather’s Go-Kart Kurtis 500G-2 on his second qualifying lap. Later that summer he picked up a ride, driving for Greek ship-owner, Tassi Vatis, who owned an aging Kurtis 4000. Over the next two seasons, he drove the familiar red car with the black tail in 13 events, making the field in several with a top finish of 5th at Sacramento in 1959 and 9th at Langhorne the following year.

In 1958, Eddie Kuzma built a lightweight, independent suspension roadster for J.C. Agajanian and his driver, Troy Ruttman. Wrenched by ace mechanic, Frank McGurk, the car just wouldn’t make speed at the Brickyard. After failing to make the race twice, the car was brought to A.J. Watson’s shop in Glendale, CA where over the winter it was completely rebuilt in a more conventional manner. Norm Hall who owned the car, entered the car at the Speedway with the inimitable Ridgewood Builders on the hood for the 1960 race. Early in the month, Hall was close on speed but not fast enough to make the race. Chief mechanic, Bob Higman replaced Hall (the owner) with Homeier. Homeier got in the car on the second weekend and proceeded to squeak the car in 33-car field. On race day the car completed the 500 miles to finish 13th and placed Homeier in the exclusive Champion Spark Plug 100-mile-an-hour club.

After several marriages and two sons, William, Jr. and Carl, he married Helen and in 1962 drove the final two races of his career. He took a teaching position at Cypress-Fairbanks High School outside of Houston, as an automotive instructor and received his teaching degree from Texas A&M.

On Thanksgiving in 1970, a drunk driver hit Bill, severely injuring him and unfortunately killing his wife, Helen. He was in a coma for two and half months and took two years to recover his memory.

Shortly thereafter he began to tutor a young Tony Bettenhausen who was driving stock cars for Gordon Van Liew.

In the 1990’s, he retired to Palacios, TX passing away on May 5th, 2001 at age 82.

– The author would like to thank William Homeier, Jr., Donald Davidson and Gordon E. White for assistance on this article.

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