Billy Simons

Car Owner, Car Builder
CLASS OF 2010

Car owner Billy Simons and his “Excavator Special” cars were winners from the start of a 40-year involvement with New England auto racing. Simons was always a blue collar, no-nonsense, low buck, short-track Modified racecar owner. A man of few words – and those were delivered softly – he nonetheless combined talent and determination in accumulating 10 championships and 100-plus victories.

Brothers Billy & Fred Simons, natives of Cromwell, CT, went racing in 1953. Grabbing the name from the family business – “Clifford Simons & Sons Excavating” – the brothers went to Plainville Stadium. They soon moved to the United Stock Car Racing Club sanctioned Waterford Speedbowl. Using a Chrysler six-cylinder engine, the No. 9 dominated the track’s non-Ford division.

The first championship came with driver Charlie Webster in 1956. They repeated in 1958 and 1959, winning 11 features each season. They were the first 3-time champions in Waterford history. Simons then paired up with Hank Stevens and won back-to-back Sportsman Championships. Then in 1964, now with Ray Delisle behind the wheel, Simons not only won his 3rd straight Sportsman title, but they took the Modified championship as well (still using a six-cylinder motor). Simons and Delisle then headed for Lebanon Valley for a few seasons.

Back on asphalt at the Speedbowl, Simons teamed up with Don Collins. They went on to win the 1969 Modified Championship together. It was the 5th title for Collins and 8th for Simons, a track record as car owner that still stands today.

Simons moved on to NASCAR. He captured a couple of Riverside Park championships (1978 & 1981) with Stan Greger and collected a 1985 NASCAR Modified Tour victory at Waterford with another Hall of Famer, Ray Miller aboard. Ricky Summers and Bruce D’Alessandro also won in Simons’ equipment. His final victory came at Monadnock in 1993 with driver Dan Avery.

Bill retired from racing soon afterwards, eventually relocating to Port Charlotte, FL. He passed away on February 11, 2020 at the age of 92.