A Few of My Thoughts About The Main Man, Bill Tanner by Randy Scott

I had seen Bill at several tracks around the north Georgia area but had never really gotten to know him till one day at Dallas Dragway when he had the '65 Dodge he was running along with Larry Lawrence. He was having a devil of a time with the Hilborn injectors. The car would start and then immediately go dead. I walked up and watched him for a while and offered a suggestion that the supply and return lines to the main injector block were crossed. (I was about 19 or 20 years old at the time) he immediately told me that there was no @$#%&* way and how the Hell would I know that anyway. I told him that I tuned Bunky Bobo's A Gasser, The Hemi Hurricane and I was very familiar with those particular injectors. I said "humor me Bill, you've tried everything else". I was right of course and I think that for all the years after that, it may have been the only time that I was right.

I worked for Bill Tanner along with Terry Earwood in 1970 on his "BILL TANNER"S DODGE Safety and Performance Clinic team". I can honestly say that I learned more about racing cars, engines, transmissions and everything else during that short time.

Bill had a way of unique way of looking at things. I mean everything, not just racing related things but life in general. I truly believe he was a mechanical genius. He just saw things more clearly than most folks and he could convey that knowledge to others (my dumb ass, for instance) and make it understandable.

I did call him on the phone last year and had a long conversation with him. I think he was glad to hear from me and I got a chance to thank him for everything he taught me.I was truly priveledged to know him.

Thanks for everything Bill.
Randy Scott