Dirt
Friendly
Rivalry
Gary Williams, Scotty
Richardson set to battle for
$25,000 in Memphis
By Allyson Johnson
A
nyone who’s been around bracket
racing very long has likely heard the
names of Florida-based driver Gary
Williams and Scotty Richardson from
Kentucky. Richardson, named by NHRA as one
of the 50 greatest racers in 2000, and Williams,
who has won the coveted prize at the Million
Dollar Race – twice – both have an impressive
list of wins under their belt.
Racing across the country for years, they may
be friends in the pits, but they’re fierce rivals on
the track. This rich history and stiff competition
will lead to a hefty payday for one driver in late
May at the Great American Bracket Race in
Memphis, Tennessee.
During five rounds of testing throughout the
event happening at Memphis International Race-
way May 23-27, Williams and Richardson will
face off for $5,000 each run. Treating these test-
and-tune sessions like elimination rounds, both
drivers will have to dial-in and knock the tree
down in hopes of ending the run a little richer.
“Everyone’s compared us to each other when
talking about some of the best bracket
racers,” Williams says. “This will be a
chance to finally see who the better driver
is, and hopefully it will stir up some ex-
citement from spectators.”
Bracket racing is a tough sport to re-
cruit fans, and too much drama is rarely
found in the pits. But just take a look at
either driver’s Facebook page and you’re
sure to see some smack talk as racers and
fans across the country rally behind their
pick for the May showdown.
In a Facebook post that Troy Williams, Jr.,
Gary’s brother, made in February, he said,
“What does everyone think? Scotty
Richardson vs. Gary Williams, $5k a lap.”
The post has nearly 300 comments from
supporters of both parties. Richardson
responded, “I’m game for a challenge!”
Williams says they’ll finish the race
no matter what – rain, shine, snow or
sleep. And he hopes they can even do a
bonus round on the golf carts after the
races are over.
While Richardson admits that Williams
has probably beaten him more on the track,
he plans to take home all the cash in Mem-
phis. “I’m going to wear Gary out,” he says.
Richardson says he hopes to do this
again in the future, and maybe even bring his
brother (Edmond Richardson) into the mix,
along with Gary’s brother, Troy, for some sib-
ling rivalry.
DI DI DI
DI DI DI DI
DI DI DI
Dream
Come True
Eric Dillard’s bet on
ProCharger combo pays off
By Josh Hachat
E
26 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
ric Dillard had a vision. But it
has turned out reality has been even
better than the dream.
Intrigued with the potential of the
ProCharger centrifugal supercharger a couple
of years ago, Dillard made it come to fruition.
It hasn’t been a conventional direction for the
turbo-minded Proline Racing shop, but straying
outside their norm has paid off.
The ProCharger combined with Proline’s Hemi
power has been nothing short of gangbusters in
the ’69 Camaro now driven by Kevin Rivenbark.
Dillard made the first runs in the car last year,
and Rivenbark has since lowered the boom in
both Pro Mod and drag radial set-ups, bringing
Dillard’s dream very much to life.
“To see it materialize to this already, it’s really
unreal. Two years ago, I had a dream that maybe
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