"Where it all began..."

HALL OF FAME MEMBER - BILL BRICE III
by Joe Saraceno

     Former Chief Steward Bill Brice III, will go into the S.A.F.E.R. Hall of Fame.  Bill was Riverhead Raceway's Chief Steward for over 8 years and worked under Walt Edsall and Mike Cass, before replacing Cass. Bill started as a track steward at the old Islip Speedway when he was just a teen, lining up cars on the back stretch.

     "Ah, those were the days," Bill once said.  "No pressure!"

     Ask any Chief Steward.  One Chief Steward said, "It's a balance of friends, acquaintances, other officials, and the promoters.  You're never wrong and never right."

     Billy served the position with distinction and will be remembered for years to come.  If you look back to Bill's early years, most Figure 8 drivers would tell you, "Bill Brice hates Figure 8's."

     As the years went by, fewer drivers had that opinion.  Bill recognized  SAFER and realized it was easier to talk to 2 or 3 drivers from SAFER instead of 20 drivers.

     Then slowly the car count dwindles.  The same driver won week after week.  The races were boring.  It was time for drastic measures.  The dreaded rule changes! Bill sat down with promoters Barbara & Jim Cromarty, Walt Edsall, and other officials.  

    "We're going backwards," cried Billy.  

    "We don't need $30,000 Figure 8 cars," commented Walt. "Let's do it." The new rules came out, much to the anguish of many of the Figure 8 drivers.

     "We'll give it a couple of years and see," said Jim Cromarty.

     Well, when the '98 season started, 20 cars were in the pits and '99 looked even better with 25 or more cars. So the rules worked. Bill Brice and his staff turned it around.  

     This is why Bill Brice is being put into the SAFER Hall of Fame.  He's worked hard over the years, and has given his heart and soul to racing.  The SAFER organization appreciates all the hard work and dedication of Bill Brice III!

Reprinted from 1999 SAFER Yearbook