Bill Younkin, Sr.

Bill lived his entire life in Jackson, Michigan. Born in 1922, he passed away in 2016, leaving a legacy that went beyond racing.

 

Bill was naturally gifted at fixing things,and as was true of his generation, things were not discarded but repaired, rebuilt, and reused. His father owned the first auto repair business in Jackson. Bill served 3 years in World War II, sustaining injuries that placed him in a military hospital for 2 years. After being honorably discharged in 1948, Bill returned home and took over the family business which he owned for the next 40 years.

 

In 1954, Bill began racing when he bought and owned a modified driven by Ralph Donaldson (MMSHoF 1987.) The duo set a new track record at Jackson Speedway, and over the next 2 years, racked up 25 feature wins and a track championship.

 

For 1958 and 1959 seasons, Bill was the mechanic for Wayne Harrington, who drove one of the first super modifiedsbuilt with round tube, racing Jackson, Butler, and tracks in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.

 

The racing bug was strong and the race cars at Younkin’s Garage were a fascination especially for young boys, many of whom Bill took under his wing. “The Garage” was the hangout for men and boys and at lunchtime, Bill and his buddies would round up all the boys, pile them into cars and trucks and head to one of the local diners. The boys listened awe-struck to story after storyof racing, taking it all in. The tales and talk lit fires in some of them, which meant that for the next few years,Bill switched his attention from adult racing to youth cart racing with his son, Billy Jr and Ed Cooper (MMSHoF 2019). In both the cart series and in life, Bill worked with countless boys to not only build, tune and maintain motors at the tracks, all the while unknowingly mentoring and showing them what it meant to be a man of character. Bill wasn’t just a legend at the track; he was a role model for youthand had a knack for knowing who needed it most and tucking them in a little closer. He modeled humility and compassion, helping anyone and everyone, competitor or not.

 

When the boys outgrew the cart series, Bill turned his attention back to adult competition. From 1965-1973 he co-owned sportsman modified cars with Louie Jay Stemen as driver, racing primarily Butler and Manchester, winning 85 features and 4 track championships. The duo, in 1970, won 21 of 22 features at Manchester. During this same time period, Bill and Billy Jr, also raced dirt in a modified coupe. Bill drove a car for the first time in 1969, winning the Mechanics’ Race at Manchester.

 

In 1970, Bill and Billy Jr switched from modifieds to late model stocks. Bill became the engine builder and crew chief for his son when they purchased and rebuilt Dick Decker’s car, racing in the Tri-State area as well as in Florida where Billy Jr was living part-time. Bill loved every second of racing, especially with his son at the wheel.

 

Billy Jr said that his most treasured memory is that “my Dad never ever missed an opportunity to help another racer. If he saw someone needed a hand or a part, he jumped into action. It wasn’t about the competition and winning; it was about the sport of racing, and he wanted to see every racer have that chance.”