bill alsup 1938-2016

[marc sproule]

an old friend and a great guy

gone too soon

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/13...lsup-1938-2016

[Purple Frog]

Dies driving a crane up a steep hill in Silverton Colorado at 78 years old.

Hate to see him go, but a lot classier exit than dying in a barco lounger while watching TV in Miami.

My hero in '78 when i was a VW nut and he won Super Vee. RIP

[tdf4golf]

Sorry to hear that Bill passed away. He had a pretty good career and when you consider, as noted in the article, that he finished career-best third three times – at Michigan, Riverside and Milwaukee, with the Penske Team – and ended the season second in the points behind Mears is pretty impressive. Mears was no slouch.

I also agree with Purple Frog, I'd rather go out that way than I have seen family and some other friends go out in a care facility helpless. Almost did that myself but fought through it.

T.

P.S. I thought about buying his Argo SV at one time, should of.

[bkd320]

The Bosch Gold Cup resides at my house with Bill's name firmly engraved as the 1978 winner. I didn't know him, but know what he did for the sport and as an FSV (Aircooled) guy we are down one more great from that time in racing.

[marc sproule]

gk remembers his old friend........

http://www.gordonkirby.com/categorie..._is_no546.html

[Michael Rand]

As a fellow New England open wheel guy we shared many paddocks over the years and though Bill and I never competed in the same class we often would be in same group of mixed class races.
A hugely talented and honorable man and driver.
Last time I recall talking with Bill, admittedly numerous decades ago, was when he had triedmightily to qualify one of Jo Marquardts missed steps with an Argo IndyCar at the speedway.
Bill said it was frightening even going down pit lane, never mind cranking it into Turn 1 ......
Maybe a similar tub design to the unloved Argo FA car of a similar timeframe ?
Before I get blasted, I am aware a few brave souls made many mods to the flexi tub and made it a decent FA car bit in it's initial stages it was, well,....awful.
Bill was always a guy with a big smile regardless of how it was going on track [except maybe at Indy in the Argo....] and just seeing him in the paddock made your day a bit brighter....

[provamo]

recall Bill's early antics in Formula Ford and his success in Super Vee

last saw him and his rag tag crew running the A.B. Dick Penske at the Watkins Glen Indy race..................in the garages his guys were playing that Wiley Nelson song "Mothers don't let your boys grow up to be cowboys.............................."

[provamo]

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/197...super-vee-fsv/

[Steve Demeter]

That is one heck of a deal.