When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, I lived in Arroyo Grande. Sometimes there was a number 55 Stock Car on an open trailer on the other side of the fence. I went over one time and asked and I believe it was his daughters house. She told me the next time the guy that drove the car was around she would come get me. She came and got me one day and took me over to her house, where i met Bill Baker. My mom stood on the other side of the fence and took some pictures of me shaking Bills hand. I still have those pictures and plan to put them up at the track on opening night.

Bill died about 2 weeks later.

This all happened a couple of years before my first trip to Santa Maria Speedway.