"Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

With a heavy heart I need to tell everyone that my Friend/Hero/Mentor: "Big Willie" Robinson has passed away.
He has been in bad health this year and struggling with complications from Diabetes.

Many of you know him as the President of The Los Angeles Street Racers and
I have had, as Vice President and a Southern California Organizer of the club, the great pleasure of his company
since 1964 or 1965...........Truly an era (at least in our automotive history in LA ) has passed!

He kept many of us off the street though starting the Brotherhood Raceway Track in the Los Angeles Harbor area.
Although Willie loved Drag Racing, he often told me that in many ways the racing was just..... a "Gimmick" in his perspective.
If you looked at our colors, you would see a patch on the right sleeve that has an American Flag and the inscription
"New Breed of Brotherhood" above it. Willie saw the racing as a "Gimmick" to bring a diverse group of different
ethnic groups together to interact as friends. Fifty years ago that was often a very difficult task, particularly around
Los Angeles in that turbulent time around the Watts Riots in LA.

In his native Louisiana he was the in the first group of Black Students to
integrate a prominent University in the early 60's.... his prized Oldsmobile was torched to the ground
and thereafter he was run of campus. However, he never held a grudge or
blamed any of us in other ethnic groups as individuals despite his dreams all being shattered.
The keys on my Computer are getting too wet for me to write any more right now.

"GTX John" Irving
Vice President
LA Street Racers

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

Matthew 5:9 King James Version

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

R.I.P.

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

When I became President of the Orlando Street Racers Assn. way back in the early seventies I got a letter (no email back then) from Willie congratulating me and stating full support of the club and offering assistance if needed. I wish I knew where that letter was now. He was a great guy, I also wish I had kept in touch. God's Speed Big Wille, you will be missed. Jim


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Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

... double post

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

RIP - Big Dog

I raced my "FrinedZ Camaro against his Superbird on Victory blvd late one Saturday night in 1970

I think this per-dated the "Brotherhood"

Ron

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

Big Willie was "the man" in the muscle car days of street racing all over the country. Many who street raced, even on the east coast, knew of Big Willie and his brotherhood even with out the internet. Big Willie was in many of the car magazine and even a movie that I vaguely remember today. With the COPO camaros, Hemi cudas and Boss 429 mustangs street racing back then was a big deal. The cars would all hang out at the local drive-in resturants, cruise the streets and about 11:00 it was "Show Time." There was a "Speed Shop" in almost every town and Big Willie brought about organization to the Friday and Saturday night events. RIP Big Willie.

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

God Speed, to a difference maker, and a uniter. I also read that he was a US Army Vietnam Vet. I have a magazine with him in a Keystone Wheels ad with some of the LA street race guys and his Superbird.

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

Rest in Peace Big Willie, as a young man in the 60's reading Hot Rod Mag. I saw no color barriers, just another racer. CR

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

When Hubert Platt and i had THE FORD DRAG TEAM in 1969,we were priveledged to work with this gentleman to try and get racing off the streets.What a great person.A REAL PERSON.Not many real people left. 'MR. BIGGG STUFF' god's speed my friend.

Re: "Big Willie" Robinson passes away
 

I remember articles and ads with him and his Daytona in several car magazines when I was young.

A little YouTube clip about his "mission":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMA76qbrrL8

....and a show interview that the above clip came from!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbYgb...feature=fvwrel

RIP