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Dan Bennett · 03-30-2012, 12:08 PM

It's taken me a day or so to get my thoughts together.

Looking back, it was a definite turning point in my life when my friends Steve Ash and Lewis Worden decided to buy a PS engine from Bill and pay him to tune it at the races. Through that association, I was lucky enough to be around him quite a bit. At the time, computers were pretty new and I found that he and I shared the same interest and the same hope to use them for better performance.

He soon became so well-liked that it was standard procedure to bring him a box of Macanudo cigars at the races we attended. It was small payment for the treatment he gave some small time racers from Missouri.

Prevously, Ash & Worden had used other famous engine suppliers. We soon found how the game worked. When our engine was almost finished, we got a message that there was a problem and it would be 5 to 6 weeks before it could be delivered. What that translated to was that the engine showed more power on the dyno than what the suppliers were using in their own car so "ours" went into their car until they could throw together some pieces to make another one.

Working with Bill was 180 degrees opposite. The money you paid bought parts, and your parts were your parts. There were no favorites in his shop who got first crack at the good stuff. When A&W's engine fired up with big power (#3 at Gainesville that year) there was never a question of who was going to get the engine. We appreciated that kind honesty and integrity.

The trailer time was something I'll never forget. Bill was always open to questions as long as you didn't bother him when he was deep in thought. He was absolutely honest in his answers and when I'd ask a particularly stupid question he'd smile a bit and then answer without making me feel even more naive.

The evenings were special, too. Pro Stock was different back then and though we were all dead serious about being competitive we all had other jobs so a race was a time to enjoy oneself. Steve liked to eat at good restaurants and Jenkins was always invited. The conversations after a few rounds of scotch were amazing and I'll regret to my dying days that there wasn't some sort of way that I could have recorded them.

Jenkins was a man who was interested - in a lot of things. His curiosity led him to the advances he invented for the sport, and as long as I was around him that fire never flickered.

He taught me more about the sport than anyone else, and it was never a "lecturing" situation. If you knew to ask the right questions, you'd get some priceless answers.

Along with Warren Johnson, Bill was one of the most misunderstood figures in drag racing. He had a tremendous sense of humor and after the work was done he led the pack in having fun.

Yes, he'd grunt. He wasn't a particularly articulate guy to start with and sometimes the issue involved a long answer he didn't have the time or inclination to get into. But if you were around him very long, it was evident that the grunts were a language all their own - from "good job" to "that sucked" to "who cares?"

I've been looking at this for a long time and keep adding things. There was so much more to the man that I could write for pages. To save all you the boredom, I'll end this now.

I will truly miss him and always remember him.

03-30-2012, 12:08 PM	#58
Dan Bennett Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 440 Likes: 856 Liked 601 Times in 137 Posts	Re: Bill Jenkins It's taken me a day or so to get my thoughts together. Looking back, it was a definite turning point in my life when my friends Steve Ash and Lewis Worden decided to buy a PS engine from Bill and pay him to tune it at the races. Through that association, I was lucky enough to be around him quite a bit. At the time, computers were pretty new and I found that he and I shared the same interest and the same hope to use them for better performance. He soon became so well-liked that it was standard procedure to bring him a box of Macanudo cigars at the races we attended. It was small payment for the treatment he gave some small time racers from Missouri. Prevously, Ash & Worden had used other famous engine suppliers. We soon found how the game worked. When our engine was almost finished, we got a message that there was a problem and it would be 5 to 6 weeks before it could be delivered. What that translated to was that the engine showed more power on the dyno than what the suppliers were using in their own car so "ours" went into their car until they could throw together some pieces to make another one. Working with Bill was 180 degrees opposite. The money you paid bought parts, and your parts were your parts. There were no favorites in his shop who got first crack at the good stuff. When A&W's engine fired up with big power (#3 at Gainesville that year) there was never a question of who was going to get the engine. We appreciated that kind honesty and integrity. The trailer time was something I'll never forget. Bill was always open to questions as long as you didn't bother him when he was deep in thought. He was absolutely honest in his answers and when I'd ask a particularly stupid question he'd smile a bit and then answer without making me feel even more naive. The evenings were special, too. Pro Stock was different back then and though we were all dead serious about being competitive we all had other jobs so a race was a time to enjoy oneself. Steve liked to eat at good restaurants and Jenkins was always invited. The conversations after a few rounds of scotch were amazing and I'll regret to my dying days that there wasn't some sort of way that I could have recorded them. Jenkins was a man who was interested - in a lot of things. His curiosity led him to the advances he invented for the sport, and as long as I was around him that fire never flickered. He taught me more about the sport than anyone else, and it was never a "lecturing" situation. If you knew to ask the right questions, you'd get some priceless answers. Along with Warren Johnson, Bill was one of the most misunderstood figures in drag racing. He had a tremendous sense of humor and after the work was done he led the pack in having fun. Yes, he'd grunt. He wasn't a particularly articulate guy to start with and sometimes the issue involved a long answer he didn't have the time or inclination to get into. But if you were around him very long, it was evident that the grunts were a language all their own - from "good job" to "that sucked" to "who cares?" I've been looking at this for a long time and keep adding things. There was so much more to the man that I could write for pages. To save all you the boredom, I'll end this now. I will truly miss him and always remember him.