[Steve Williams]

The dragster, owned by Brian Browell, was raced by Brian Browell after Cotton vacated the seat. Browell transitioned from inline power to Jenkins V-6 power and has had much success. Cotton and Jim were real gentlemen. Jim died in a highway accident in Alabama driving a motor home he purchased. I think he may have had a heart attack or medical condition. Jim owned Race Engine Design, which is still in business today. Cotton' son, Jamie, races a Late Model dirt car in the area and he has had his own success. I saw Cotton a few of years ago at the U.S. Nationals. He looked good and was in good health. His stories and accounts of the era is spot on. Cotton owns a service station in Ringgold, Ga that was destroyed by a tornado about two or three years ago. A business competitor cleared area in his place and put Cotton and his employees in his building to help Cotton and the employees out until a new place was built and service their customers. When I think of Modified Eliminator, I always have Cotton' name right near the top of my memories. I hope to see a Pocket Rocket in the future. What many people don't realize was that Cotton and Jim did this with production blocks, heads and cranks. There were no good parts available at the time and probably still aren't. To run the way they did, with what was available, is/was amazing. Every time I go past Brainerd Optimist, I think about how many times that the Pocket Rocket went there and raced or tested.