Bill Jenkins

[Bill Ringer]

These were special pictures to me. It was the 1975 Fallnationals Seattle and this is how I will remember the one and only Grumpy Jenkins.
Bill Ringer

[Geerhead55]

Originally Posted by Dan Lattimore

I was in the tech line at Indy 75 US nationals waiting my turn. When the line stopped I found myself beside Bill's car. Leaning on the fender of my 4600 lb. Delta 88 I watched as an army of tech officials were pouring over his car , I think it was the Monza. He appeared completely unfazed by all this. Out of the blue he turns to me and says "Biggest damn car I've ever seen with slicks on it, will it turn em" I grinned and asked why all the fuss over his car and he told me they said they found 6 things wrong with it. I said that was a bummer and without cracking a smile he said " No I know of at least 10. First and last thing we ever said to each other. A very smart and innovative man and another hero gone.

Great story,, Dan. My condolences to the Jenkins family,,, he was truly loved and will be sorely missed. We need to appreciate our older heroes while they're still with us, so don't pass up a chance if it comes your way. Godspeed Bill,, all the way to the finish line.
Danny Durham

[Aubrey N Bruneau]

First I heard of this... MAN, time goes by, we all get older. To me, his incredible ability, innovations earn immortality here on earth. I have, and will coninue to refer to him as the master of the naturally aspirated Chevrolet engine.
RIP, MR. Jenkins.

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by TOM KASCH

WE are very sad to hear this, was hoping he would get better. Here is some of our pictures and some other scans.

I'll never forget that the day after my older sister passed back in April of '72 (I was a 13yr old kid who knew nothing about drag racing even though I loved cars, and auto racing). I went to the grocery store with my mother, and in passing the magazine rack noticed the Car Craft magazine that had a color picture of his '72 Winternationals winning Vega on the cover! That's what got me hooked on drag racing, and gave me a liking to the Chevrolet Vega, and I have Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins to thank for turning an otherwise dreadful week back then, into a passion of mine like no other...introduction to the world of drag racing! What "Da Grump" did with those cars (all of them for that matter), was something I'll always be thankful for knowing about, and cherish the memories of reading about all of the following victories he had with his Vega's later in that year and afterwards. R.I.P. Grump...

I agree with you whole heartedly Doug Blackley...Buster Couch is about to start a heavenly match race featuring Lee Shepard, Ronnie Sox, Da Grump, Dyno Don, and Dandy Dick Landy...imagine how great a match race that is!!!

Someday, I hope to find a copy of that special magazine, because I'd love to have that to remember "Da Grump" by.....

[MAURICE BLENDHEIM]

Back in the summer of 1994 I read in National Dragster The Jenkins Vega was going to be at the California Hot Rod Reunion and "The Grump" was supposed to be there too. A chance to meet a Great Legend, so a couple friends and myself decided we were going. We drove for 22 hours solid to get to Bakersfield. It was a weekend I will never forget. I met Bill and got to know a lot about him and his racing history over the weekend. We spoke about the 66 Chevy II, 68 Nova, Camaro's and Vega's he showed me all the little secrets about the Vega, the paper thin body and strut front end were the highlights. He was eager to share his history with us. Glenn Sharp had just completed the restoration of the car earlier in the year and it was beautiful. Above my fire place hangs a picture of that Grumpy's Toy Vega with me sitting inside, memories of that weekend are remembered daily. Bill's innovations and dedication to the Sport of Drag Racing will live forever...RIP Bill and Thank you. ( I also have read the Grumpy's Toys book and found it to be quite interesting)

[Dwight Southerland]

When I converted my '67 Camaro to the 396-375, the decision to change was prompted by NHRA reducing the power factor and what I knew about Jenkins' performance with that combination when the cars were new. The next year at Indy, I was reading spark plugs on my car after a time trial and Jenkins and some other guy stopped in a golf cart on the road right behind my car. Jenkins got out, walked up to where I was, looked up and down the car, and looked me squarely in the eye. Without saying a word, he leaned over the fender, then turned and looked in the car. Then he turned back to me, took the cigar out of his mouth and said, "You're running faster than I did with a lot of trick stuff. Not bad." Turned and walked off. I was so dumb-founded, I didn't say a word or get his autograph or anything. It was a "moment" that your life pivots around.

He had more influence on Stock, Super Stock and Modified racing than any one person in the history of the sport. What a tribute! Mr. Doorslammer in my opinion.

[Carguy49]

Originally Posted by Geerhead55

Great story,, Dan. My condolences to the Jenkins family,,, he was truly loved and will be sorely missed. We need to appreciate our older heroes while they're still with us, so don't pass up a chance if it comes your way. Godspeed Bill,, all the way to the finish line.
Danny Durham

Good point Danny. Yesterday I visited with Pete Kost and had him sign the photos of his Pro Stock car from the 70's. They are in the book "Pro Stock Drag Racing of the 70's Photo Archive" by Howard V. Koby. During our visit, which lasted about 2 hours, we discussed some of the greats during that era. He mentioned Jenkins, Glidden, Landy, Wally Booth and many, many more. Ever time I see him and Dino at the track it takes me back to a wonderful time in drag racing. I, sometimes, wish I was a little older to have experienced that era first hand. I am only 62, but do remember much from that time. Anyway, we will all move forward with memories from photos, books or videos of the Great Days of Drag Racing.

[Dan Bennett]

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.

[Northrop]

RIP Grump

My family got to know Bill well through the last 15 years or so. Jenkins competition built my brother Dave's Comp and Pro Stock engines. He took a liking to my brother Dave and always gave us all he had engine wise. When Grump came to the track with us I was always astonished at the amount of fan support this man had. People would pack the rope and stand there for hours and await Bill to appear from the trailer! And when he did, they would often say " HEY GRUMP”…. do you remember when, or I saw you do this, or just try to get an autograph from him. Most of the time he would just mumble “bahhhh” and go on his way! He would get on that red scooter and buzz right thru the crowd often times hitting people on the way. We laughed every time! Grump was short on words, especially if you didn't have anything intelligent to say. There was no time for small talk with Grump on race day. But on occasion when he was feeling good you could get him to talk about the past. He used to tell us some crazy stories about road side break downs and the hillbilly tracks he raced at. We tried to squeeze out of him what went on at night, but he kept those stories a secret. I used to cook him hamburgers and hot dogs and always had to make sure there was cold beers in the cooler for him. If I didn’t cook his burger perfectly burnt on the outside and dead pink on the inside, he would fire it back and let me know about it…. Bahhhhhhh its not done right, make another one kid ! So I would cook another one and try it again.

We often took my SG Vega along in the same trailer with my bros cars. One time I told Grump I had a carb stumble and asked what he thought. As he usually did to me, he didn’t say anything and just kept going about his business! I just thought to myself.. whatever you Grumpy old man! Well the next day while I am warming up my car he comes over (with stogie in mouth) leans in and grabs the throttle and zings it to about 7,000 grand ! I was cracking up. He tells me to shut it off and says “Bahhhh.. the effin pump cam is wrong!” And he stumbled off without saying another word ! That’s how he was, you just never knew what to expect.

Grump is a legend in our sport and had a huge influence on a lot of people on a lot of different things. He will be missed by all. See you another day Bill

Sincerely,

Dan Northrop and the whole Northrop clan

[Jim Cimarolli]

Enjoyed all of the 'Memories of Grumpy' posts, as long as we have those memories people never die. This has got to be one of the biggest losses ever in racing.