Name: Billy Ammons
Year / Make / Model Car: 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo
Number: 3
Class: Street Stock
Years Racing: Since 1999
Job: Plant Manager at Foley Materials
1. How did you get into racing?
BA: grew up going to the track and bought my first race car from Marty Bean for 200.00 (wrecked).
2. What would you be doing if you were not driving a race car?
BA: hunting/fishing
3. People who have inspired you the most while you have raced?
BA: mainly my dad and my crew no matter if we win or lose on a particular night they are always positive.
4. What is the biggest obstacle you are facing in your quest to succeed in racing?
BA: juggling my racing and being there for my 3 kids which is a no brainier and the reason I have set out a few years.
5. What driver are you a fan of?
BA: Sam Smith and Johnny Otto.
6. Out of all the race cars you have driven, which one was your favorite and why?
BA: my orange street stock that we won 6 races and the championship with at SAS.
7. Pick one : CD player, I pod, 8-Track or Record player, and who do you listen to?
BA: Honestly none of them, I listen to the nascar channel on Sirius.
8. What have you been doing during the off season?
BA: working a lot and getting ready to go back racing.
9. Is there any other type of race car that you’d like to drive that you haven’t yet?
BA: I would like to drive a late model (good equipment) to see how I stack up.
10. Your best and worst moment in racing?
BA: best moment hands down was running just about a whole race door to door with Sam “Shanky” Smith (my hero) and beating him by a fender. Worst was wrecking my orange car.
11. Any local legends that you admired while coming up in Short Track Racing?
BA: Dwayne Middlebrooks, Doobie Lewis and Buddy Pitts
12. What motivates you to be the best in your racing division?
BA: losing, I HATE to lose!
13. Favorite smell at the track : race gas or burning rubber?
BA: racing gas
14. What’s the funniest thing you have ever seen on the race track?
BA: I would have to say the Wood/Mayhan battle.
15. What local driver do you have the most respect for and why?
BA: Johnny Otto because no matter who you are he is always willing to help.
16. Do you have another sport you enjoy to watch or participate in?
BA: College football RTR.
17. What’s more important … racing for points or racing for the win?
BA: after winning 4 championships definitely racing for wins.
18. Your favorite track and why?
BA: I love MMS but my favorite is SAS Great family atmosphere! Hoping MMS can get back to that.
19. Which describes you best : calculating driver or kamikaze driver?
BA: Calculated driver always need to be thinking ahead.
20. Last Lap, you’re in a side by side dash for the win… who would you want to beat and why?
BA: Sam Smith because he is one of the best street stock talents around.
None of our success would be possible with out my mom and dad (G.W and Ellen Ammons) at Ammons Truck Repair, Buddy Pitts at River Region Recovery and Bill Bethea at Auto Performance Engines. My Crew Chief Lee Estes, Car Chief Bo Estes, Crew Justin Rhodes, Angie and the love and support of my family and kids Ali, Taylor and Tara.
Thanks Billy, for providing us with this information, and if anyone else would like to be featured here please contact me at ShortTrackTalk@gmail.com