Starter Bill Mitchell - Racing Giant

Bill Mitchell was known as the "Two Ton Starter" for nearly 30 years in the Midwest.  At Detroit's Motor City Speedway and a host of other tracks, he was the man in charge. He always made sure that the "show" ran on time and that drivers obeyed his instructions. He was big and tough. Nobody fooled with him.  Yet, there was another side to Big Bill that those who knew him loved. As far back as I could remember, he was my "Uncle Bill".   After the races and on weekends, members of the racing fraternity partied together.  Many nights when I was three or four, I recall going to "Uncle Bill and Aunt Betty's" house with my parents.  It was somewhere in the city of Detroit. All the coats were piled on the bed in the front bedroom near the street. I was snuggled among them as the party went on into the night, while the music of Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and the other artists of the day provided my lullaby.  This man was always very kind to me. He died when I was eight and I always wished I knew more about him . Read on to find out more about this very interesting man.  (Photo by Al Blixt, Sr. probably at Toledo, Ohio ca. 1940)