Hall of Fame
Bill Street was a racing car legend in the Midwest. Known on the racing circuit as the "Missouri Mudslinger", he won an estimated 365 main events. Bill's impressive racing career spanned five decades.
Bill was born in Goodman, Missouri, and graduated from Granby High School in 1959. His long racing career began in 1966. His career did not start out well, as he crashed off the track in his very first race. He quickly learned the subtle nuances of the oval dirt track and began his winning ways as he won the Rookie Car Division at the Joplin oval.
Through the years he witnessed the evolution of racing as cars continued to get faster, lighter, and a lot more expensive. He recalls his first car, a $300 1955 Chevrolet. The early all-dirt race tracks he raced at were the Fairgrounds Speedway in Springfield, Missouri; 71 Speedway north of Neosho; Joplin Ozark Speedway; Beaver Lake Speedway near Rogers, Arkansas; Razorback Speedway in Fayetteville, Arkansas; Fort Smith Speedway; West Siloam Springs Speedway; Crawford County Speedway; and Monett Speedway. Bill's career impressively outlived most of the racetracks. Fort Smith Speedway is not in its original form, and the only racetrack still in existence is the Monett Speedway.
In 1982 he won 13 races in a row at Beaver Lake, which was an "unbelievable feat" according to racing aficionados. He also won track championships at Joplin Speedway, North Fork Speedway, and Monett Speedway. Bill was known as a first-class race car driver among well-respected local legends.
Bill was highly dedicated to the sport. He took two months out of the year working hard to get prepared for racing season. During racing season he would race three nights a week and then work on the car the other four nights. On top of all of this, Bill held down a 40-plus-hour-a-week job. He had the mindset of working hard all the time.
Bill's racing philosophy was quite simple: finish the race and be aware of the other cars. He said one key to success was relying on experience and a keen sixth sense. He was a master at hunting for the smallest gap to get through to pass a competitor's car.
In 2003, the Joplin 66 Speedway honored Bill for his outstanding racing career. He retired that evening, circling the track one last time. This was a very special evening to a long and successful career as they dedicated the night of racing to the "Missouri Mudslinger."
Reflecting on his career Bill will always remember how close he was to his racing family. Bill was blessed to have a dedicated and long-standing pit crew, which included his son Billy Street, Paul England, Mike England, and Daring England. In fact, he selected the number 4 for his racing car in reference to his son's age when he began racing. In the end, his most lasting gift will remain as a proud father passing down his love for racing fast cars to his beloved son.
