Bill Beattie ... "The great thing about race tracks is the family in the paddock."
Posted on June 03 2026
How did you start racing?
Like most kids in my era I started with straight line racing on the street, though I figured out pretty quickly that was dumb. I decided a sports car that didn't make enough noise to attract the local authorities and that would be fun to drive around corners was the right thing for me, until the girl of my dreams helped me see that it was time to settle down.
What is your favorite car to race?
I'm a Mustang guy, I have been since my early 20s, in fact a Mustang was the first casualty when the "let's start a family" conversation happened. Today I drive a 2012 Shelby GT500. It's still street legal (with some slight changes, like tires...) though I rarely have time to drive it on the street today. I thoroughly enjoy catching and passing IRS cars in my old live axle Mustang!
What is your favorite track?
It's really hard to pick just one, I have several favorites for different reasons. Forced to pick just one I would say it is Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur Texas. It's the right combination of technical turns, elevation changes and high speed corners and straights.
Best track day experience?
Actually the first time I took an HPDE student for a ride to show him what I was trying to get across in his car and he said "now I get it!"
Worst track experience?
The day I spun two rod bearings on a 10 year old motor that is out of production. Thankfully I found the right partners to help me build a new (to me) short block with beefier internals and get it back on the road.
Advice for newcomers?
Be patient, smooth is fast, and driving fast in a slow car is way more fun than driving slow in a fast car.
Tell us about you?
I've always been interested in cars, and always worked on my own cars. Though I had to step away from fast cars for a while, I stayed involved in other versions of motorsports, including building and trailing Jeeps with my son. When I could get back to fast cars, I had my first experience on a road course and was hooked. Now I enjoy as many days each year as I can on race tracks and have recently started traveling to tracks out of state. As my skills improved I became an HPDE instructor and today I spend much of my time instructing newcomers. The camaraderie and family feel in a paddock is special and I really enjoy helping people become a part of our motorsports family.
Final Thoughts?
The great thing about race tracks is the family in the paddock. My mission these days is to help other people join that family. There are great tracks all over the country and great families in those paddocks. Join in, share the experience, and help others find their way to the track!
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