Billy Dunn Explains Reason For Split From Family Race Team

Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – WATERTOWN, NY – Dirt Modified racing doesn’t really have a traditional “silly season” like the NASCAR world does. So when the news broke this week that 2013 Super DIRT Week champion Billy Dunn had parted ways with his family-owned racing team, it sent the racing world buzzing as to why.

Billy and his father, Norm, had built one of the stoutest Modified teams on the Super DIRTcar Series in recent years. However, recently, they had decided to cut back their Big Block efforts while Billy continued driving for the Ladouceur family and RLM Motorsports in 358-Modified competition.

“It was just a falling out of sorts with my father,” Dunn said. “We’ve run this team together since we started racing and with all car owner (father) & drover (son) relationships, there’s always bound to be situations where you don’t see eye-to-eye.”

Even with those type of differences, they still worked through it. However, there comes a point where enough is enough.

“We were always able to get through it because, together, we both had the same goals in racing,” he said. “In recent years we’ve scaled back our Big Block racing, mostly due to the cost of running a Big Block team. It was also because I’ve been doing more weekly 358-Modified racing for other car owners. Even with not doing as much Big Block racing, both of our goals and aspirations for the team haven’t changed, but it came to a point that we just could never get on the same page as to how we were moving forward.”

So with that, the two decided to go in different directions. It was a decision that the young Watertown, NY driver found to be extremely difficult to make.

“It was the hardest decision ever,” he said. “Sitting here today, I wouldn’t change a thing about how we raced as a team. Together, we did as much with less as anyone I can think of. I take great pride in the fact our family business, Number One Speed, was on the quarter panel for all those years.”

What truly led to the split? When it comes to family relationships in racing, it can be hard. However, the Dunn family tried their best to make it work, but to no avail.

“I think most of it was the fact that both him and I wanting to do more, but we weren’t able too,” he said. “Trying to find some common ground on how to run a part-time Big Block program is difficult. I can’t speak for my father, but I’m sure he would agree with me on this point. In a weird way, I think winning Syracuse (Super DIRT Week) in 2013 kind of took the wind out of his sails as a car owner. He’d reached his goal, so why keep killing yourself for nothing?”

In 2017, The Number One Speed #49 hasn’t been to the track much, but it was competitive every time it was on the speedway. The family’s drive to succeed helped paved the way for that, even if the finishes didn’t show.

“We’ve probably ran six or seven Big Block races this year,” Billy said. “To say I’m disappointed with some of our results is an understatement. That’s mostly because our finishes don’t reflect how our car was in some races. However, choosing the right tire or that fine-tuning adjustment that’s needed to be real good are hard to do correctly when your not racing a Big Block every week.”

That’s not to mention that it’s difficult to have that nagging thought in the back of your mind that if you have a problem, it could potentially be the end of racing for while for your team.

“When your always racing with the mentality that the most important thing is to do is always bring the car and motor back in one piece, sometimes that shows in lack of performance,” he said.

So where does Billy go from here? That’s the $64,000 question. He knows he’ll continue running for the Ladouceur family on Friday nights at Mohawk International and for RLM Motorsports Saturday’s at Can-Am. But when it comes to anything else, that’s a mystery right now. Could he and his father team back up?

“That’s something I can’t really answer just yet, but probably not in the foreseeable future,” he said. “The dust hasn’t settled yet and details on things like the shop and equipment (pit cart, tools, wheels tire machines, scales, etc.) have yet to be worked out.”

What would Billy like to see happen?

“My ultimate goal would be to possibly start my own team, whether it be a Big Block or 358-Modified program,” he said. “However, that would take a lot of outside help. I’m sure, though, that if it were to happen, in some way, shape or form, my father and Number One Speed would be involved.”

Billy’s resume speaks for itself. With countless wins and championships, he is definitely a driver who can get it done (pun intended).

“As a Big Block driver, I think I’ve proven over the years that I can compete at a high level,” he said. “I honestly think in 100-lap DIRTcar Series races, I probably have more second-place finishes without a win as anyone.”

Could Billy run more races with for his 358-Modified team owners now that his schedule has freed up? Possibly, but a lot of things will have to come into focus for that to happen.

“The Ladouceur deal is just for Friday nights at Mohawk,” he said. “Joey races the car on Sunday’s at Cornwall and will run it on the tour once that kicks in. The RLM team will definitely do as much as they can do for a small team. I’m sure we will hit some of the 358-Modified Super DIRTcar Series stuff after Labor Day, but we’ll see.”

In 2016, Billy raced the RLM Motorsports #949 for every event imaginable during Super DIRT Week. However, he doesn’t see that happening again.

“Last year, we did all of DIRT Week with one car and that was too much,” he said. We ran all the races at Oswego as well as the satellite shows at Weedsport and Brewerton and it took its toll. I’d love too find something for this year, and would be very open to anything, but it’s the time of year that has kind of put me in a box trying to put something decent together. We will see what happens.”

Even in the short term, his phone has been ringing with offers, but unfortunately, the timing just won’t work for him.

“I’ve had a couple calls, but it was for stuff that would be more weekly racing,” he said. “Won’t work for me though, as I’m already committed to what I’m doing on Friday and Saturday nights. In the future, if I could find a ride or put something together myself for the Tour and one night a week, that would be ideal.”

Even though he’s searching for a ride, Billy Dunn has a picture in his mind as to what he would love to see happen.

“Honestly at this point, it’s kind of a personal goal to put my own deal together somehow and win races,” he said. “I’ve always liked working on and preparing my own cars. I’ve always thought preparing your own stuff gives the best chance of winning. In the last few years, I’ve been very fortunate to have a great group of crew guys so I hate to give that up.”

For the caliber of a driver that Billy Dunn is, it’s hard to believe he will be sitting on the sidelines for long. He’s got the resume to back up his drive, and any car owner looking to have a car run fast and run at the front needs to give this young man a call. He’s got a lot of winning left to do and there’s no doubt in my mind that we haven’t seen the last of him.