Photo: Wilbur Shaw, Jr. beside the Boyle Maserati and the Boyle Racing headquarters truck on the frontstretch at IMS. From Gentlemen, Start Your Engines The Rest of the Story by Bob Gates and Wilbur Shaw, Jr.
Three months ago, Merle Bettenhausen died, bringing an end to one of the most storied racing families. I wrote at the time how much his passing hurt. That pain hit even harder as I learned that Bill Shaw, son of Wilbur Shaw, died this past Monday at the age of 80, closing another chapter of the Speedway’s glory days.
The son of the three-time winner chose his own path, His father strongly discouraged him from racing. He moved to Arizona, where he cultivated his love of horses and rodeo.
A chance meeting with Chan Kibbee, the CEO of Phillip Morris, who arrived in Arizona in an AC Bristol, turned Bill’s thoughts to racing. He chose to pursue road racing instead of a path that would lead to the Indianapolis 500.
Another chance meeting, this one with race driver Bob Bondurant, changed the course of bill’s life. In 1966, Bondurant was severely injured in a crash at Watkins Glen. Although he recovered, his racing career was over. Bondurant opened a high-performance driving school in 1968.
Bill met Bondurant at the Speedway while Bondurant was an adviser on the movie Winning. and he convinced the younger Shaw to attend his school. Bill did very well at the school, then returned home and worked at Stokely-Van Camp.
Bondurant called Bill later that year. he remembered how well Shaw di at the school, and he asked him to become an instructor.
Shaw went on to race at what is now the Rolex 24 at Daytona. His best finish was fifth overall in 1973, driving a Ferrari for Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team.
Bill worked in real estate,and became an evasive driving instructor for the Secret Service. The program was defunded in 1977.
In 2018 Bill collaborated with author Bob Gates to write an addendum to Wilbur’ Shaw’s autobiography, Gentlemen, Start Your Engines. The biography adds The Rest of the Story to the title. The first part is the original, which I read at least three times in seventh and eighth grade. Of course, I had to read it again so the addition would make sense.
In the second part, Bill recalls life as the son of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He is a passenger in the pace car for the 500 in the early 1950s.
There is a poignant passage about the night of October 30, 1954, when eight-year-old Bill answers the phone to learn that his father has been injured in a plane crash. he hands the phone to his mother, who is informed of the fatal result.
Wilbur had told his son to “Run your own race,” and Bill, Jr. certainly followed his dad’s advice.
Racing and Indianapolis Motor Speedway now is left with the legacies of drivers from the post Shaw era. The modern era has new stories to tell. Thankfully we still have some Unsers and Foyts around. I hope that they outlive me.
From May
Book Reviews
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 
Excellent write-up and tribute for the son of one of the three most important people in the history of The Speedway. I realize Father Time waits for no one, but it’s tough seeing the offspring of legends leave this earth. It’s a grim reminder of our own mortality. Thanks for writing this, Mike!
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Thanks fir the kind words, George. This hits especially hard since I met him a few years ago. Your points are spot on.
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