I am sorry I never got to meet Bill.
My condolences to every one who was close to him and his family.
Love IOW.

Dave Scott #7

R.I.p. bill

Has to be double tough to come on here, given the subject, and report this kind of bad news. Thank you Brian Hayden. I am really, genuinely, sorry for your loss. Please, please PM me if any assistance is needed. Again, peace be with all family and friends as well as Bill.

Re: bill gardner up date
 

Just to tell you how much Bill shunned attention and acclaim, a while back, before the IOW race I got a text from Bill. It was a text with a picture attached to it. Before everybody else got to see it, LPS had sent him a pic of the event tshirt. It was your typical sprinter graphic and said "Bill Gardner's IOW Racin Fest" at the top of the graphic. The message to me read:

"Guess what part of this I don't like?" As soon as I read that I answered back" "Obviously, it's that it has your name on it." Then he said "Ha. I knew you'd know." That was just Bill. Another example, look up and down the main IOW webpage or the forum page. How many times (other than this thread) do you see Bill's name? I count ZERO. Because it's never been about Bill. It's always been about the thing that Bill loves. This racing community. If he had a bigger ego, his name could have been plastered all over IOW. But it never was.

Jerry

Thank you Jerry. I just know that there are many more stories out there that are similar to this. I think, that theme should take over on this thread. 👍

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I never got the chance to be able to meet Bill. But I was however, fortunate to chat with him on here a few times and get my IOW shirt shipped to me before I left for Sprint Week. He will be missed by many. My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family during this tough time.

R.I.P. Bill, and prayers to his family.

Rip

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Sam, I don't think it is ever to early to think of doing a decal honoring Bill. Actually an earlier posters tribute to Bill made me think it would make a great decal. You know if you do get something together I will want some as we know so many other IOW members will.

Earlier today my thoughts on Bill's passing were put in another thread on IOW, then I started reading all of the post here and felt overcome with sadness for Bill's family and his IOW friends and racing family. I couldn't put my thoughts down on this thread at the time, many of my thoughts are the same as others. I never had the pleasure of meeting Bill yet felt like he was a friend. Thanked him every chance I got on here for him giving us this great website. Several have mentioned cancer sucks in there post and while sucks isn't a word I use, I have to agree with them. Twenty-two cases in my family over the years sure makes those words "cancer sucks" appropriate. Bill taught us all so much in how he faught his battle with cancer. Sadly Bill wasn't the only racer to be called home today, Bud Ward from the Central NY Dirt Racing Community was also needed for the bench racing happening up above. My thoughts, prayers and condolences are with the Gardner family and Ward family at this difficult time.




RIP Bill & Bud

Patti

So sorry to hear this. Thank you Sooo much Bill, for all you've done for this great sport we all love so much. God Speed to you. My thoughts and well wishes to your family and loved ones.

Colin Miller

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Just a little Add, I guess I was lucky to meet him and tell him appreciated his efforts in person and on the site while he was still here. To which he was humble. Actually met Shonda a year before that as she was on the main stand side and Bill was gas man, wrench and Brians Butt kicker in the pitts She is extremely nice as well and I wish her and Brian much comfort in this difficult time.

I participated in many of the ideals like the IOW awards. Donated to the site back when advertising wasn't a income stream. And bought T shirts both times they were offered. The first ones were back in 08 and were front logo only. But i got two and wore em out. One track even had a Wear IOW gear day, get in free. Now that was cool. LBURG :)

Bill was steady, Lax when things were heated but seemed to know when and how to drop the hammer on enforcement. He was also very helpful. Some of the things he helped me with were from his Hospital room this month. He didn't want the attention, but did like the friendships and people he met. It was only recently when he posted things like Unbearable pain and others posted, not looking good that I knew it was a real possibility.

Missed? Thats a word. I think Bill became part of many of us in some way, Even many that never met him. Like others have said. I've met people from probably 35 states and five countries off this site in person.

Knowing he's no longer suffering or in pain is a comfort. Knowing he never gave up, A Inspiration, Knowing We'll meet again, A point of Focus.

Thanks Bill, Think I've said all I can say, And again, Prayers to all famly and close friends.

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RIP BIll Gardner

Re: Bill Gardner!!...A Friend to ALL!!.....
 

:22:R.I.P. Bill:22:

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R.I.P Bill - Third Turn Photos

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RIP, Bill. Anyone who reads/posts on this site owes a big thank you to Bill. I'm glad I was able to talk to him a few times over the years. Now you can watch all the racing you want, whenever you want.

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I've never met or even conversed with Bill but I feel the loss all the same.

Stewart Scott recently said, "When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you lived, why you lived and in the manner in which you lived." If that is true then Bill is certainly a winner. :22:

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Our Thoughts and Prayers are with the Family and Friends. R.I.P. Bill. Lloyd & Gail

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RIP Bill. I never had the pleasure of meeting you. But, through this terrific web site, you felt like an old friend. You were such an inspiration for so many and will be missed dearly.
Ed

The lesson of the present is deep and significant. Our heads are bowed in sorrow,our hearts heavy with grief,and our own shortcomings are reawakened. Bill may you rest in peace.

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I'm really sad to read this...We all have to go someday, but Bill went way too early for any of us on this board that cared about him. But, he's in a much better place now with no more suffering.

I never got to meet him, but I appreciate his effort that he put into the best racing site of the internet.

I'm very sorry for your loss Brian and Bills family...

I'll keep you all in my prayers.:22:

Bump, wanted to move this back to the top!

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Very sad to here the news:13: Only met Bill one time and it made an impression on me that I will not forget. I was fairly new to this board and made my first trip to LPS to run a sprintcar. Being from out of state it wasn't possible to make it to Indiana often so I was excited to see what it was all about. My father and I made the trip on our own and just happened to pick a night when 48 other sprintcars had the same idea. We werent there 20 minutes, not really knowing anyone and up walks this quiet polite man who introduces himself as Bill Gardner. I think I was more excited about meeting him than what the night had to hold. I was shocked to win my heat race and make the feature and Bill made a point to come back by and congratulate both myself and my father. Talk about impressing a hardnosed oldtimer like my father. Will not forget Bill and offer our most heartfelt sympathies. God bless...

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Very sad news to hear about Bill's passing. He wasn't just a fan, he was an ambassador for the sport we love. He gave us this site to keep up on things when we couldn't be at the track, to complain (not that we do that...); and compliment. But most importantly he taught us how to live. He didn't complain about the fight he was in; he lived life to the fullest. Bill's legacy will live on through all of the people who were touched by him.

Godspeed Bill.

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Would be great to have a moment of silence for him
at Belleville Midget Nationals. Always respected his
thoughts. My thoughts and prayers with his family
in this difficult time.
Best Regards,
John

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A very unique wake were having on an appropriate site where everyone is sharing their personal thoughts and time spent with Bill.An excellent tribute to a good man.Abe

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I am very very sorry! Because of Bill I have made some of the best true friends a person could ever hope for.
RIP Bill :13::13::9:
My sincere condolences to Mrs G and entire family.

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RIP Bill. Prayers for Bill and his family. God Bless

Bill brought a lot of enjoyment to many. Allowed race fans to share and be involved. Thank You Bill.

Evetyone at.Perris Auto Speedwsy thanks Bill Gardner for all of his contributions to motorsports. Bill will be sadly missed. R.I.P. Racer.

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17714 on the counter and going up, nothing else needs to be said.

From all of us at the #66j Halfmoon spencer racing team.

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I only got to meet Bill one time in person. And for that I'm thankful. I work nights and iow has been a huge help keeping up with what is going on while I'm at work. For that I say thank you Bill. But more important to me is a story I would like to tell. Less than three weeks before the checkered fell on Bill's race on earth he was still giving. I was helping with a cancer benefit at tss. Bill was the first to offer to help. And for that I say THANK YOU. RIP BILL.

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As I read this yesterday the hair on my arms stood up as they are right now, Eyes watery. We never want to loose a loved one & know that it is inevitable. When it finally comes we still are not prepared. I never met Bill as many on IOW has said & feel I missed out.

I was at a loss for words yesterday & sometimes don't say & or write anything for fear of saying the wrong thing.

To Bill's Family & Friends I send my Condolences.

On a final note my Dad would have turned 81 today. I miss & love him.

Like many who have posted about his passing I never met Bill. Recently I started a thread asking "your favorite memory or moment from Indiana Sprint Week". Bill's response was insightful, something like all his favorite memories of ISW involved people. Those of you who knew him have been proving how true this was for him.

This sight has been the source of much enjoyment for me. A small thing but such is the stuff of life. Thanks Bill for your contributions to the racing community. Prayers of peace to the family.

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Rip

R.i.p Bill.

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Thanks for all your tireless work.
Farewell Bill, Godspeed.

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R.I.P Bill Gardner, thanks for everything you have done for this sport

Rip, Bill. You've never met me, but you have kept me up to date with everything open wheel. God bless, may you race in peace. JP

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For all the guest that visit IOW as a "Tribute to Bill Gardner" take a minute and become a member.

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Bill Gardner may have lived 42 years, but he lived more life than than most people that live to be twice that age. He battled cancer for 21 years! Half of his life. Imagine that! And no matter what this terrible disease may have been doing to him at any given time, he was always the same guy. He was funny, with a slight twisted sense of humor. He was brutally honest and was the kind of friend that you could count on to tell you what you needed to hear and not what he thought you wanted to hear. He thought of others before he thought of himself and you really had to press him to get him to talk about what he was going through. And Indiana Open Wheel is an example of how creative and brilliant he was. Even though he was too humble to ever acknowledge that. And even though he may have not met many of you here in person, he cared about you as much as those that he had met. He just always enjoyed keeping a low profile and staying behind the scenes.

It's going to be a long time before we find a guy to take Bill Gardner's place. Just a few things I thought I would share about the man now that I've had a little time to deal with the shock of him being gone.

Jerry