Five-Time NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Champ Bill Reichert Passes

Bill Reichert, one of the most decorated drivers in the history of NHRA sportsman drag racing, died Sunday at the age of 71.

Reichert, from Owosso, Michigan, won five Top Alcohol Dragster world championships, 28 national events, and 54 divisional/regional events over his 22-year career in the category.

Bill Reichert Nhra top alcohol

Reichert grew up the son of a small-engine repair shop owner. Along with his brother Jim, he raced crudely-built go-karts using lawn mower engines as a youngster. At the age of 16, Bill took his 1964 Pontiac GTO to the local dragstrip to race in the C/Modified Production class and promptly began collecting trophies. Throughout the 1970’s, he continued racing his GTO, then a 1965 Chevelle SS, and finally in a 1969 Camaro.

Reichert started his own engine building repair business, Reichert Racing Engines, in 1984. Incorporated in 1990, the company included Bill and four-full-time employees, including his son Andy who also served as his father’s crew chief. With the business flourishing, Bill returned to drag racing with serious aspirations, in the Top Alcohol Dragster division.

Bill Reichert Nhra top alcohol dragster

In his rookie season, Bill entered 14 races and collected a win and two runner-up finishes, one semi-final appearance and six other quarter-final appearances, on his way to a 20th place finish  in the national points standings. In 1994, he won four divisional races and the Division 3 Top Alcohol Dragster championship, and earned his first national event crown in 1995.

As Reichert was quoted during his 2002 induction into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame, “I always want to be the best I can be at something. We’ll stay right here while we work towards winning the Federal-Mogul championship in this class. I think the Federal-Mogul Series has shown it is a very viable format for marketing products and reaching millions of consumers. I love what we’re doing and I want to do it to the best of our abilities. After paying our dues for several years I feel that we are in a position to truly challenge for a world championship.”

Photo courtesy Stanley Zigmont

 

That championship did come, in 2006. It was followed by three more consecutively, and a fifth in 2011. He retired from active driving following the 2014 season.

Bill is survived by his wife Gloria and his two children, Andy and Ashley.

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Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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