Central Arizona Raceway
In Arizona, Moyer trades steering wheel for a mic
By Kyle McFadden
DirtonDirt staff reporter
Billy Moyer (Tyler Rinken photo)
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Jan. 16) — Billy Moyer admittedly isn’t among the most social in the Dirt Late Model pit area. The Hall of Famer has always been predominately engrossed with all things concerning his race car, toying and tinkering with whatever he can get his hands on, which keeps him occupied through on-track action on most race days. | Complete WWS coverage
At this weekend’s Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout, the 68-year-old of Batesville, Ark., is putting himself in front of the camera, trading his steering wheel and wrenching ability for a headset and microphone during this weekend’s miniseries.
When event promotor Chris Kearns gauged Moyer’s interest about possibly joining the FloRacing announcing team to join Dustin Jarrett, Ben Shelton and Trenton Barry with color commentary, the six-time World 100 winner didn’t balk.
“I think it’ll be kinda natural for me,” Moyer said. “Everyone says I don’t talk much. In racing, I don’t talk much, I keep to myself. I’m not very far from this car most time in the pits, I’m usually working and thinking and trying to make the car go better. But when people ask me questions or want me to talk, I think I can do it OK.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be fun for me, really. Hopefully they don’t all boo me. Hopefully I can have some fun and do it some more.”
Moyer’s had his announcing debut lined up for a few weeks now. The plan had always been for the longtime driver to compete in the opening two miniseries events Saturday and Sunday aboard the Tim Lance-owned No. 48, the Brimfield, Ill., driver he’s raced for in years past.
With Tim and Brandon Lance finishing out the final four races of the miniseries, the 15-time special event winner the Southwest didn’t have much holding him back from the opportunity to try his hand as a color commentator outside lending a helping hand to the Lance operation.
“Maybe you should take a brush and look at yourself in the mirror and practice talking,” Moyer recalled his partner, Carla Rayburn, suggesting to him before making the trip to Casa Grande.
Turns out, Moyer didn’t feel the need to practice.
“Nah, I think I’m just gonna wing it and everything’s gonna be OK,” said Moyer, recalling his response to Carla’s lighthearted pointers.
“Hopefully the fans like it and I can do this some more,” added Moyer, who made his announcing debut in compelling fashion Wednesday, sprinkling in his expertise and providing real-time insight alongside Jarrett and Shelton in the booth.
For someone who had no color-commentating experience, much less any given any thought toward the announcing craft before this week’s offer to try his hand at it, Moyer is embracing the opportunity rather confidently.
“The fans will like it, I think. I got a lot of experience to add on, every aspect of racing,” Moyer said. “Not this stuff that I’m doing I don’t have a lot of experience at, but if they ask me any questions about racetracks and race cars, I can pretty much answer the questions, you know. I think it’ll be fun. At my age, enough’s enough one of these days, you know
“I’m getting close (to retiring). I can still do it, but I don’t come out to run 10th or 12th or whatever. I like being up in the front, and that’s getting harder to do every year.”
Although he qualified for both features last Saturday and Sunday, Moyer wasn’t competitive in finishing 21st and 23rd. This year brings more change for one of the most decorated drivers to grace Dirt Late Model racing as Keith Lawson no longer serves as his car owner. Lawson will, however, remain part of Moyer’s racing pursuits in whatever form that takes this season.
So, Moyer, who bought one car and one engine off Lawson over the winter, is back to footing the bills and fielding his equipment. Tim Lance, meanwhile, will provide Moyer transportation services via truck and trailer.
“I somewhat own the team,” Moyer said. “I’m paying the bills again, but I have a lot of help and Keith’s helping me a lot, and Tim's helping me a lot, and Karl Chevrolet will be back on there, my uncle and cousin up in Iowa. They’ve always been there for me.”
Last year had been a revitalization of sorts for Moyer, who won two Comp Cams Super Dirt Series raced en route to the tour title and captured the 101st DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory of his career. This season, Moyer doesn’t seem interested in running a 40-plus race schedule and following any sort of tour
“I don't see racing that much again,” he said. “We got the one car on the one engine, and so I got to kind of race smart and keep that in mind to where I don't have another spare car or motor to go to if something happens. So, you know, if something drastic would happen in the beginning of the year, motorwise or something, I don't know. I'd probably be shut down in a hurry unless I could come up with some other engine deal.
“But I think I'm confident the engine would be good, it's a Clements, and they do a great job of course. I’m happy with Longhorn Chassis, all that should be good. We’ve got Penske Racing Shocks, too. They’ve all been great. They’re all great supporters of mine."
Moyer’s on the search for another crewman, too, that’d be under the lead of his longtime Hall of Fame crew chief more than 30 years, Steve Norris.
“I got to find one more helper, I think, with Steve to help me,” Moyer said. “Steve is a little younger than me, but we're both the old guys out there. By the time we get the racetrack and unload everything, we're already taking a nap.”
Moyer has flirted, and even announced, impending retirement from racing too many times to count. Somehow, someway, a ride opportunity has always popped up that proved too enticing for him to pass up. After all, he can still compete at a high level. But this time, Moyer is thinking about life after driving more than ever.
That’s partly why he’s trying his hand as a color commentator at this weekend’s Wild West Shootout. He’s also more guarded with his health following an October 2024 heart attack. All things considered, Moyer says he’s doing well, but the health scare has made him more mindful about not taking on too much and, for once, considering the idea of scaling his racing back.
“I want to go one more year, that’s what I’m telling everybody,” Moyer said. “They say, ‘Well, you’ve done that before.’ I think I’m pretty serious this time. Just trying to make it to the end of the year, if I can make it to the end of the year. We’re trying to put some sponsorship together. If we’re in June and I’m out of money, then we’re probably in trouble. But if I can generate enough income to keep everything rolling along, hopefully I can do that, keep having fun and rolling on.
“I don’t have to make a ton of money myself. I just want to be able to bring enough income in to pay my health and light bill and buy tires. If we do that, I’ll be happy.”
