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Becky White's Acceptance Speech
By Becky White
When I walked to the podium and set my crutches down, I said “Thank you to the committee but most of all, I thank God I can stand here because less than four months ago I was completely paralyzed! This is the speech:
Imagine my surprise when I got this call in September, but all they told me was I had been selected for an award…they didn’t even know what the name of the award was going to be! There ARE some people I have to thank. Without them, Quick Times Racing News would NEVER have been a reality. The first and most important is Jeff Byrd…I wrote this before I knew the award would be in Jeff’s name. Without Jeff’s guidance, his advice, the things he taught me, his help and most importantly…his friendship, I would NEVER have made it. He never failed to answer a question, do a favor, share his knowledge, boost me up when I was in the depths of despair and he was ALWAYS my friend!
To me, the best two men we have been lucky enough to ever have in drag racing are Jeff Byrd and Bill Bader. Jeff, I thank you most of all…for EVERYTHING, but most importantly, thanks for your legacy…it will NEVER be surpassed! If the rest of us would try to be more like Jeff Byrd, the whole world and, especially the world of drag racing, would definitely be a better place.
Next, I have to thank Jerry Joyce and Norman Drouillard of Farmington Dragway…without them, there wouldn’t have even been a place to start. Barry Jenkins…who helped start the paper and actually named it. I don’t know how many of you remember Woody Hatten of Super Stock & DI magazine and Dave Wallace of Drag Racing magazine, but they both helped me a LOT. Frank and Debbie Teague, Frank for keeping my old Mopars running and both for taking care of my girls many weekends I was out of town. Dick Moroso…a MOST unusual man…another of those VERY exceptional men drag racing was VERY lucky to have. Had it not been for him, this sport would be short many of his innovations and developments. We became good friends and were even closer when we shared the deaths of our children, both at the age of 22 and that brought us even closer together. Thanks, Dick.
Marshall Oldham has been my mentor, my friend and supporter for many, MANY years. We still solve all the problems of drag racing every chance we get! Warren and Arlene Johnson for their support in MANY ways over these many years along with Ronnie Sox, Harold Denton and even Don Carlton…the kind of man he was made me want to be the kind of person I am.
Most importantly, thanks to my family…even Teresa. She was actually going to the printer to pick up the October, 1985 issue of Quick Times when she was in the accident which took her life. Without their help and support, I absolutely could NOT have done this. Thanks to Mendy and Candace who both worked for me and especially Mendy who took care of the home front when I was gone. They went racing with me and supported me for many, many years.
There are people in this world whose foresight rises above all obstacles, they just know there is a greater good with some things when other people just cannot see that good. Thank God I was lucky enough to have a few people in my life like those I’ve mentioned here who supported ALL my efforts. There WERE a lot MORE people than these who really made this publication a success and I could not have done it without every single one of them. Thanks to every subscriber, everyone who ever ran an ad, people who let me stay with them when I was out of town, fed me when I didn’t have enough money for a meal, paid for my gas when I couldn’t have even gotten home without it and said a prayer for my well being. Thanks to all the writers, contributors and photographers who sent stories, race results and photos and never got any pay…just their name in print. I am really afraid I’ve left out someone important, but I hope not.
I feel SO honored to be the first person to receive The Jeff Byrd Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award and I cannot begin to tell you how I feel. Thanks to everyone….and thanks again, Jeff!
Becky White
http://quicktimesracingnews.blogspot.com/
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