As I'm sure you're all aware our dear friend Billy Payne passed away Tuesday June 22, 2010. I got the news via text message Tuesday afternoon, which was followed by me opening utahhondas.net and sure enough there had already been a thread created for Billy. I dropped my phone and collapsed to the floor, I was hit with the loss like someone threw a cinder block at my stomach. I was supposed to work that afternoon, but I took the day off, there was no way I could focus, on anything. I headed to Supremacy to check on Frank, Kel and the rest of the SR family, when I arrived you could feel it in the air, the loss was taking it's toll on everyone. We were all calm, and quiet as 5:30 rolled around, we placed an open Corona by Billys' welding equipment and told him "you're late." No one wanted to believe that he was gone.
I have countless memories of Billy, even though I only knew him a few years, he was always nice, and always smiling. One of the most humble guys I had ever met! I remember at the meet that was a little bit after he got his motor first tuned and made over 200whp on his B-Series, he just pulled up and parked, it was I who had to walk over and make him pop his hood to show it off, I had to announce the arrival of the "K-KILLER" he had in his bay, he just smiled and started laughing. Then as the crowd formed he politely answered everyones questions. Another one of my memories of Billy was at the 8 year Anniversary meet at Supremacy at the end of April, I pulled in and parked and walked away. Shortly after I heard Billy yelling "Slut, Yo, Slut!" So I asked "What Billy?" and he said "I'm moving my car down by the door, grab your car and park next to mine." No one knew but I felt honored to park next to Bad Ass Billy, and I was excited because I knew, parked next to his car I would also get a lot more attention hahaha.
Thank you Billy, for being a friend, to not just myself but to everyone you met! Billy was the most helpful person I had met, the nicest guy, and one of the best examples I had. One of my inspirations, not only in the car world and him inspiring to "step my game up" but also as a father, so when the time comes that I am a dad, Billy has given me a great example to add to my list of them.
I love and miss you Billy Payne, you will be remembered FOREVER.
