Born Nov 7, 1938 in Murphysboro, Illinois and grew up on a farm with his father, Horace Clifton, his mother, Irene, his older sister, Barbara, and younger brother, Art.
Bill's mother was the school teacher at the one room school house they attended. He milked cows with his father twice a day until they could afford a milking machine. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. They didn't have a TV, so he watched at the neighbor's house. He graduated from high school in 1956 and was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of Illinois.
After starting college, he decided to join the Marine Corps on July 18, 1956. He was at Twentynine Palms, CA when his service ended on July 17, 1958.
After the Marine Corps, Bill went to Illinois briefly before moving to California permanently. He worked at a service station as a mechanic where he and a coworker built a stockcar, and he convinced the station owner that he could race it. After winning a couple of his first races, he was approached by a racing team to drive for them. He raced Dragsters, Stockcars, Midgets, and Sprint Cars. At one time, he was ranked in the top 10 in SCRA. In 1963, he was awarded the Claimers ECSC Racing Assn Trophy for 5th Driver. During this time, he married Patricia Wedding, who was a trophy girl that had been following his racing. In 1966, he won most improved driver of the year, but later that year he had a racing accident in a Midget Car at Ascot Raceway Park in Gardena, CA. He was in a coma for almost 3 months and had to learn to walk, talk and eat all over again. During his rehab, he built a Sprint Car from the ground up with the intentions of going back to racing, but realized his dreams of racing were over.
Bill's mother was the school teacher at the one room school house they attended. He milked cows with his father twice a day until they could afford a milking machine. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. They didn't have a TV, so he watched at the neighbor's house. He graduated from high school in 1956 and was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of Illinois.
After starting college, he decided to join the Marine Corps on July 18, 1956. He was at Twentynine Palms, CA when his service ended on July 17, 1958.
After the Marine Corps, Bill went to Illinois briefly before moving to California permanently. He worked at a service station as a mechanic where he and a coworker built a stockcar, and he convinced the station owner that he could race it. After winning a couple of his first races, he was approached by a racing team to drive for them. He raced Dragsters, Stockcars, Midgets, and Sprint Cars. At one time, he was ranked in the top 10 in SCRA. In 1963, he was awarded the Claimers ECSC Racing Assn Trophy for 5th Driver. During this time, he married Patricia Wedding, who was a trophy girl that had been following his racing. In 1966, he won most improved driver of the year, but later that year he had a racing accident in a Midget Car at Ascot Raceway Park in Gardena, CA. He was in a coma for almost 3 months and had to learn to walk, talk and eat all over again. During his rehab, he built a Sprint Car from the ground up with the intentions of going back to racing, but realized his dreams of racing were over.
Born Nov 7, 1938 in Murphysboro, Illinois and grew up on a farm with his father, Horace Clifton, his mother, Irene, his older sister, Barbara, and younger brother, Art.
Bill's mother was the school teacher at the one room school house they attended. He milked cows with his father twice a day until they could afford a milking machine. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. They didn't have a TV, so he watched at the neighbor's house. He graduated from high school in 1956 and was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of Illinois.
After starting college, he decided to join the Marine Corps on July 18, 1956. He was at Twentynine Palms, CA when his service ended on July 17, 1958.
After the Marine Corps, Bill went to Illinois briefly before moving to California permanently. He worked at a service station as a mechanic where he and a coworker built a stockcar, and he convinced the station owner that he could race it. After winning a couple of his first races, he was approached by a racing team to drive for them. He raced Dragsters, Stockcars, Midgets, and Sprint Cars. At one time, he was ranked in the top 10 in SCRA. In 1963, he was awarded the Claimers ECSC Racing Assn Trophy for 5th Driver. During this time, he married Patricia Wedding, who was a trophy girl that had been following his racing. In 1966, he won most improved driver of the year, but later that year he had a racing accident in a Midget Car at Ascot Raceway Park in Gardena, CA. He was in a coma for almost 3 months and had to learn to walk, talk and eat all over again. During his rehab, he built a Sprint Car from the ground up with the intentions of going back to racing, but realized his dreams of racing were over.
Bill's mother was the school teacher at the one room school house they attended. He milked cows with his father twice a day until they could afford a milking machine. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. They didn't have a TV, so he watched at the neighbor's house. He graduated from high school in 1956 and was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of Illinois.
After starting college, he decided to join the Marine Corps on July 18, 1956. He was at Twentynine Palms, CA when his service ended on July 17, 1958.
After the Marine Corps, Bill went to Illinois briefly before moving to California permanently. He worked at a service station as a mechanic where he and a coworker built a stockcar, and he convinced the station owner that he could race it. After winning a couple of his first races, he was approached by a racing team to drive for them. He raced Dragsters, Stockcars, Midgets, and Sprint Cars. At one time, he was ranked in the top 10 in SCRA. In 1963, he was awarded the Claimers ECSC Racing Assn Trophy for 5th Driver. During this time, he married Patricia Wedding, who was a trophy girl that had been following his racing. In 1966, he won most improved driver of the year, but later that year he had a racing accident in a Midget Car at Ascot Raceway Park in Gardena, CA. He was in a coma for almost 3 months and had to learn to walk, talk and eat all over again. During his rehab, he built a Sprint Car from the ground up with the intentions of going back to racing, but realized his dreams of racing were over.
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