By Danny Rosencrans

Sunday was an excellent night of racing at Quincy Raceways, but it has become a bittersweet memory.

About 27 hours after the last checkers flew, and the last feature winner photo was taken, tragedy struck. Our track photographer, " Photo Billy ", Charles Haffer was fatally injured in a traffic crash returning from yet another racing event. Billy was from St Peters, Mo., but stayed over Sunday night in Quincy to get a jump start on a trip to Oskaloosa, Iowa for the Monday night 410 sprint car race that preceeds the Knoxville Nationals.

 Billy took pictures, and was headed back to Quincy with two friends when they apparently experienced mechanical problems with their car near Ottumwa, Iowa. They were struck from behind by a tractor trailer, and both Billy and Tony Penberty were killed, while the driver, Robert Lindsay, was hospitalized. Although this was his first season taking pictures at QR, he had quickly become a favorite among the drivers and others who knew him. Besides taking quality photos, he was very accomodating.

He always made the rounds through the pits before the races while his daughter manned the picture table. He was a " type A " person, who went out of his way to be a friend to all, a person who never knew a stranger. Billy was 44 years young. QR is planning several tributes this Sunday to honor him, and Griffin Motorsports will be selling decals with the proceeds going to the families.

 
RIP, my friend.

** FUNERAL FOR PHOTO BILLY **
Viewing Friday 5-8 PM at Hutson Funeral Home in Steelville, Mo.
Viewing Saturday 9-2 Hutson Funeral Home in Steelville, Mo.
FUNERAL 2 PM and Burial at Haffer Cemetary, 14 miles outside of Steelville.

We hope this works with some of your schedules and you are able to share a memory or two with his family as we lay him to rest in that great racetrack in the sky. God bless you all for your thoughts and prayers. It means a lot to us all.

~ Rod Haffer