William E. Dingman, known as “Billy” to all who knew him, of Winter Park, Florida, peacefully passed away on October 2, 2024, at the age of 78. Born on October 30, 1945, in Norwood, Massachusetts, he spent his early years in Sharon, Massachusetts, where he learned to work on cars at his father’s gas station. In 1959, his family moved to Orlando, Florida. At the age of 14, Billy got his first motorcycle and worked as a mechanic while attending high school, later graduating from Evans High School. Around this time, he also began racing in the SCCA series. He attended Orlando Junior College.
Billy’s passion for cars led him to a position at a dealership as a service writer, and soon after, he joined Contemporary Cars as a salesman. Before long, he became the youngest Sales Manager in the U.S. for Mercedes-Benz. In 1972, while still racing, he won the Mid-Ohio Camel Trophy Race (IMSA). The Dingman Brothers Racing Team, with sponsorship from Valvoline, found success in numerous races, including the Daytona 24-Hour Race and Sebring. Notably, they won the Budweiser Grand Prix of Miami in 1984 and 1987. Billy’s racing career also extended to NASCAR from 1987 to 1991, and later to pro stock racing, where he became the National Champion in ADRL in 2006 and 2009.
— Orlando Sentinel —