Charlie Williams

[Bill Johnson 42]

Sad to report Charlie Williams passed away this weekend. There was not a better human being than Charlie.

When I started racing a long time ago I had no money. Charlie would prep all my engine parts and then teach me all his tricks so I could assemble the engine myself. Not many would have taken the time to help a new racer like Charlie did. I could never repay all that Charlie did for me over the years.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Norma and 2 sons Brian and Keith an their extended families.

[Bob L.]

Truly an Icon of MW racing.....another good guy, gone.

Another who just departed was Jim Miller....HP Nat.l champ a few times...(Canfield posted his passing over on prodracing...)

Okie

[R. Pare]

Charlie was one of the nicest guys around. Built great engines, and if you had an issue with one, he would drop everything else and fix it without question, and in record time.

Bill - Give my best to Norma. Do you have a link to the funeral parlor?

[DaveW]

That makes me sad. He was one of the REALLY good guys. Back in my FF days, we shared a "Zink/Citation" tent many times during the Runoffs at Road Atlanta. He and his family were fun to be around.

We will miss him. RIP, Charlie.

[Garey Guzman]

Charlie was an amazing help to me in the short time I was a customer, before he retired. Norma was also right there helping me.

Prayers for the Willams family.

[Steve Demeter]

Truly a great loss. One of my cars had one of his engines when I got it. Was a great engine!!!!!

[E1pix]

Sad news, indeed a good guy!

[Jim Garry]

Charlie helped me out when I really needed it. He's not someone I'll forget.

[Purple Frog]

DaveW introduced me to him at one of the Topeka Runoffs. It was like meeting a legend.
One of those people you know is genuine the first time you meet.

[John LaRue]

A great guy and a great family. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Williams family.

[cliff]

I wouldn’t be racing today if it weren’t for Charlie (and Norma)
As an engine builder he was simply the best. 2x runoffs champion engine builder...1 in FF and 1 in FC. At the track he was a mentor, councilor, coach and motivator. As a person he was just a great guy. During the race season and the runoffs he was always my go to guy for everything “advice”. Last time I saw Charlie words were difficult for him but the one thing he still had was his smile.
RIP CW

[Ralph Z.]

Had one of Charlie's engines in my '98 VanDiemen.

[gear1]

Norma just called me to tell me of Charlie's passing. To me he was not just a greater-than-life personality, but a good friend and mentor. I first met Charlie (in above mentioned Zink/Citation tent) at my first runoffs in 1977. I had rebuilt my own engine, and discovered that the Big Dogs hired professionals to take care of their engines (I was 38th of 42 on the grid that year). Dave W. had invited us to be in the Zinc/Citation tent as a new guy. I did not know Charlie, who was working on Dave W's engine, so I wandered over to introduce myself. After the appropriate introduction, I asked Charlie if he would mind if I watched him work. He responded in the most gentle fashion "Yes," that indeed, he would mind if I watched. I knew immediately that I wanted him to build engines for me. His delightful candor, and obvious skill captured me. I had been running consistently about 5th in CenDiv Nationals 'till I bolted in one of Charlie's engines. It was like a switch: 5th to 1st (except when Dave W. was in the mix....). We enjoyed a delightful racing relationship with Charlie for the rest of my FF and FF2000 career. What a great person, and what a great family. He will be missed!

Craig Taylor

[DKRock]

This is indeed very sad news. While I never met Charlie in person, he built my FC engines for 20 years. Always a great person to deal with. I trusted him completely and our conversations tended to be short - he told me what needed to be done and I would tell him go ahead and do it. Truly a great human being. Thoughts and prayers to Norma and the family.

Dave Rock

[John Barthelmass]

I met Charlie when he was building engines for Tim Cooper in the early '70's, and I was just getting started in FF. When I got through my first couple of seasons and got serious about good equipment, Charlie was the engine builder I went to. He was always friendly, knowledgeable, and patient with a young kid who still though he could take on the world singlehanded. And he knew how to build some awesome engines that were powerful, reliable, and legal.

Charlie was always a class act. He built some of the best engines, for some of the best drivers, over the years. Though I lost touch with him during the ensuing years, I never forgot the times I got to spend in the presence of one of the greatest of all time.

Rest in peace, Charlie. I expect you'll be running your dyno up in heaven late into the night, looking for just a little more horsepower.

[BGG]

I actually worked for Charlie and Norma while back in collage. Truly great folks and fostered a real family in the SCCA community. They helped foster a love a racing that I have been lucky enough to enjoy ever sense. My only regret was not being able to get one his engines for my Lotus FF. He will be missed!!-BGG