Big Willie, Tomiko, and the Brotherhood

Big Willie and Chris "The Golden
Greek" Karamasines from Chicago

A while back I posted a primer on the history of Black drag racing, in which I mentioned the great SoCal street racer Big Willie Robinson.  A Native of New Orleans,  LA, Willie served a stint in Vietnam with the U.S. Army Special Forces. Once back stateside in the late 60's he decided to make his home in that other LA, Los Angeles. Before long he acquired two items that who prove life changing -- a Dodge Daytona Charger and a beautiful wife named Tomiko. The three -- Willie, Tomiko and the Charger -- ruled the city's wild street racing scene in the late 1960s. They founded  the Brotherhood of Street Racers, a society of gearheads of every color, where the only race that mattered was 3 am on San Gabriel Boulevard. Willie was officially the Brotherhood's president, but was more of a benign monarch -- a regal King Daytona, holding court in his bowler crown, his  queen by his side.

After the Watts riots left the streets of South Central in flames, the LA police approached him for advice on how to quell unrest. His solution: a drag strip, because he reasoned that the best way to keep kids off the street is to put them on the asphalt. The city donated an abandoned strip of land on Terminal Island, and Brotherhood Raceway Park was established. From the 70's to the late 90's BRP welcomed a generation of home grow racers from every walk of life, with the credo  "Run What Ya Brung." An every night, Willie was stripside to keep the peace and keep kids on the right path. Mind you, "Big" is no idle adjective for Willie Robinson, an intimidating 6'6" man-mountain with arms like Dana truck axles. But Willie swayed far  more kids with his smile than his biceps.   Though BRP is currently closed, Willie is still active as president of the Brotherhood. Sadly, Tomiko passed away in 2007.

After writing that first post, I came in contact with Flickr user "bmacsac1" who has compiled a great album of vintage Big Willie images, some of which are posted below with permission. Make sure you check out the whole set.

Another find -- "Eyewitness LA" segment from 1977 featuring an interview with Big Willie.

And a poignant photo album of Tomiko's funeral last year.

Big Willie sends Tomiko to her rest. May 2007

Comments

[cratedigger]

solid.
That 70s news piece was pretty cool. Ah the days of cheap (er) gas and muscle cars.

I'll just have to make do with expensive hi test and the 'Stang.

[Mike Smith]

you can check out some great street racing and car videos here www.autopowervids.com