2-TIME USAC MIDGET WINNER DEAN BILLINGS PASSES
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana (July 11, 2024)………Dean Billings, a two-time USAC National Midget feature winner during the decade of the 1980s, passed away on Wednesday morning, July 10. He was 68 years old.
Hailing from Greenfield, Wisconsin, Billings, born on October 8, 1955, made starts in all three national divisions during his USAC career in Silver Crown, Sprint Cars and Midgets between 1982-1998.
Overall, he made 89 USAC National Midget starts, winning twice, first at Nebraska’s Eagle Raceway in 1988 and again at Illinois’ Santa Fe Speedway in 1989.
Dean captured the 1986 Wilmot (Wis.) Raceway midget track championship and a pair of Dairyland Midget Series championships in 1986 and 1987 before moving on to USAC where he finished a best of 7th in the 1988 standings after making a career high 23 starts during the season.
Known for being a class act in his racing days, Dean was there to lend a helping hand to many racers in his day. Outside of the racetrack, he was the owner of Quick Change Specialists alongside his brother, fellow racer Dick Billings.
In July of 1999, Dean’s life was altered in a Badger Midget Racing Association accident at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin’s Angell Park Speedway that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. The accident left him non-verbal, although he was able to communicate with a nod or thumbs up.
USAC extends its deepest condolences to Dean’s family & many friends in the racing community.
