Andrew Robinson Videos : Today I met with BIG WILLIE ROBINSON And The Brotherhood Of Street Racers

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Today I met with BIG WILLIE ROBINSON And The Brotherhood Of Street Racers

Today I met with 1970's Legendary Street Racer Big Willie (Willie Andrew Robinson, III). It was an honor to speak with him and just chat it up for the few minutes that we did. Very sorry for the poor camera work as I was not sure if he wanted to be on camera or not. More info on Willie: As the Sixties drew to a close, the social upheaval seen in other spheres of society influenced drag racing as well. In the wake of the 1965 Watts riots, legendary street racer Big Willie Robinson figured out a way to use drag racing to change society. An imposing, muscular 6'6" Vietnam vet with a badass Hemi Daytona Charger and trademark bowler hat, Big Willie was the undisputed king of the late '60s- '70s East LA street racing scene. In response to the growing influence of drugs and street gangs, Big Willie and his wife Tomiko organized the 'Brotherhood of Street Racers' as a way to channel the energy of South Central youth away from crime and violence -- "peace through racing," as he put it. Working with local officials and police, Big Willie was the driving force behind the building of Brotherhood Raceway Park on LA harbor's Terminal Island. Before it closed in 1995, BRP was a popular destination for young South Cental racers and is widely regarded as the birthplace of import drag racing -- the 'Fast and Furious' scene. Efforts are now underway to reopen BRP, hopefully extending Big Willie's legacy to another generation of LA gearheads of every ethnicity.

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