Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Internet-fueled rumors of the death of former racer and current race starter Al Wilcox are untrue.

“I’m feeling great,” said Wilcox when he called Roadracingworld.com this afternoon, returning a phone message left at his home in Trenton, New Jersey. “I turned 86 last week and I can’t wait for it (racing) to start again.”

Wilcox said he plans to again serve as the starter for WERA events at Summit Point Raceway in 2005.

“I’m down to Summit Point only now,” said Wilcox, explaining that since his wife, Julia, died in 1999, he hasn’t wanted to travel too far in his motorhome by himself. “Traveling by myself started to get to me a little bit.”

Wilcox mentioned in his phone call that he handled the green flag and checkered flag for the first, 50th and 100th WERA National Endurance Series race wins by Team Hammer, which also raced as Team Suzuki Endurance and Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki between 1981 and 1997 and left the series with 127 overall race wins and 13 National Endurance Championship titles.