INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (May 30) — Around Christmastime last year, Billy Moyer’s phone rang. The legendary Batesville, Ark. driver with 847 wins and a packed trophy room picked up the phone and heard the voice of Illinois driver Tim Lance, who asked the Hall of Famer if he’d like to pilot Lance’s Late Model for June's Eldora Million.

The 64-year-old Moyer found the call intriguing. He knew Lance, a former NFL player for the Chicago Bears, for many years. Moyer said Lance is a “likable guy,” but hitting the high banks of Eldora Speedway without preparing ahead of time was a nonstarter for the veteran. 

“I can’t just sit here on the couch for a year and go to Eldora and outrun those guys,” Moyer said. “That ain’t going to happen. I’m smarter than that, I think.”

Lance called the right man. Moyer’s record at the high-banked, half-mile oval is virtually unmatched. He's the only driver to win the World 100 six times and also holds a pair of Dream victories, along with a smattering of other victories.

After a lengthy transition into retirement, Moyer sold his equipment after the 2021 season. Any racing he'd do in 2022 would be for another team. Moyer called back Lance and suggested a few races to prepare. And that's how Moyer ended up competing at a pair of Memorial Day weekend events in Indiana behind the wheel of Lance's No. 48.

Moyer's first race in Lance's car same Saturday at Brownstown Speedway, where he started in the rear of the feature lineup and surged to eighth despite engine issues.

“It was fun, just learning the car a little bit,” Moyer said. “We learned some things. I got great guys helping me. (Hall of Famer) Steve (Norris) came back, my crew guy. I couldn’t do it without those guys for sure. We’re just making baby steps. Tim wants to go and race wherever I want to race.”

After competing at Brownstown, the team traveled north to Indianapolis for Sunday's C.J. Rayburn Stronger Than Dirt Classic at Circle City Raceway, the opener on the Ultimate Heart of America tour. Moyer, who finished eighth in last season's World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series event at the track, was second fastest in qualifying with a 12.737, right behind Ricky Thornton Jr. of Martinsville, Ind., who lowered the track record to 12.724 seconds. Moyer ended up 16th in the feature.

“We’ll just kind of take baby steps, like I said,” Moyer said. “This is a Longhorn car that I’m not real familiar with that I’ve had some help trying to get ready to go, so we’re just going to take baby steps, like I said. If we run well here and we’re having fun, we’ll go from there.”

Norris said that although the team is “kind of out of our element” with racing someone else’s equipment, he's confident that his driver will be the best.

“Whichever car he’s in he’s going to get it figured out,” Morris said. “We just have to keep up with him whatever the wants done, stay on top of the tire game, and just try to stay on top of the whole situation. We’re proud for Tim Lance to support us and take care of us on this deal. He hands down just gave us everything he had. Shoutout should go to Tim because he’s put out a lot to make this happen.”

Moyer said he spent many years buying his own equipment, and said it was a welcome change to not have to be his own boss. Moyer said Lance’s instructions were simple: “Get what you think we need and don’t spend stupid money, but if you think we need it, get it.”

“He’s been great to me on this little short stint so far,” Moyer said of Lance. “I’ve never had anything like that my whole career. To have a guy who can go down and buy a dozen sets of tires and write the check is pretty cool.” 

Eldora looms large and opportunities to get a feel for Lance’s machine are limited. Ahead of next week’s million-dollar event, Moyer said to run Friday's WoO event at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill. Norris has unwavering confidence in Moyer’s abilities.

“A race car is a race car,” Norris said. “Billy Moyer can drive a wheelbarrow.”