The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-26
Doc Williams Hopes To Realize Boyhood Dream as Auto Racer

Indianapolis, Ind, May 26-They laughed when he said he wanted to b0 6 race driver, 50 Merrill Wil- Hams decided to show 'em.
 williams is a familiar figure at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where they call him DOC" instead of Merrill, much to his gratiflca- ton. He's been racing at Indian Rpolis since 1883, and is entered for the forthcoming race on May 3oth, He has never won or even come close, but they can't stay he hasn't tried or that he Isn't a good driver, But Doc isn't satisfied, He's never Forgotten the horselaugh he got from his Schoolmatos back in Franklin, Indiana--derision that hoaped fuel on burning ambition to emulate such heroes as Ralph DePalma, Tommy Milton and Jimmy Murphy.
 From his earliest boyhood, Will Hams dreamed of piloting Q gleam- Ing, laundering car in the Speed- way "b00' which is to racing what the World Series IS to baseball While other school boys were fling Ing sp!tballs and dunklng Ermin- trude's pigtails In the inkwells, Will Hams would sit and draw pictures of racing cars In his note books, And the figure at the wheel, In his youthful fancy, was always Merrill Williams. He talked ate and dreamed racing, Ills schoolmatGs taunted him. and then and there he resolved that some day he would win the "b00'. Today that resolve is still with him ana that Is why he isn't satisfied with Just being q race driver.
 I'm going to keep driving until l win the race" he says,
 Clowns Around
 When he talks of realizing his life long ambition, 1t is one of the few t,mes that Doc Is serious. Doc Is considered something of q clown by his colleagues, and he reVels in the role. A gusty little fellow with a ready tongue and hoarse voice, he gives the boys in Gasoline Alley a lot of laughs, However, when 1t comes 10 racing, Doc forgets the joshing and palaver and gets down to business, He has scientific ap- proach to racing.
 Just as Q boxer studies motion pictures of an adversary, Doc likes to get a prevlew Of his competitors technique. In practice sessions, when cars are roaring around the track. Williams can often be found standing near the southeast turn, the most cxacting of all, noting how 7 the various drivers take the turn. He jots this data down In his cranial note book for future reference.
 T like to know just how another driver will take a turn whether he will ride high or low and just what course he will take" says Williams. ''Then I know where and how to pas shim when the chance offers. It's good to know this, not only for getting ahead in g race, but also to keep your health."
 4 couple of years ago Doc pulled one of the most ingenious promotion stunts ever seen in racing. Short of funds, he didn't have the entry fee for the race nor the where withai for tires and gasoline and crew for his car. So he button- hoied his friends and sold 800 pic- lures of his a automobile at a dollar apiece, each picture costituting a share of stock in his car and his winnings. The fact that he didn't win anything made no difference to the stock holders. The proposition had a sporting appeal and williams was smart enough to trade on that appeal.