Gramma Debbie

The first Stock Car race of the season at Winnemucca Raceway on Jungo Road is Friday and Saturday nights April 28-29. 

The raceway is a beautiful facility with a 1/4 mile dirt oval track featuring four classes of race cars.  

The Pure Stock is the slowest class and meant for entry level drivers.  Hobby Stock is the most popular class, true race cars.

IMCA sanctioned Stock Car and Modified are the elite classes with all out-competition cars and expert drivers. 

One of the most interesting drivers is Debbie Webbe, a 69-year-old grandmother and great grandmother.  

Last year her husband and crew chief Butch Ekins found a derelict ‘77 Buick Pure Stock race car sitting in the weeds in Elko. 

Accepting the challenge of refurbishing the Buick to running condition, he then needed a driver.  You wouldn’t think it would be that difficult to find a young person to drive and help maintain a race car.   

Then Debbie stepped up, “Maybe I could drive?”  Well, why not?  Debbie is a part time truck driver with a Class A CDL and holds a student pilots license. 

At the Speedway she drove her rookie year in the Pure Stock class and even won one Main Event.  

Her little fans gave her track name, Gramma Debbie.

 Gramma Debbie has an emotional attachment to the Buick, named Black Betty and asked Butchie, “What would it take to make Betty a Hobby Stock?”  Butchie was on it.  

With help from Mike Scott and Brad Schmitt, Betty now has a hot 350 crate motor, competition Powerglide and Ford 9” Posi with deep gears.  

Debbie says she will go easy the first year, but once she gets a taste of that power she won’t be satisfied with other cars in front of her.

See you at the races.