Bill Osborne (November 24, 1946 - ) is a former NASCAR driver from Rialto, CA. He competed in thirteen Sprint Cup Series events in his career.
Osborne's debut came in 1971, when he competed at Ontario. It was a largely unsuccessful debut for Osborne, blowing an engine early in the race to finish 46th. He fared little better at Riverside after blowing another engine, finishing 26th.
Osborne's next start was a solo appearance during the 1972 season, when he competed at Ontario once again. Starting 50th in the field of fifty-one, Osborne practically faced a repeat of his earlier run at the track due to an A-Frame, finishing 46th.
Osborne stepped it back up to a two-race schedule during the 1974 season, starting his year off this time at Riverside. Starting 31st in the field of thirty-five, Osborne again lost an engine at the road course and finished 26th. He also tried unsucessfully to improve his Ontario luck, finishing 28th due to transmission woes.
Osborne then made a move during the 1975 season, electing to compete solely in the Riverside events. He ran very well in the January event, starting 11th and running near the front before an engine issue left him 16th. Engine issues hampered him yet again in the June race, though this time the problem left him a much worse 26th.
Osborne didn't return to the sport until 1977, when he competed at Ontario. This time, Osborne finally found some magic. Not only did Osborne complete all but twelve laps in the race to finish 23rd, but it was the first ever race that Osborne was running at the finish.
Osborne again took another hiatus from the Cup Series, returning to the series in early 1980. Not surprisingly, the local Osborne entered the Riverside race. There he faced a rear end issue and finished last (37th). However, in a surprising twist Osborne traveled East to make his first ever start at Rockingham a few weeks later. It was another tough race, though, finishing 35th after a crash.
Osborne's next appearance came in 1985, when he secured a ride for both Riverside races. This time, Osborne found a little consistency. He was running at the finish of both events to earn a 21st place in the June race and a 24th in the November event.
Osborne's last race came in 1986, when he competed at Riverside yet again. Starting last (42nd) in the field, Osborne only improved to 35th before his engine let go. It was a synopsis of a tough Cup career.
Perhaps best known in the So Cal Racing Industry for being the guy who built Big Red Two for the Gottliebs after Big Red One crashed in the La Carerra Race. A frequent partner with So Cal racing engine guru Larry Mollicone. bigredcamaro.com