Bill Moss and Bill France.jpg

Bill Moss (left) of Moss-Thornton Company - the engineering company instrumental in the creation of Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 - stands alongside NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. (right) as partners in completing construction of the largest, steepest and fastest superspeedway in the world.

(Courtesy/Talladega Superspeedway)

Bill Moss, an engineer who helped build Talladega Superspeedway in 1969, has died.

He was 81.

William W. Moss, whose engineering and construction company, Moss-Thornton Company, assisted William H.G. France in the creation of Talladega Superspeedway, died on Jan. 15.

A memorial service will be held Jan. 28 at 2 p.m., at Canterbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham.

While racing cars as an amateur in the late 1950s, Moss, who received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Alabama, met France, the founder of NASCAR. A few years later in 1963, Moss joined the family engineering business known for building interstate highways as well as industrial, railway and navigation projects.

Moss served more than three years as a Corps of Engineers post engineer in Germany as well as 1st lieutenant in the United States Army, 1959-1962. Moss-Thornton completed the first phase of the Red Mountain Expressway, and built roads and lots for Disney World.

France had a vision to create the largest, steepest and fastest superspeedway in the world, 40 miles east of Birmingham and 90 miles west of Atlanta along Interstate 20. He enlisted the help of Moss to help design and build a smooth, 2.66-mile, 33-degree banked venue that would see 200-plus mph speeds. Using cranes to aid in keeping the equipment such as graders, pavers and bulldozers on the mammoth steeped banks, Alabama International Motor Speedway was created in just over a year. The groundbreaking was May 23, 1968.

The track that became known as Talladega Superspeedway held its first NASCAR race on Sept. 14, 1969, with Richard Brickhouse taking the checkered flag. Talladega Superspeedway is now a household name and serves as one of NASCAR's most exciting tracks, known for three- and four-car-wide racing action.

As a symbol of his contribution to Talladega Superspeedway, the Moss-Thornton Grandstand and Moss-Thornton Tower overlook Talladega's famous start-finish line which sits near the entrance of turn one.

"Bill Moss has been an integral part of Talladega Superspeedway and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame since the inception of both facilities." said Grant Lynch, Chairman of Talladega Superspeedway. "We all lost a man who poured a lot of heart and soul into both entities. All of us here at Talladega are indebted to his vision and efforts he put in here at the speedway."

Moss was also a key player in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame - another vision of France - which sits adjacent to Talladega Superspeedway. He was a commission member when ground was broken for the venue in 1981. He was vice chairman of the Hall for more than a quarter century, heading its construction committee and serving as treasurer. The Hall, which opened in 1983, is dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports.

Moss became president of the Moss-Thornton Company - now known as Moss Enterprises, Inc., in 1973. He also contributed to the design and construction of other NASCAR venues, as well as other race tracks around the world.