Episode 6: As the drug trade and gang violence of the 1980s engulf South Los Angeles, Big Willie Robinson finds himself without a racetrack and sees his influence waning. But after the city burns again, he seizes a chance to start anew. Learn more about the story, sign up for new episode alerts and go behind the scenes at <a href="https://www.latimes.com/projects/larger-than-life-podcast/" target="_blank">latimes.com/LTL</a>

Episode 6: As the drug trade and gang violence of the 1980s engulf South Los Angeles, Big Willie Robinson finds himself without a racetrack and sees his influence waning. But after the city burns again, he seizes a chance to start anew. Learn more about the story, sign up for new episode alerts and go behind the scenes at latimes.com/LTL

Episode 6: As the drug trade and gang violence of the 1980s engulf South Los Angeles, Big Willie Robinson finds himself without a racetrack and sees his influence waning. But after the city burns again, he seizes a chance to start anew. Learn more about the story, sign up for new episode alerts and go behind the scenes at <a href="https://www.latimes.com/projects/larger-than-life-podcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer">latimes.com/LTL</a>

Shut Down | 6

In 1960s Los Angeles, after the catastrophic Watts riots, an outsized character emerged — one who found an unexpected way to unite people across race and class. Odds are you’ve never heard of him. From L.A. Times Studios, the team behind “Dirty John” and “Man in the Window,” comes “Larger Than Life,” a docu-series about Big Willie Robinson, a 6-foot-6, muscle-bound street racer who preached peace a quarter-mile at a time. Cops and criminals, movie stars and miscreants, even Crips and Bloods — out at the drag strip, Big Willie could get them all to see eye to eye, easing tensions and making L.A. a safer and more unified place. For a time, he was a celebrated figure in L.A. — but today his legend has faded. What caused him to fall into obscurity? Reported, written and hosted by Daniel Miller from the L.A. Times. Produced by L.A. Times Studios and Neon Hum Media.

Share Shut Down | 6

Sign up to save your podcasts

Shut Down | 6

Shut Down | 6

More shows like Larger Than Life

Criminal

Generation Why: True Crime

The Smoking Tire

Reveal

The Vanished Podcast

This Is Actually Happening

Good Life Project

The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories

Spike's Car Radio

Crimes of the Times

DISGRACELAND

Slow Burn

American History Tellers

Business Wars

Dr. Death

American Scandal

Dateline NBC

Man In The Window: The Golden State Killer

Deep Cover

Against The Odds

Gone South

Bone Valley

Street Alpha Podcast

The Burden

Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy