Fri, 7 Jan 2005, 10:09 AM And He Did It On Two Wheels

By Bob Frey Photo copyright 2004 Auto Imagery, Inc.

Dave Hill

Dave Hill is the 2004 Summit Racing Series Motorcycle Champion. Dave beat some of the best bike and snowmobile racers in the country at Pomona to climax a racing career that spans almost twenty years and has always included motorcycles. “My brother got me started with an old Indian 100 and I’ve just loved motorcycles ever since,” Dave said. Today, in addition to his racing bike, Dave has a couple of street bikes that he rides and like his racing machine they are Suzuki’s. “My race bike in an ’83 chassis with an updated Vance & Hines body. It has an ’83 GS 1100 motor that is now 1360 c.c.’s,” he said. His street bikes are also 1983 models and even though they are Suzuki’s Dave says that the new Harley V-rods certainly got his attention this year. “I’ve always run Suzuki’s and they been very good to me but I have to admit those new Harley’s are pretty impressive,” he said.

Hill took out the sled.

Dave Hill has been a very competitive motorcycle racer for a long time and his accomplishments include several track championships as well as a couple of top ten finishes on the bike trail. “I ran the I.D.B.A. races for a few years while they were around and I finished fourth in the Super Comp class and fifth in Pro Street in 1998.” Throw in about six track championships at his home track, Pacemaker’s Raceway in Ohio, and you have one very accomplished and very talented bike rider. And if that’s not enough proof, just look at the three red lights that were glowing in his opponent’s lane at Pomona. “I saw everyone of them,” he said, “ and it’s a nice feeling going down the track knowing that you’ve already won.” Dave said that a big part of his success may be due to the fact that he had a couple of good runs during the time trails in Pomona. “My one run I dialed a 10.44 and ran ‘44’ with a ‘10’ light,” he said. And while his opponents may have been thinking about that when they staged against the Division 3 champ, Dave says that he hardly ever worries about what the other rider is doing. “As far as I’m concerned, the guy in the other lane can’t hurt me. If I cut a light and run my number he’s going to be hard pressed to beat me.” With a bike that runs in the low ten-second zone, Dave is almost always doing the chasing and he likes it that way. “At the Division 3 race there was one other guy who was quicker than I was, but other than that I almost always leave the line last.” Since he’s on a motorcycle, the fact that he can keep his head straight and his sights focused on the opposition makes Dave’s ride a little easier. “I can always see the other guy and I don’t have to worry about turning around and looking for him and that’s a real plus.” Of course getting three consecutive red lights is a big help, too. And while staying focused is a big part of his game plan Dave admits that there was one little glitch in Pomona. “The TV cameraman kept getting in my way,” he said. “The bike guys usually like to look over at each other and nod when we’re ready to do our burnouts and then when we’re ready to go in and stage. Well, every time I tried to look at the other lane in Pomona I had to dodge the cameraman.” It may have been a little glitch but it certainly didn’t present a real long-term problem especially since all of the other guys were busy eliminating themselves.

Hill celebrates his win.

There was another thing that posed a little problem for Dave and that was the fact that he had to race a snowmobile for the first time in his career. “I told my friend Mark Holley before we left that I’d probably have to race that sled and, sure enough, I did.” That sled that he referred to was the number one qualifier in the class at Pomona and it belonged to the Division 6 champ, Chris Kasel. By virtue of being the top qualifier Chris got the bye run in the opening round before going red in the semis against Dave. Michael Fulks, the D-2 champ, then followed suit by going red in the finals. These two foul starts came on the heels of Gerald Jordan’s bulb in the opening stanza against Dave. “I don’t know if those time runs gave me an advantage or not,” Dave said, “But I’m sure the other guys knew they were going to have to cut a good light against me and it just all worked out.”

Dave Hill made the trip out to California from his home in Mount Vernon, Ohio in about four days while the ride home took a little less time, but that’s still quite a ride for a guy who has never been further west than St. Louis. “My fiancée, Tammy, and I drove out and we took the southern route going out because we didn’t know what the weather would be like. Other than the long drive it was a pretty nice experience.” While Dave and Tammy haven’t set a date for their wedding yet, I told him that any couple who can spend seven days together in a truck on a cross country trip and still be happy together are destined for many, many years of happily married life. “I sure hope so,” he said. Once they got to California, Dave and Tammy were joined by Dave ’s brother, Doug, and his wife Cheryl. “Doug and Cheryl and Mark Holly and his wife Sandy were all big parts of this win and I want to thank them all for their help and support.” And we’d like to congratulate the Summit Racing Series Motorcycle Champion, Dave Hill, one of the best drag racers on two wheels.