VincentHill
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posted February 04, 2011 01:17 PM
 Edited By: VincentHill on 4 Feb 2011 21:19
A Little OT But my First Hero Died!
Some of you know him and some of you know of him Al Wilcox. He was a Harley Davidson Factory Rider in the AMA. He once stated how he knew when it was time to Quit racing when he came up on a group of riders ahead of him getting ready to enter the turn, he would always hold it on just a little longer and pass them. Later in Racing he would come up on a group of riders getting ready to enter the turn and would say to himself "I will wait until after this turn and get them on the next one"!
After Racing he was an Official Starter for AMA Racing and then also WERA which is where I met him. The Short of the story is, I was at a Road Race at Bridgehampton NY and a rider named Mankie came up on me and then sat up in the turn to run me off and finished the race. I was Pissed and went the the Officials and they did nothing because they said no one saw anything.
So the next race was at Summit point and I waited for my opportunity and when I saw Mankie coming up, I tried to "T" Bone him off the race course. After the race he reported this to the Officials and they were going to suspend me from Racing. I askd if anyone else had seen this and no one had so why the different treatment for me? Even though AL was hired by these people, he stated that he would handle it and that his decision was final (or they could fire him). He told us both that if there were any problems on either side we both would be susupended. This allowed me to finish the year there and get my Novice AMA Racing license and eventually my Expert AMA License and make a little history at Daytona.
It was not until I was at AL's 90th Birthday in Trenton NJ that he finally said to other, "You know that Hill was the only black guy racing at the time and they were going to suspend him for doing no more than what another rider did to him. I was not having any of that Crap and stopped it right then and there. He also was proud of my race a few year later when I was going to WERA Races to practice for the AMA Races and I would always start after the first lap and catch the leaders and pass them but not take any of their Points or prizes.
I later found out that this was pissing them off so at the championship final at Summit Point I started at the start and during the race I was running about 3rd or 4th so 3 laps from the end I made my move and at the hairpin there was a guy on my inside so I waited for him to turn inside and I would go outside. He continued to go straight so I would go inside and him outside but he NEVER Turned and ran off. Now I am about 4th or 5th and really flying. So comming up on the last turn of the Last lap I fly over the hill and land on the inside of the leader (Dale Quarterly) and surprised him a little and beat him to the FInish line. I wheelied all around the course and when I got back to the Pits, I put my bike in the van and drove home. "I sent a friend to get the throphy at the Award Ceremony. I never raced a WERA Race again. Airborne Al Wilcox will ALWAYS be the "MAN"!!
This Picture is at Daytona in 1976 for the Photo Finish of the First Superbike race where Reggie Pridemore and Steve Mclaughlin coming to the Finish line. You can see how Al got his name
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Made History @ Daytona and still one fast old man!!
  
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Shane661
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posted February 04, 2011 02:06 PM
Edited By: Shane661 on 4 Feb 2011 22:09
That is a great story, Vincent. 
It's always sad when a personal hero passes, but it's nice of you to share the memories.
May he rest in peace....and that probably means he'll be WOT wherever he is.
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VincentHill
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posted February 04, 2011 02:18 PM
Thanks Shane, It is a few people that I owe a lot to when it came to racing back in the early 70's. Now we have James Bubba Stewart! I was never as fast equally but I started out 14 years later than he did. My Mon thought Lightening struck at you if you threw a leg over a Bike! 
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Made History @ Daytona and still one fast old man!!
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TRNorBRN6001
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Posts: 2021
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posted February 04, 2011 07:45 PM
Great story and Great memories! Thanks for shareing Mr. Hill. Great pic too! How about some pics of you back in the day?
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TFA 200MPH CLUB MEMBER!
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MadMike
Moderator
FEAR THE BLACK FLAG!!!!!!!!
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posted February 15, 2011 08:04 PM
Thanks Vince!!! I really wish we lived closer, I love hearing about the past greats, and I am proud to say I know a few right now including yourself... and Godspeed Airborne Al Wilcox...
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200-MPH CLUB MEMBER!
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TRNorBRN6001
Needs a job
Posts: 2021
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posted February 16, 2011 09:54 AM
No Doubt, I am still waiting for my autographed pic of that fella that made history at Daytona!
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TFA 200MPH CLUB MEMBER!
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