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Ohsweken
Speedway's "Top 10"...
with LEE
HILS |
 By
Tommy Goudge (March 16, 2009) - Despite
what the groundhogs would have us believe, winter
really is almost over, and racing season will be
here before we know it. In the meantime, the
offseason is a time for preparation…and a lot of
bench racing. In this week’s edition of Ohsweken
Speedway’s “Top 10”, we visited with Lee Hils
and learned some things about the racers in a
division that doesn’t always get a lot of
publicity – The Bomber class. Known last year as
the Fun Stocks, the newly renamed Bomber division
will continue to grow in 2009, and Hils figures to
play a prominent role every time the green flag
drops.
Lee, brother Glen, and the rest of the Hils family
are well known in the local racing community as
being part of a close knit group of family and
friends who are always willing to help others both
on and off the track. Glen now serves as technical
inspector at various Speedways, including Ohsweken,
while the rest of the Hils clan can be found racing
all over Southern Ontario. Lee is 42 years old and
calls Dundas home. He is married and has what he
affectionately calls a “millionaire’s family”
(a boy and a girl).
Lee says he lives for racing, and his love of racing
translates into success, as he dominated the
inaugural season of the Fun Stocks division at
Ohsweken, winning 6 features and becoming the first
champion of the class. 3 other members of the Hils
family finished in the top 10 in points, including
Lee’s son Chris who finished 2nd in points and
also won a feature. 2008 was Lee’s 25th season of
competition in Enduros, Demolition Derbies, Figure 8
races, and King of the Hill/Spectator races. During
that time, he’s won $12,000 in a Labour Day Enduro
race at Flamboro and countless other events, even
including a Backwards Race!
“Top 10”…With Lee Hils:
TG: “This was your first
year racing full time at Ohsweken, but not your
first in motorsports, or your first time visiting
the Speedway. When did you first get involved, and
what first brought you to Ohsweken?”
LH: “At a very young age, my brothers and I
had Hotwheels racetracks, Evil Kenevil stunt sets,
Big wheels, SST Demolition Derby Sets and almost
every toy imaginable that could be raced or smashed.
We lived for racing. Every Sunday there would be
family dinner at my Grandma and Grandpa’s farm on
#5 and Middletown Road in Flamborough. While Gramps
was watching golf, all of us brothers, cousins and
friends would spend the most of the day playing in
the old cars at the farm pretending we were driving
or racing in them. Then when golf was over we would
get called in for The Wide World Of Sports and watch
the weekly NASCAR race. We were hooked. As we got
older we had our own cars at the farm. Instead of
pretending to race, we drove our cars out in the
field and started to create our own racing games
(usually when Gramps was playing golf).”
“My first Endurance Race Car was a 1974 Dodge
Polara that my Uncle donated to me in 1983. I ran
the enduro at Flamboro Speedway in the days when
there were 150+ cars on the track in the rain. What
an experience. The car overheated and DNF. I also
participated and spectated at the local tracks and
fairs with Demolition Derbies, Endurance Racing,
Figure Eights and helped pit for various teams.”
“Ohsweken Speedway is a great track to race at.
What first brought me out to Ohsweken were the
spectator races, or what many of us call "King
Of The Hill" (or King Of The Hils) races. I
pulled off a win with my red 1985 Honda Prelude.
When the Fun Stock class was suggested I was all for
it, because that is the type of racing we enjoy -
(low budget) Enduro style cars that are a "gut
and go" type of racing.”
TG: “One of the main
selling points for those thinking of getting
involved with the Bomber class is how inexpensive it
is. Can you estimate what it cost to get everything
together and on track for the season?”
LH: “My cost to buy and build a car is
around $350-$400. Other expenses are traveling
costs, pit entry ($15 with a membership), and very
rarely a broken car part. The average costs per week
was about $60-$75 per week. That is including dinner
for the crew after the races. Winner pays for
dinner. Winnings almost covered weekly expenses.”
TG: “How did you and
Chris come to use the numbers 181 and 818? I bet the
scoring staff at the Speedway would like to
know…”
LH: “For years my brother used the number
"81" in the Challenger class at Flamboro.
I used the number 81 for years in Demolition Derby
to be recognized as a ‘Hils Brother’.
Many of you may see the sponsor on the side of my
car is H.B. Racing, which stands for Hils Brothers
81 Racing. I changed my number to 181 when I started
running Figure 8 Racing, because to avoid
registration confusion, your number had to be a 100+
number, so the number stuck. We have also sponsored
other cars including the ones we drive, numbers 181,
281, 381, 481, etc. If you turn the number upside
down it also reads 181, which we have found out on 3
occasions: 2007 Rockton Fair figure 8, 2008
Humberstone trailer race, 2009 Rogers Centre Monster
Jam 4 cylinder demo. Chris followed with the same
trend with the number 818...I hope he can keep all
four tires on the ground.”
TG: “What advice would
you give to somebody who is thinking of joining the
Bomber division?”
LH: “My advice to someone who is planning
on building a car for the Bomber division would be;
to stick to the rules and safety regulations. Not
much gets by Glen. If you can, get a car that has
recently been taken off the road. There would be
less problems with sticky or rusty mechanical parts.
No leaky fuel lines. Fire is one of my worst
fears.”
TG: “The last event of
the 2008 season featured the Bomber division running
half the race counter-clockwise and the other half
clockwise: What did you think of that, and what are
some other unconventional things you think could be
done with the division?”
LH: “I thought the concept of going the
other way at half race was a good idea. It adds to
the excitement for the race fans in the stands, and
it evens up the field for the experienced drivers
against the novice drivers. This may prevent anyone
from doing suspension modifications to get a leading
edge. These cars are to be bone stock.
“(Other things to try are) 50 to 75 lap Enduro
Championship at mid-season or at the end of the
year, a Demolition Derby on the last night, or how
about a Figure 8 with Bomber cars? Trailer Races or
Flag Pole Races, the more events the better. I live
for this stuff!!!!!”
TG: “What keeps you busy
away from the track?”
LH: “I work 36-48 hours per week, and I
pick up cars and scrap them in the off season. It
helps to off-set the cost of racing, and Demos. In
May of 2006, I had the opportunity to purchase the
home that us brothers were born and raised in. A
place in Dundas that my grandfather built in 1957.
Not much was changed from then to now. It'll keep me
busy for a while. I don't plan to move again.”
TG: “You are easily
recognizable in the pits because of your beard –
When was the last time anybody saw you
clean-shaven?”
LH: “I had to shave my beard and moustache
in May of 2006. The home that we purchased had mold
in the bathroom that needed to be removed. I went to
the safety supply store to purchase a respirator and
the sales assistant said I needed to wear the mask
properly or die. So I did the obvious and shaved.”
TG: “What is the most
interesting or unique vehicle you ever made into an
enduro or demo derby car?”
LH: “The most unique car that I made into
an enduro car was a 1976 Chevrolet Malibu Laguna S3.
When I showed up with that car, many people came up
to me and asked if we had any idea of what we were
wrecking - a future collectable. (It was the)
toughest car I ever ran in Enduro, and our car of
choice. We must have wrecked 10+ of them cars in our
early enduro days. Now they are just more rare and
collectable!”
TG: “What are the racing
plans for you and Chris in 2009?”
LH: “Our racing plans this year are to
continue with the Bomber series at Ohsweken
Speedway. Chris is building a fresh car, and I am
considering on using the Blue Neon that I used last
season…Unless something faster comes up. This year
Chris turned 17, so there are some Demolition
Derbies and some extreme events at other local
tracks that he and I would like to run together. As
long as he can continue to take the odd verbal abuse
and advice from me - the Old Man - we will continue
living the Father and Son dream.”
Got a question you've always wanted to ask your
favourite Ohsweken Speedway personality? Got a
suggestion for who you would like featured in a
future edition of "Top 10"? Send it to
Media@OhswekenSpeedway.com and make sure to include
your name and hometown! Stay tuned for future
editions of "Top 10" on
www.OhswekenSpeedway.com, and make sure to reserve
your seats for all of Ohsweken's special events in
2009, including the World of Outlaws Late Models,
World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, and Canadian Sprint
Car Nationals! Tickets are on sale now!
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