A Career of Extremes Culminates In One Incredible Evening …

The thought never crossed Roy Hill’s mind.

He never envisioned on January 31, 2008, he would stand before a star-studded gathering of his peers to accept induction into the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Induction is a dream come true for the king of gab, the fast-talking, quick driving Hill. A little slower in the step, a bit heavier than he used to be, Hill is still the same excitable person who became a mountain motor Pro Stock icon in the seventies.

A Career of Extremes Culminates In One Incredible Evening …

The thought never crossed Roy Hill’s mind.

He never envisioned on January 31, 2008, he would stand before a star-studded gathering of his peers to accept induction into the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Induction is a dream come true for the king of gab, the fast-talking, quick driving Hill. A little slower in the step, a bit heavier than he used to be, Hill is still the same excitable person who became a mountain motor Pro Stock icon in the seventies.

“To be the age I am and to still be alive, not to mention this induction into the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame, I feel very fortunate – a lucky man,” Hill said, Friday afternoon as he prepared for a charity car show in Greensboro, N.C. “The past few days that have passed have really been something. I think all the butterflies started when a friend called me a few days ago to offer congratulations, then it hit me. I am going into the Hall of Fame.”

Hill is enjoying a bit of a rebirth. He isn’t planning a return to the driver’s seat; his primary focus is now his driving school and repairing damage from his indiscretions over the years and this has Hill feeling a new sense of purpose in life.

“I just talked to Arnie Beckman, from Ford, the man who gave me my first deal there back in 1982 and he and his wife are coming in to watch me go into the Hall,” Hill said proudly, adding that he’s spent the last 25 years in racing representing Ford and just last season the manufacturer reinstated his sponsorship program.

Hill will have a list of longtime friends and associates in attendance including members of the Petty Family and Buddy Martin, of Sox & Martin.

“Rockingham Dragway’s Steve Earwood will be my presenter and I hope he doesn’t tell too many stories on me,” Hill said, bearing his trademark smile.

Joining Hill in the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame Class of 2009 will be former Funny Car legend Dee Simmons and the late Billy West.

Hill’s antics behind the wheel of a Pro Stocker gained the veteran from Sophia, N.C., accolades under both the IHRA and NHRA sanction. He’s a 12-time winner on the IHRA tour, a world championship team owner and a talented driver who once traversed the shutdown area at Gainesville Raceway at 180 miles per hour backwards, without putting a scratch on his factory backed Mercury Capri.

If it was done in Pro Stock, Hill, voted No. 3 amongst all-time mountain motor drivers, pulled it off in spectacular form.

“I’m just tickled to death, I never realized that people thought that much of me,” Hill admitted. “The closer it gets, the more excited I get about it. As I was racing, I didn’t think about what the future might be, I just knew at the time that it was tough and hard, and I guess when you get some years behind you like I have, you realize that when that was going on, you were too busy doing what you had to do to realize, man, I’m having the time of my life.”

For Hill, the time of his life will be Saturday night in Greensboro, N.C.

For those in the triad region of North Carolina, the moment has come to recognize that their “Hillbilly” made it.

BACK RACING? - Hill confirmed with CompetitionPlus.com that he will return to drag racing this season as a team owner with an ADRL Pro Extreme Mustang driven by Mike Bell. "I just had to take some time off to get my priorities in order, but we plan on being strong in 2009," Hill added.