History was made as soon as Rob Tillison and Joe Carlie rolled up to the start line at Beech Bend Raceway Park.
Both Pro-Fuel drivers were racing Indian Motorcycles — a brand of motorcycle made famous in the early part of the 20th century but only recently brought back into production.
On June 15 in Bowling Green, Ky., Tillison and Carlie were the first to square off on Indian motorcycles in a championship race at a sanctioned drag racing event. Tillison was the top qualifier but Carlie got the best of the first meeting.
“It got hot, the sun came out and the track got slick,” Tillison said. “I got off about 200 feet, smoked the tires and broke it loose. We overpowered the track basically. After that, it was too late.”
Carlie ran the one-quarter mile track in 8.272 seconds (147.07 miles per hour). Tillison’s time was 8.571 (148.53 mph). In qualifying, Tillison was clocked in 7.807 seconds (154.12 mph).
Tillison, of Shelbyville, still maintains the national series points lead in the American Motorcycle Racing Association’s Pro Fuel Division. He and his crew from Solenberg Performance, of Shelbyville, return to action Saturday in Martin, Mich. The series’ only stop at an Indiana racetrack comes in mid-September for the Indiana Nationals at Bunkerhill Dragstrip near Kokomo.
The first Indian motorcycle was created in 1901 by bicycle racer George Hendes and engineer Oscar Hedstrom. By 1902, they had produced 143 machines each capable of reaching a speed of 30 mph.
Within the next 10 years, Indian motorcycles owned every American speed and distance record and was the winning ride in several major races.
It was in the 1940s that Indian Motorcycle introduced the skirted fenders, the most recognizable design characteristic of an Indian motorcycle. It was said that America went to war on Indian motorcycles because the company provided more motorcycles to the U.S. Army than all other companies combined.
Change of management and ownership in the 1940s and early 1950s, combined with a changing demographic and transportation needs caused the company to cease production in 1953.
It wasn’t until June of 1999 that the first Indian motorcycles rolled off the assembly line once again. The company’s new factory is located in Gilroy, Calif. Now, Indian Motorcycle is ready for a strong return to the racing industry.
“Back in the day, Indian was big in competition,” Tillison said. “They started the V-twin engine a couple of years earlier than (Harley-Davidson) but they didn’t last as long as Harley. Now they’ve regrouped and are coming back.
“It’s basically the same engine design. It’s still a 45-degree V with a push-rod engine. There is not a lot of difference between that and a Harley. But there are a few.”
Of course, Tillison’s racing motorcycle doesn’t look like a traditional motorcycle. His red machine has a 96-inch wheel base and with the wheelie bar attached — the bike measures 16 feet in length from nose to tail.
Fuel costs $20 per gallon and one pass on the race track usually burns one gallon of fuel. A good pass will also burn four sparkplugs at $3 apiece and two quarts of oil.
“It ain’t cheap but we have a good time,” Tillison said.
Tillison has been racing in the Pro Fuel class since 1990. He started out racing street bikes and became acquainted with the drivers running for Solenberg & Smith Performance Cycle, 1153 E. Michigan Road.
“I saw those guys running fuel bikes and I decided I needed one,” Tillison said.
The Solenberg crew — Frank Solenberg (mechanic/tuner), Bob Willard (pit crew) and George Walls as well as Tillison’s family are dedicated to the racing industry. They have to be since most weekend trips are a six-hour drive one way.
There are only three Indian dealerships in the state of Indiana according to the company’s Web site: www.indianmotorcycles.com
One is in Evansville. The second is in Terre Haute. And the third is in Greenwood. The Greenwood dealership is Tillison’s Indian sponsor. That support helps offset the costs of running a full national schedule.
“The Greenwood Indian dealership has been good to us,” Tillison said. “I always put all the winnings back into the bike. I never intend to take any of it home. I stockpile it and when times get tough, it comes out of my pocket.
“This is like any other hobby. It’s not a moneymaker but it covers itself and that’s all I can ask for.”
And as long as Tillison keeps making finals, that’s all Indian can ask for.
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