INTERVIEW I MOTOAMERICA STOCK 1000 & KING OF THE BAGGERS CHAMPION HAYDEN GILLIM
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Fast forward to 2023, and
Hayden experienced one of the
most remarkable comebacks in
racing history. Far from being
out of the sport, the married fa-
ther of two suddenly found him-
self racing in three champion-
ships and winning two of them.
He even found time on one of
his off weekends to contest an
American Flat Track TT event
in Arizona, where he scored a
solid sixth place. It was also one
of the most lucrative years of
his racing career. So, for now, at
least, the "real world," as he calls
life outside of racing, has been
at least temporarily held at bay.
We caught up with Hayden
on the phone from his ranch out
-
side of Owensboro, Kentucky.
With a two-year-old boy, a two-
month-old baby daughter, and
various farm animals to care for,
you might say he and his wife,
Summer, have been just slightly
busy of late.
Hayden said in the old days,
he could just load up his van
on a whim, follow the sun and
keep riding, training, and rac
-
ing all winter long. These days,
he says, all those things now
require careful planning.
"I had a buddy tell me I used
to be a man with a van and a
Gillim notes his relationship with teammate James Rispoli helped elevate each rider's
performance, ultimately ensuring a 1-2 for Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.
