Thomas Hughey and his First WERA Winner’s Trophy

By Bruce Wilkins

Tom Hughey and his first place trophy

Alton, VA — There are several distinct levels of motorcycle road racing in the United States. There’s the well-paid, factory-sponsored veteran who can just as easily be from Sydney, Australia as from Owensboro, Kentucky.

There’s the rising young gun who literally grew up on bikes and who’s parents spend as much money on their development as any tennis parent spends on their future tennis star.

There’s your hotshot club-level SV650 racer with a highly-paid professional job during the week who can easily drop dough on tires every weekend and buy a new bike or two every year.

Then there are countless racers like Thomas Hughey of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Club-level all the way, no intentions of being the next Nicky Hayden, and who only has two main concerns: finishing the day in one piece and having the bike finish in one piece as well. Ironically, the biggest smiles you’ll see at any road course that caters to all levels of motorcycle road racing are from racers like Hughey.

Last weekend at VIR, Hughey’s smile was much broader than smiles you’ll typically see from the top stars in the top racing levels. He won the Value Cycle SSB Novice event and took home a spiffy trophy that no doubt was on his mantel as soon as he got home, perhaps even before he unhitched his bike trailer.

In his unselfish fashion and good humor, Hughey spent more time on the track last Sunday as an official than he did on his bike. He was one of several racers who chipped in to work on the starting grid, since several factors caused a shortfall of regular officials, typical beginning of a new season issues. So, there was Hughey — leathers and all — out there with the clipboard, pitching in to get another race day under the belt of he and his fellow WERA racers.

So, while we at The Breeze are just as guilty as anyone else for always jumping to cover the highly-paid, massive-ego factory stars, we still would like to point out that the backbone of motorcycle racing are the privateers....even the once-in-a-while weekend warriors who race for one reason and one reason only: for the sheer love of the sport.

So, Congratulations, Tom! And to all of those who watch the pennies, pack jars of peanut butter, and drive all night to get back to their jobs on Monday morning. You may not have the glamour of the Moto GP circuit, but what you do have is something many people in all walks of life rarely ever have: those huge, genuine smiles of sheer joy!