(Owensboro, KY): Most 65 year olds who spend their winter in Florida spend their time playing golf, shuffle board, and visiting with other “snowbirds” in southern Florida. Not Tim Banks. Owensboro’s Banks spent the last month battling on both the dirt, and asphalt on his 2-wheeled machines. Banks, the owner of Cycle Works Choppers in Philpot made the trip down to Daytona for “Bike Week” and finished up his trip at South Carolina Motorsports Park.
Tim Banks at Daytona on Bike No. 184 (Photo from Banks’ personal collection)
Banks loaded up his custom built travel trailer and headed south to Daytona to compete on the supercross track at Daytona International Speedway. “I took two bikes down for the Supercross track in Daytona. I wasn’t on top of my game so I took home two 2nd place finishes,” says Banks. Banks competed in both the open and vintage classes at the supercross track in Daytona.
Tim Banks enjoying fishing on Lake Lloyd in the infield at Daytona International Speedway (Photo from Banks’ personal collection)
When Banks wasn’t competing, you could find him at the airport working on airplanes. “We worked on P51 Mustang planes at the airport. That’s where I was when I wasn’t racing. That’s one of my hobbies, working on planes,” said Banks. When he wasn’t racing or working on planes, you could find him with a fishing pole at the track.
Banks enjoying some 2-wheel action on the high banks of Daytona.
(Photo from Bank’s personal collection)
Banks also spent time as a spectator at different events in Daytona including the AMA flat track races featuring Owensboro resident JD Beach. Banks also took in the King of the Baggers events featuring Owensboro-native Hayden Gillim and Princeton’s Jake Lewis. Tim also enjoyed the Daytona 200 being emceed by Owensboro’s Roger Hayden. “It’s amazing how many people are involved in racing from the Owensboro area. A lot of people ignore it and don’t celebrate it. We have a fiddle museum downtown, but I bet you there are more people from Owensboro who are involved in racing than play the fiddle,” said Banks.
Bank’s hardware from his runner-up finish in South Carolina (Photo from Bank’s personal collection)
After spending time in Daytona on the dirt, Tim Banks made the trip to the South Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina. Banks raced his orange and blue 1985 750 Honda on the 2.27 mile road course. Banks did not finish the event on Saturday, but redeemed himself on Sunday by finishing 2nd in his division. “These are national races and national events,” said Banks. “This isn’t a local show being ran at Whitesville or Windy Hollow. This is a big deal.”
Banks competed in 6 different national classes in 2022 and took home 3 National titles and two runner-ups on the motorcycle dirt racing circuit. The bikes and trophies from Bank’s Championship season are on display at the Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame in Central City.
Banks plans to focus on the AHRMA series in 2023 with his Honda 750 and will compete at tracks such as Laguna Seca, Topeka, Barbour Motorsports Park and more.
-Blake Smith, Host of Let’s Talk Racing
