Tommy Watts

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Tommy Watts

07-30-06
	Tommy Watts - One of the most versatile and well known riders to come out of the state of Kentucky was a guy named Tommy Watts alias "The Hillbilly", from Shelbyville, Kentucky. Tommy and his Dad, Jerry. first started traveling to the races with a car towing a horse trailer loaded with his Yamaha bikes. Tommy's very first sponsor was Wheels for Fun in Louisville, KY. As Tommy began winning every race he attended, people in high places began noticing and he soon landed a Kawasaki Team Green sponsorship. In 1982, he won the AMA National Amateur Regional Qualifier, the NMA National Amateur Regional Qualifier and the Georgia State Championship in both the 125 Expert and 250 Expert classes. He was just unstoppable and was having his best year to date. Then at the 1982, NMA Amateur Nationals, he broke his femur and had to have surgery where a rod was placed in his leg. He didn't make it to Loretta's that year and he had to learn to walk without limping. He headed to Florida to train with his trainer/mechanic, Bill Willian and to race during the winter months in Florida. He returned in 1983 to end up 2nd in the 125 A at Loretta Lynn's. Still training and determined, he came back stronger than ever in 1984 to be crowned the 250 A Mod Amateur National Champion and he won $500 and his mechanic won a $500 U.S. Savings Bond. He also finished 3rd in the Open A Amateur at Loretta Lynn's. In 1985, he was crowned the 500cc Amateur National Champion and finished 3rd in the 250 A Mod Championship at Loretta Lynn's. At the NMA Amateur Nationals in Ponca City, he has finished 3rd in the 250 Stock Pro, 3rd in the 250 Mod Pro and 2nd in the 500 Mod Pro. Tommy always was given a pre-production Kawasaki to compete on at the nationals. But one year, he seemed to have a problem crashing, and his witty mechanic, Bill Willian, wrote "This side up!" on his gas tank. He always didn't get starts but became known as "The Hillbilly in Pursuit." One of the better aspects at that time period of being a top motocross rider for Team Green was getting the chance to participate in many worldwide competitions. He also won the 1987 Rosebowl Ultracross and was the 1987 California 500cc Trans-Cal Series Champion. In December of 1987, Tommy was a part of Team Green's Elite American Team that traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa to compete in the Camel International Series which pitted the Americans against top amateur riders from throughout the world. Besides Tommy, Jeff Matiasevich, Fred Andrews, Tyson Vohland, Colin Dugmore and Brian Manley were on the team. The American team dominated. Tommy had many sponsors through the years including Team Kentucky, Dry Branch MX, Wheels for Fun, Hallman, Jones Optics, Scott USA, O'Neal, Adelweiss Motorsports, Devol, Simons/Ohlins, Arai Helmets, Renthal, Dunlop Tires, Maxima Racing Lubricants, Acerbis, Ceet, and Sidewinder, From being sponsored by Hallman clothing for years, he decided to say good-by when he was offered a better clothing sponsorship from EP Performs (Bill Buttrum-Presiden) which at that time was located in Las Vegas. Tony Berluti was their engineer. (Tony is currently a Team Makita Suzuki Factory for Ivan Tedesco). The EP Performs deal lead to a sponsorship by Whiskey Pete's Casino in Primm, Nevada and Greg Primm. Tommy turned "Pro" and began racing in the California CMC Trans Cal Series where he finished 2nd overall in the 250 and 500 Pro classes. Berlutti began being Tommy's mechanic and the pair began traveling to the outdoor motocross national circuit. in the EP box van. In 1987, he finished 5th in the 500cc National Championship Series and 20th in the 250cc National Championship Series. This was Tommy's lifetime racing goal to compete as a Pro on the national level.


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Team Green's Elite American Team That Went to South Africa	Tommy's MX Trading Card	1984 Team Green Champions at Loretta Lynn's Tommy Watts ("Hillbilly in Pursuit")
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