28 Facts About Billy Hamill

Billy Hamill is a former Speedway World Champion, winning the title in 1996 and earned 29 caps for the United States national speedway team.

Billy Hamill was born on 23 May 1970 in California, United States.

Billy Hamill began junior speedway in California in 1983, eventually turning professional in 1986.

In 1991, Billy Hamill again rode for the Heathens and was named captain and he made his World Final debut at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg scoring six points.

The 1992 World Championship campaign was cut short for Billy Hamill after breaking his wrist at the Overseas final at Coventry's Brandon stadium, however he was still a major part of the Heathens season, again averaging over eight points.

Billy Hamill was part of the USA team which won the world team cup for a second time, in Kumla, Sweden, scoring 10 points.

Billy Hamill won the World team Cup as the USA regained their title in Coventry.

In 1994, Billy Hamill missed out on a place in the World Final in Vojens, Denmark, losing out in run off at the semi-final stage to Greg Hancock.

Billy Hamill finished top of the British League averages in 1995.

The 1996 season again saw Billy Hamill riding for the Heathens and again he topped the British league averages.

Billy Hamill had been the main challenger to defending champion Nielsen all season and went into the final round in Vojens needing to beat the Dane by at least ten points.

Billy Hamill won the A final collecting twenty-five points and therefore becoming USA's fourth Speedway World Champion.

In 1997, Billy Hamill had to leave Cradley Heathens as the team folded, and he joined the Belle Vue Aces in Britain's Elite League.

Unfortunately for Billy Hamill this was to be an indication of how the season was to map out as he trailed his countryman all season to finish with the Silver Medal, as Hancock became the third American World Speedway Champion in five years.

However the latter part of the season Billy Hamill slipped down the Grand Prix placings going into the last round in Bydgoszcz with no chance of claiming the title.

Worse was to follow though as Billy Hamill was injured in a controversial collision with Australia's Jason Crump, leaving Billy Hamill nursing a broken back.

Billy Hamill had recovered from his injuries in time for the 1999 campaign although he did not return for Coventry until a month into the season.

Billy Hamill struggled after returning injury and found points hard to come by for most of the season.

Billy Hamill won the opening round of the Grand Prix series in Prague and the final round in Bydgoszcz, the very same place where he had suffered his injuries two years previous.

Billy Hamill finished the series in second place on ninety-five points, just seven behind eventual champion Mark Loram.

Billy Hamill went into the 2001 season having joined Team Roberts and highly optimistic that he could regain the World Title.

Billy Hamill did have a strong finish to the season winning again in Prague and finishing fourth in Bydgoszcz, yet after such a promising 2000 campaign Hamill was disappointed to finish sixth overall in 2001.

Billy Hamill rode one more season for the Coventry Bees before moving on to the Oxford Cheetahs and then on to Cradley Heath's bitter rivals the Wolverhampton Wolves in 2006 and 2007.

Billy Hamill retired from racing in Europe at the end of the 2007 and returned to his home in California.

Billy Hamill started racing in the 2008 Californian season but was injured in a race fall and has missed most of the season.

Billy Hamill returned to international competition in 2012, scoring ten points in the USA's victory in the first round of the Speedway World Cup.

In 2013, Billy Hamill became the Manager of Team USA Speedway and successfully guided the team through to Event 2 of the Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup at King's Lynn after topping the scorecard at the qualifying round in Miskolc, Hungary.

Billy Hamill has organised the Gumball Rally for infant through to teenage riders, as well as running the Billy Hamill Speedway Academy, attempting to make USA a dominant force in World Speedway again in the future.