RELATED STORY - HILTON'S TRIAL BY FIRE IS AN EYE-OPENER

Tyler Hilton wouldn't mind experiencing a normal NHRA Holley Hot Rod Reunion.

A year ago, at the traditional nostalgia event held over Father's Day weekend at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky., the second-generation drag racer endured one of the most catastrophic fires from a front-engine dragster. Hilton's fire was so destructive it resembled a scene from the movie Ghost Rider as Hilton traveled down the shutdown area.

A year later, he found himself racing for the title at the closest national event venue to his home. The will of redemption drove him to return this year, not politics or anything else.

"Beech Bend is three and half hours from our shop," Hilton said. My family has raced here since the 60s, and we have a lot of history there. Coming back from last year, that redemption deal was part of it. A lot of times, especially with nitro racing, you get kicked down a lot, and it's how better you can come back from it."

With only two Top Fuel cars entering the event, Hilton would face off against the other entry of Brendan Murray, in a one-run, winner-take-all matchup for the Holley Hot Rod Reunion title on Saturday afternoon. Murray grabbed the better light on Hilton but immediately lost control and veered close to the wall, allowing Hilton to drive past for the win.

"It almost puts more pressure on you with one winner take all round," Hilton admitted. "You didn't have a round or two to make your little mistakes and count your luck a little bit. You had to make sure everything was dead-on perfect and not make a mistake driving-wise. It racked my nerves a little more than usual, for sure."

Ironically Hilton would encounter a little Deja Vu on that race-winning pass. Just as Hilton crossed the finish line, his dragster caught fire and traveled down the shutdown area of Beechbend Raceway in a ball of fire once again. Hilton admits the fire this year was not nearly as bad as last year's.

But redemption was not the only storyline following Hilton entering the race in Bowling Green. Hilton and his team were vocal in the weeks leading up to the event about not participating with the rest of the All-American Fuel Dragsters [AA/FD] in boycotting the race in Bowling Green due to NHRA not approving their request for a sixteen-car field despite bringing in an outside sponsor.

Hilton and his Great Expectations team have received a fair amount of criticism from a few of their competitors. Still, the team stuck to their guns and never waivered.

"We didn't agree with the grievance that was brought up from day one," Hilton explained. "I'm sure a lot of people thought we were going down there to scoop points, but that wasn't even a thought in the beginning. We're just dedicated to the series, and that's the series I race in."

"It's been a big talking point for the last month and a half, and there's no real winner or loser in the situation, I don't think. It was just a difference of opinion on how things should be handled, and we thought differently than they did."

The decision to go to Bowling Green ultimately worked out in their favor. Hilton would leave with the trophy, max pay, and max points. Even though the unofficial points have yet to be updated, it would seem like Hilton has catapulted himself into the points lead with the win.

"When we talked to NHRA before going down there, the verdict was full pay and full points," Hilton said. "We've run short fields in other places, so what's any different, you know. It can be two cars, three or five. If you have less than eight cars, you're still working off the eight-car points schedule."

Hilton admits there are no hard feelings between him and his competitors. He is ready to put all the boycott talk behind him and look ahead to the next race in Boise, Idaho, for the 51st annual Night Fire Nationals, one of the crown jewel races on the Heritage Series schedule.

"I try to see everything from every angle," Hilton explained. "From their angle, our angle, to the track operator's angle with scheduling and other racers and their classes. A lot goes into the pot that might get overlooked by some people sometimes. But it's all good. It's time to move on to the next thing. We've got a race here in the next four to five weeks."