Billy Huber (7) drafts his Harley-Davidson underneath Bobby Hill's Indian (71) as the two cross the finish line. Officials couldn't decide who won, so they called the race a tie - the only one in AMA National history. High-speed cameras started being used at the finish line shortly after this race. (Bobby Hill collection)
If you look at old AMA national racing records there is one oddity that immediately catches your eye. On August 8, 1948, Lakewood Park, a one-mile horse racing track in Atlanta, hosted that year’s AMA 10-Mile National and the event listed two first-place finishers – Harley-Davidson mounted Billy Huber and Indian’s Bobby Hill. No there weren’t two separate races; the 10-Mile National that year was deemed by officials a dead heat – the only one recorded in AMA National history.
“Being such a new expert rider I didn’t know much about drafting,” Hill said. “Billy sure did though and he drafted right behind me and at the last possible moment zipped underneath me and we crossed the finish line side by side.”
The crowd went nuts as the two crossed the finish line. AMA officials quickly huddled to compare notes to try to determine who came out on top. Heads shook and finally the judges declared the race a dead heat. Mike Benson, president of the fair announced that both riders would receive first-place money. More cheers greeted the announcement.
Rider Files 
I attended the 3rd Annual Lakewood Reunion with my Dad about a month ago and one of the highlights of this years reunion was preparations to induct the first motorcycle racer into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Ted Edwards will be inducted later this year. I only attended one race at Lakewood Speedway (the last sanctioned NASCAR race held there in 1970) with dad of course. Kinda wish he was more into bikes as many of the greats of flattrack raced there thru the years. Below is a link to the highlights of the reunion with some pics of some cool old flattrackers. http://georgiaracinghistory.com/2010/08/13/racers-of-all-kinds-gather-at-lakewood-reunion/
LikeLike
More info on Ted Edwards who competed in the race reported on above.
http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=165
LikeLike
I talked briefly with Bobby Hill at the vintage races at Davenport, IA a couple of weeks ago.
LikeLike
Bobby Hill is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in racing. I’ve been told Billy Huber was a fan favorite too. He died, some say from heat exhaustion, at the Dodge City 200.
LikeLike
Look at those stands, no wonder the promoter could afford to pay first place money to both guys…
LikeLike
My dad was jack smith and he owned a half mile dirt track in thomaston ga.. If anyone remembers this please contact me.My phone number is 706-647-9940. I have film of some of the races. Have one of Ted Edwards and a black racer known as the Gray ghost.
LikeLike