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In 2001 Mike Hill began racing Quarter Midgets at age 11 at Bayland's Quarter Midget track in San Jose, CA. In his second year Mike traveled to Topeka, KN and Pueblo, CO, for his first Grand National races. After a tire width misplacement ruling in qualifying at the Pueblo Grands, he was sent to the "H" main event. Mike displayed his aggressive desire to win and raced his way to the "A" main where he finished 3rd. Mike had progressed well throughout his first three years of racing Quarter Midgets with additional Grand National races in Tacoma, WA, Indianapolis, IN, and Las Vegas, NV. As well as achieving many poles and podium finishes in 2001 he had also been awarded the California 500 Rookie of the Year, the Monza Series Rookie of the Year in 2001, and Sportsman of the Year in 2003.
In 2004 Mike transitioned to racing karts at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, through Marin Karting, competing in the Junior 80 shifter class.
In 2005 Mike won the Northern California Marin Karting Rotax Max Challenge Championship. He went on to compete in the Grand National (South Bend, IN) event at 15 years old as the youngest driver in the international field. There he placed 4th for the American championship and 5th overall against the top drivers from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago.
In addition to the Rotax series, Mike Hill pulled double duty driving a CRG/Swedetech TM Engine in the Russell Karting Championship Series at Infineon Raceway in the ICC shifter class where he had been a strong young contender, finishing 3rd for the year. And to add a national race series to his racing credits and gain valuable experience competing with the some of the best drivers in the sport, Mike had competed in the Stars of Karting ICC class in the Western Division, with Kris Shaw as his tuner.
In late 2005 Mike was chosen from over 470 applicants for Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle Driver Development Program. The program provides drivers with professional instruction in highly maintained, purpose-built Formula Ford racecars. For 2006, Mike is racing at three of California's premier race tracks - Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, and Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA in the SCCA Formula Ford Class.
Mike does physical training after school 5 days a week. He also uses his time on non-race weekends to sharpen his driving skills, increase his knowledge of chassis set-ups and engine rebuilding techniques.
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