Let’s talk about one of our awesome teams, the infamous Wolfpack!
The Wolfpack is a group of like-minded individuals who share a passion for four-cylinder antique motorcycles and enjoy racing them. But the Wolfpack isn’t just the riders, it’s the whole team. For this run, it consisted of Frank Westfall, Loring Hill, Mark Hill, Bryan Bossier, Pat Murphy, Jeff Tiernan, Mike Badlam, and Joe Doelger.
Joe is Mark and Loring’s 17-year-old apprentice, and he actually took time away from school to come along and work on these antique machines. He’d do schoolwork during the day, then jump right in beside the crew every night, wrenching and learning. Joe is an impressive young man and exactly the kind of person who keeps our shared passion for these bikes alive.
All of the Wolfpack’s four-cylinders were built by Mark and Loring Hill at their shop, 4th Coast Fours, in upstate New York. Loring shared this about the evolution of their endurance machines:
“In 2010, in the inaugural Cannonball, Frank rode one of the Hendersons we (4th Coast Fours) built, and that was a learning curve. Every race we’ve done since then helps us build stronger, more reliable bikes. Around 2014, we really started getting into the groove of getting these fours across the country with very few problems.”
Now let’s talk about the riders who make up this wild, talented pack:
Frank Westfall:
If you’ve ever met Frank, you know he’s built from a different cloth… totally one of a kind. He told me about a quote they use on the Great Race that stuck with me: “To finish is to win.” You don’t need all the points or all the miles, if you don’t give up and you make it to the finish line, you’ve already won.
Frank rode a 1914 Henderson called The Hummingbird, the same chassis he rode in the inaugural Cannonball. He nailed a perfect score and finished 2nd overall! He’s run many Cannonballs and three Great Races, just ask him, he’ll tell you. That first bike he rode back in 2010 helped everyone learn what it really takes to go the distance. I’ve even heard (don’t quote me!) that he went through somewhere between eight and eleven magnetos in that first race to make it to the end. Dedication at its finest.
Loring Hill:
Loring is on the younger side for this crowd, but already carries incredible experience with four-cylinders. He decided to ride in the exhibition class on a 1929 Henderson, which meant he wasn’t eligible for points, but that didn’t stop him from riding every single mile.
Every night, Loring could be found working on the bikes, making sure they were ready to roll by morning. None of the Hendersons missed a mile, not one. Loring’s been on three Cannonballs (either as a mechanic or rider), two Great Races, and two pre-rallies. His knowledge and drive make him an invaluable part of the Wolfpack.
Bryan Bossier
Bryan rode a 1923 Henderson Deluxe, or as he calls it, a “Deeee-luxe.” Bryan owned three of the bikes on this run: Loring’s 1929, his own 1923, and the 1917 Henderson that Pat Murphy rode. As the proprietor of Sinless Cycles, Bryan has an eye for beautiful machines and a taste that speaks for itself. He’s a true southern gentleman from the bayous of Louisiana and was such a fun presence to have along for the ride.
Pat Murphy
Pat rode that 1917 Henderson, and the staff quickly gave him the nickname “The Ghost” because if you didn’t catch him at the start of the day, you weren’t catching him at all. Pat only stopped when absolutely necessary and hit the daily finish line first almost every day. Always smiling, always having fun.
Pat has painted somewhere around 50 four-cylinders for 4th Coast Fours, and his dedication to the craft shows in every mile.
Jeff Tiernan
Jeff brought a different breed of four-cylinder: a 1924 Ace. We were thrilled to have another type of four-cylinder out there! Jeff’s maintenance routine seemed pretty chill most nights, you’d find him hanging out by the van after quick tune-ups, until one big hiccup hit: his cam shaft broke in half.
Loring explained that the Ace doesn’t use a center cam shaft support (unlike the Henderson), and they didn’t think it would be an issue. Turns out, it was. But here’s where the magic of teamwork shines, someone went to 4th Coast Fours, grabbed a replacement part, flew it in, arrived at 2:30 AM, and by 4:30 AM the bike was fixed and ready to ride. That’s dedication, and a whole lot of no sleep!
Jeff missed only a few miles and was right back out there. He’s done five endurance runs before this one, and we were thrilled to have him on the inaugural TransAm.
Talking to the 4th Coast Fours guys was fascinating. They told me that during the first endurance race back in 2010, the biggest surprise problems were magneto failures and faulty replacement valve seats, issues that sidelined a quarter of the field. Having that kind of experience and knowledge out here with us now is invaluable.
One thing I’ve failed to mention up until now is the bike that won, Mike Butts 1913, you guessed it 4th Coast Fours built that one too!
To the entire Wolfpack: thank you for bringing your energy, your knowledge, and your camaraderie to this run. You make the TransAm what it is: a celebration of passion, grit, and the antique motorcycles that keep history alive mile after mile.
Photos by: Olivier Touron, Kazuo Matsumoto, Ed Harriger
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Sponsored by: Legends Motorcycles, Sinless Cycles, Competition Distributing, Veritas Vintage, Antique Motorcycle Club of America
