Three Generations of the Hilliker Family Win Championships in 2025

(L to R) Jessi Hilliker, Derrick Hilliker, Ryan Lanphierd, Lucas Lanphierd, Kayla (Hilliker) Lanphierd, David Hilliker, Patti Hilliker, Steven Hilliker, Ellen Hilliker

MIDLAND, MI - Most anyone who has been around racing for more than a few weeks will tell you that the teams become like family. Furthermore, fans, teams, sanctions, and race tracks all become part of the extended family that we all get to see on the weekend. In 2025, a historic family set a historic mark when all three generations of racers not only found victory lane, but earned track championships.

Brothers Steven and David Hilliker already share quite a common ground in the racing community. In 2016, David was inducted into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame before his older brother Steven joined him in 2017. Independently, the Hilliker brothers have built unmatched dirt late model careers on their own, but the lineage doesn't stop there. Derrick Hilliker, son of David, has also built an astounding resume in his dirt late model. Finally, the youngest of the Hilliker-racing-family-tree is Lucas Lanphierd, grandson of David, who is the son of fellow late model driver, Ryan Lanphierd. Lucas has been wheeling a Mini-wedge around Michigan since 2022.

In 2025, what sounds like a story that's you'd have to see to believe, all four drivers in the family captured championships at three different tracks, in the same season. There were multiple stories within the story as well for the family.

First, David and Derrick, the father/son duo, won championships in the same season for the first time in their respective careers. David Hilliker grabbed his 15th career championship, this year coming at Tri City Motor Speedway in Late Models. As for Derrick, his 6th career title came at Crystal Motor Speedway in Late Models. Also at Crystal, Lucas won his third track championship in the Mini Wedges. Finally, Steven Hilliker grabbed his 20th career track championship, earning the Late Model title at Mid-Michigan Raceway Park.

The four drivers accounted for nearly 20 wins throughout the course of the season:

Lucas accounted for seven wins this season, 15 top five finishes, and 16 top 10s in 16 features.

Derrick Hilliker cracked into the Winner's Circle four times this year, three of which counted toward his championship season, which included 16 top fives and 17 top 10s in 19 starts.

David Hilliker's season included a pair of wins at Tri City Motor Speedway, plus eight top-five finishes and 11 top 10s in 11 starts.

Stats for Steven Hilliker's season are harder to come by. At the time of this post, we've confirmed at least three feature wins for Steven at Mid-Michigan Raceway Park.

The accomplishment by the Hilliker family is impressive, even on an individual basis. Winning Track Championships is something many drivers will never accomplish. The ability to win four as a family, however, is something we may never see again, and if we do, it could be a long while down the road.