Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

dent, we felt it required updating. The last few questions were answered via phone by Liles on Thursday, September 11. Billy, you've been a top factory rider, and now you're making ends meet as a privateer. What's your game plan? The biggest thing is that I'm working towards being back on top. I was sitting high on the world when I went on the Pro circuit in '82. The following )'ear turned ou t even better as results go, and in '84 I had a really stJong year. I was looking to win a championship in '85, but I ran into a lot of injuries, and lost my factory ride in the process. So, in '86 it was like starting over. How did you put together your race program? Everybody's going after the aftermarket people for sponsorship. I feel that I do a goodjobat PR, and I think that I coulddo a great job for a sponsor if I got a ride like that. I've been training and riding extra hard, and my wife's been working with me keeping the books. Dee keeps me . going when I don't feel like going, and she keeps all 'the loose ends tied up. Can you make a living racing motocross? . This year, I'm making good money. As long as I'm getting my expenses' paid, I can makea good living (Kawasaki is giving Liles bikes, parts, and travel money in '86). If I had 'to pop for parts add expenses it would be hard to break even. That's one of the biggest problems with racing right now: Things have to be set up so that a rider can make enough to stay on the road and make a living by racing. That's the only way you can keep the talented riders on the road. Cycle News recently ran a story on two-time Grand National Champion Ricky Graham. Just like you, he had a factory ride, and now he's back out as a privateer trying to beat the factory riders. Is it possible to get another factory ride? I think so. The biggest thing is that you have to get everyone's attention all over again, In this sport everyone forgets you overnight, forgets who and what you are. One thing I learned this year is that I still get asked for autographs all the time, no matter if I'm pitted with the factory Kawasaki riders or alone by myself. I have fans all over the country, and I stay in touch with my fans. That's what keeps me going, that's what racing is all about. You'd be crazy if you didn't want to be liked at what you do best. You earned a factory ride, and then you lost it. Was it a fair decision on Kawasaki's part to drop you? I'm not going to dwell on a decision somebody else made. For whatever reasons, I was told that Kawasaki wasn't going to give me a factory ride in '86. At first I was mad, but that's nothing to be mad about. I'm going to train that much harder, and I'll be back on top. I didn't make any enemies, and I haven't done anybody wrong. After you lost your ride, you worked hard going after outside-industry sponsors. How well were you received? 1"n'hti'll trying hard. It's hard to get in the door and have someone Listen to what you have to say. I've written letters to potential sponsors, and did' ome follow-up, but had limited success. There's a spark of interest, but most of the time they bl untly tell you they don't want to mess with it. This year, you've been on your own. Do you have a di££erent opinion of the support you had in the past? The biggest thing I took for granted was all the flying. I've spent a lot of time driving this year. Last year I hopped on a plane Friday morning and was at the track Friday night. Now I have to leave Friday morning and drive through to Saturday to get to the race, and that's hard. I can respect the guys who make the whole circuit driving, but I feel I'm up for the challenge. What about your equipment? You went from factory bikes to your own machines. Does that play with your mind on the start line? Actually, I feel my 250 was faster than the factory bikes, and I'm getting a lot of help from Kawasaki with the suspension. My mechanic, Bob Pearson, did all the motor work. We spent three weeks when the season started going through the motor, and it runs well. The production rule definitely helps, but we still have to work with what we can get our hands on. What type of finishes did you have this year? I had a tough year at the supercrosses. I had a young kid working on the bikes, and I didn't have a lot of confidence at first.' I took time away from training to keep the bikes running. My best finish was a seventh at Dallas. I finished the year 13th in the series, third privateer. I finished eighth and top-privateer in the 250cc National Series, despite getting two DNFs in the opening rounds. I was seventh in the 500cc point standings, seven points down on Alan King who was top privateer. I got top 10 finishes throughout both series, alwaysa notch down from the factory series but I had top five moto finishes so I know I can do it. I felt like I was always almost there, but that I had to get back up on the victory platform with the leaders. That's tough, real tough, to do as a privateer. Billy, you've never had a "real" job outside of racing. Have you ever considered getting out of racing and going to work somewhere? I don't think that way, I have a positive attitude about racing. One way or another I'll be back on top, and I consider this a real job because I work my butt off. With training, working on bikes, and traveling, it takes a lot of work. Since you've told us you're making money racing this season, why don't you outline your support program for us? Kawasaki came through with bike, parts, and expense money. Arai helmets has been a fantastic sponsor with all the helmets I need and good contingency money. Scon USA stood behind me, with or without the factory ride, with good products and contingency money. Gear Racewear gave me a good deal and Sidi boots backs my racing. Spectro Oils have been at all the races, and they take care of me. Pro Circuit supplies me with pipes; whatever I need they whip it out. Sidewinder and Krause Racing help me with sprockets and chains. It's nice to know that even when people don't have a lot to offer, they always come up with something, and that helps a bunch. You're hunting for another factory ride, but budgets are very tight at the factories. Just what do you feel is . available? At some of the factories, the riders are getting 200,000 to 300,000 dollars, but there are only a couple of riders on the team. That really hurts a bunch of us guys. You could break the salary of one guy into two riders with trucks or support rides. You can't go racing without a job and make it without some support. I'd love to get back inside a factory and ride, but racing on my own has been a great experience. If I can run with the factory guvs, it'll put me back where I want to be: Back in line for another ride. Can you be as competitive at motocross as Ricky Graham is as a privateer on the Camel Pro circuit? I used to race qui te a bi t of fla t track, and it's a different sport. There are probably 20 guys who can win a race, because the Harleys and the Hondas are fairly equal. Short track equipment stays relatively the same, while MX equipment improves by leaps . and bounds each year. In motocross you have to keep trying new stuff all the time to stay on top. And that's what I'm doing,justfighting back to get on top. After the Nationals finished here, you went to Europe. Tell us about that. Bob (Pearson, Liles' mechanic) and I flew to Italy and the first race I tqok part in was a 500cc International race in Italy. I got fourth. Then we were in that car accident and Bob was killed. I suffered a concussion and was beaten up pretty bad but I wanted to get my head off the tragedy and so I raced the next day in an International Supercross in Italy and won it. I then spent a day trying to work things out with getting Bob's body back to Georgia and I ended up missing some flights to Sweden and arrived too late to race there. The promoter had told me he'd have a private jet there to fly me to Holland for a race. on Sunday, the accident happened on Wednesday, but I got bumped from Billy ~iles. ~ that flight because the promoter had a lot of friends with him. What with all that had happened, I said the hell with it and didn't try to get to Holland on a commercial flight. Even if I had arrived there I would have been late and I know they would have given the works bike to someone else. You flew home after missing the Dutch race. We know things have been tough, but how are you taking it? I spent the last few days getting my head together. I've spent a lot of time with my family and with BC'lb's family. I'm leaving for a race Saturday (September 13) the day of Bob's fun'era!. That migtlt sound like I don't care, but my family and Bob's family know better. I said my good-byes to Bob the best I can, but rather than relive ,the experience at the funeral, it's time to go racing. If I know Bob, he'll want to be sitting up there watching me kick butt. And that's what I'm going to do for him. We heard you were being offered a ride for the GPs in Europe next year. I have an offer to ride the 500 GPs from Kawasaki Italy, but I'm still weighing some offers to race here in the States. We'll have to wait and see how they pan out. I'll be racing in Europe through October 12 and I should know more about my 1987 plans when I get back. Like always, you'll be the first to know. • 1986 Unadilla Motocross Grand Prix.

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