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Billy Liles - In 1982, when Kawasaki Team Green
was born, Billy Liles, from Fairburn, Georgia, was one
of two original team members. He was with Team Green for
3 years.
At the NMA Amateur Nationals in Ponca City, Oklahoma, he
won the 250 class for 4 consecutive years and won the
125 class, stock and mod. His last year to compete at
Loretta's was in 2004. In October of 1982, Liles won the
250 MX aboard his Kawsaki at T-USA at New Berlin, NY.
Then in 1983, Liles won the AMA 250 Pro National at Lake
Whitney in Texas. This was the last pro national to be
held there. Also in 1983, he was the 250 AMA Rookie of
the Year. In 1992, when Damon Bradshaw, Jeff Stanton,
Mike Kiedrowski and Team Manager, Roger DeCoster refused
to compete in the Motocross des Nations. It was the so
called "B" team that traveled to Australia composed of
Billy Liles, Jeff Emig, Mike LaRocco and Team Manager
Roy Jansen that brought the USA its 12th straight
Motocross des Nations win and final win for several
years to come.
He also finished 3rd in 1992 in the 500cc MX World
Championship. As an 18 year old, Liles drove a new
Porshe, owned a house with 60 acres of land and made
more than $100,000 a year.
For six consecutive seasons, he finished in the top 8 in
the world. For eight years, he lived in Italy, Belgium
and England. Mechanical problems and a broken leg kept
him from first place. He also has seven national dirt
track titles. Liles, who has been around racing for 37
years, currently works in a motorcycle dealership
(Performance Motorcycles) owned by Jimmie Johnson and
Hendrick's Motorsports in Charlotte, North Carolina. |