My Dream: What goes up . . .

[Times photo: James Borchuck] Billy Wood, left, jumps to pass another motocross rider during practice at a new track south of Sunshine Speedway in Pinellas County.

Interview by JOHN BARRY
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 18, 2002

At the ripe old age of 24, Billy Wood of Zephyrhills is running out of time and unfractured appendages in his struggle to become king of the hill in motocross.

I've broken a bunch of bones. Both my legs. Both my arms. My wrists on both hands. Five ribs. My back. Plus countless concussions. Injuries like that are just the background of this sport.

The bike I ride now is a YZ250E Yamaha. Every year a bike comes out that's faster than every other bike, and this is it. I've had it about nine months. I have a friend, Randy Nace, who's a former Marine, who buys the bikes. He used to be my neighbor where I live in Zephyrhills. He's my sponsor. A motorcycle like that costs about five grand.

When I'm not racing, I work for my dad's construction company. His name is Bob Wood, and I'm his foreman. We also put on Joe Bob's Fight Night. That's a Tough Man contest. I don't fight, I just set the ring up.

I'm single, but that's about to change. I'm engaged. My fiancee's name is Carrie Florer. She's scared of me getting hurt. I don't want to get hurt either, but the sport involves not being scared.

I started riding when I was 6, on a Honda three-speed. Now, I'm 24. That's getting old for motocross. At my age, if something doesn't happen in the next couple of years, then it's just for fun.

Now, I'm about to go to Bud's Creek, Md., for the Chevy Truck Nationals. It's part of a national series of races. Only the best riders in the world go. That's what I want -- to win there. They have a 40-rider gate, and they only take 12 riders into the final program.

I've been in them before, and made it all the way to the Sunday programs, but never to the main show.

I just messed up and wrecked.

- My Dream is a feature in which people discuss their goals and aspirations. It appears on Saturdays in Floridian.

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