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Billy Liles
 
08-06-06
  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.
1985 Liles at Gainesville, FL
Winter Series Warm-Up
1985 NMA Nationals
Ponca City, OK
2006 Loretta Lynn's Nationals
Liles (center) with his wife
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