Billy Schlag

 

Billy Schlag started riding dirt bikes at the age of 6 when his parents surprised him with a shiny yellow 79′ Suzuki JR 50 on Christmas day. It was an unseasonably mild day in Southern Maryland – the perfect sort of day to get a present like a shiny new dirt bike and it was on that day that he automatically took to it – standing up with his feet firmly on the pegs, exploring the front yard from his new vantage point. Little did he or his family know how impactful this gift would be and what journeys it would lead to… A few months later Billy’s father was transferred to Louisiana for work. Once settled in, Billy’s mother decided she would look for a place that she could take Billy riding. She called a motocross track and they told her Billy could ride there that weekend. Her plan was to take Billy herself because Billy’s dad – being an avid fisherman wanted to go fishing, however last minute he changed his mind so they packed up the family station wagon with that little yellow dirt bike in the back and headed for Hideaway Raceway. When they arrived and unloaded they found that this was not just a play ride day – this was an actual race – so they decided to enter him in his first Motocross race – wearing tuffskins and cowboy boots he brought home his first win! He and his family had been hooked – they sold the boat and started a racing career…

Billy rose in the amateur ranks and won multiple titles along the way. Schlag raced many of the top series and special events always searching for the top in competition – he even raced the very first Lorretta Lynn Amateur National on a 50.  He’s proud to have earned the Steve McQueen Award in the Mid-Atlantic Motocross Association Series and was a Team Green Racer from 1983-1992. Billy held a Professional Motocross license from 1991 – 2004 running numbers 84, 87 & 101. He raced along side many of the greats in the 90’s and is part of a unique crop of racers from that era.

During his professional motocross racing career Schlag started building motocross tracks, equestrian trails even a vineyards as well as recreational areas for people as well as coaching riders and also started a landscape and snow removal business. The earning potential in racing as a privateer at the time was pretty minimal however he wasn’t ready to quit racing and certainly wasn’t interested in a 9-5 job so starting his own business was key to be able to still afford to race. After some years he turned his focus more to his business and took a break from racing – occasionally he would hit a local motocross race but nothing serious.

In 2013 he started to become interested in off-road and decided to get back into racing. Being a motocross racer all of his life and now taking on this new discipline of motorcycle racing has given him more fulfillment than he could have ever imagined. He regrets that he was not open minded to this type of racing in his youth. He now takes his motocross focus and speed to endurance woods as well as Sprint racing and while it has been a challenge and quite a learning curve, it has provided a fun challenge and that is what keeps him pushing forward. In 2014 he raced a new series that was a sprint format which he really took to and earned a 1st place in the Open A class – this would be the beginning of a new stage in his racing highlights.

He closed 2015, 2016 and 2017 on a positive note – earning the Championship in the GNCC (Grand National Cross Country three hour endurance races) in the 40+A class as well as the Championship in the Full Gas Sprint Enduro in the Open A Class!… In 2018 Billy self promoted in the FGSE to Pro 2 and earned a 3rd in the Championship which is phenomenal at his age against the competition in that class! In 2019 the FGSE added a Pro/Am Class – Billy raced his way to the Championship with many tight battles – He is very proud of that 1st Place Spot!

Promoter? In 2016 his wife, Nancy had mentioned to him that a race that she would compete in locally called the “Hangover Hare Scramble” was not on any schedule – usually different clubs would hold in the first Sunday in the new year – it was actually quite iconic in the Washington D.C. area and had been going on since the 60’s. It was an off-road race that she would do and Billy would support her at. She was pretty upset that it was looking like it wasn’t going to happen. Billy decided to promote the race and build the race course and the race went on! It was a great success as he crafted 10 miles of trails for the competition to compete on. He would go on to promote it as a one off race in 2016 – 2017 and 2018.

In 2018 while planning the 2019 Hangover Hare Scramble he decided to create the SPRINT CROSS COUNTRY SERIES (SXCS) and make the HHS round 1 of an 8 round series.

Schlag’s vision for SXCS would be unique in the way of taking elements of different disciplines and blending them in one Championship Series. With his motocross past and thoughts of wishing he had gotten more opportunities to try off-road when he was younger – he looks to promote more cross-over racing. The SXCS series has Cross Country racing, which is primarily a woods race (flowy Schlag style) and GP racing, which is a combination of woods and moto in 2 30 minute motos as well as Sprint Cross – which is just you against the clock on two different courses, one woods and one fields.

The 2019 SXCS series was a huge success and the best parts of the series were truly the people that help to put it all together as well as the feedback from the racers. The season ended with a fun ride day and banquet bbq complete with Series Championship Award Presentations!

In 2020 the series grew to 9 rounds offering:  3 Cross Country – 3 GP and 3 Sprint Cross – for a more complete Championship series.

Billy Schlag’s long history in racing that started with a shiny yellow dirt bike has come full circle. As he now looks to provide well thought out professional race courses to encourage riding and racing from Motocross and Off-Road backgrounds. He builds courses that he, himself would enjoy to race and he spends countless hours in his process of making sure all aspects are as they should be for a successful and fun event.

He is not finished racing as he heads into the 2020 race season himself!

Honorable Mentions: 

• 2015 Trail Pros team wins in the North East 24hr Challenge Race (Sportsman Class)
• 2015 GNCC Senior A Champion
• 2015 Full Gas Sprint Enduro Open A Champion
• 2016 Trail Pros team wins in the North East 24hr Challenge Race (Sportsman Class)
• 2016 GNCC Senior A Champion
• 2016 Full Gas Sprint Enduro Open A Champion
• 2016 Trail Pros puts on the Hangover Hare Scramble
• Billy was honored to be one six nominees for the 2016 American Motorcyclist Vet/Senior Racer of the Year! 
• 2016 Awarded Series Ambassador for the Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series
• 2017 Trail Pros team wins in the North East 24hr Challenge Race (Premier Class)
• 2017 GNCC Senior A Champion
• 2017 Full Gas Sprint Enduro Open A Champion
• 2017 Trail Pros puts on the Hangover Hare Scramble
• 2018 Full Gas Sprint Enduro 3rd in Pro 2
• 2018 Trail Pros puts on the Hangover Hare Scramble
• 2019 Full Gas Sprint Enduro Pro/Am Champion
• 2019 Trail Pros launches the 8 round Sprint Cross Country Series (SXCS)
• 2020 Trail Pros returns with the 9 round Sprint Cross Country Series (SXCS)

 

2020 Personal Race Sponsors