Billy Schlag

 

Billy 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 original 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 compete in, 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 racecourse 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 looked 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/ Sprint Enduro- 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.

Creating a NEW SERIES:

PRESS RELEASE

US SPRINT ENDURO is here to Answer the Call!

Mechanicsville, Maryland – USA – January 11, 2021

A new Sprint Enduro Series has arrived! US Sprint Enduro, a race division of Trail Pros; Track/Trail Construction/ Race Promoter of the Sprint Cross Country Series (SXCS) ™ is excited to announce its decision to develop an AMA Featured Series US Sprint Enduro.

This new series is an answer to the call to fill a recently created void in the race circuit. On December 18th Billy Schlag, founder of Trail Pros/ SXCS received a call from AMA Off-Road Manager, Erek Kudla.  “I received a call from Erek asking if we, SXCS would be interested in hosting one of the 2021 ISDE Qualifier’s, I didn’t hesitate for the opportunity! I quickly made some phone calls – one of which was to the great folks at Moree’s Sportsman Preserve in Society Hill, South Carolina and set the wheels in motion with my team. Before the phone calls were even completed the announcement came out from Jason Hooper that the Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series would no longer exist however he was open to offers. I made a decision to give it a go and came up with two scenarios – #1 to purchase FGSE or #2 to start a new series and call it US Sprint Enduro. I quickly contacted Hooper for details and in the meantime, I contacted landowners, racers and sponsors telling them all along that we were going to have a Sprint Enduro Series we just weren’t sure if it would be FGSE or US Sprint Enduro. I made Jason an offer – as it was a series that I myself had run since its beginnings in 2014 – I am the only racer to not miss a test in all its years and have earned multiple Championships in the series… so as you can imagine it holds a special place with me and I genuinely wanted to see it continue. Time was running out – racers needed a series and we would have a little over two months to plan. Unfortunately, Jason and I could not come to an agreement and I asked him to be specific and let me know what he wanted for the series however he never responded with that figure. I had to make the decision to start up a new AMA Featured Sprint Enduro Series and decided on US Sprint Enduro.” Schlag stated.

US Sprint Enduro will be a 6 round series in 2021 with its Inaugural round to be held at the GTR Complex in Gaston, SC on February 27 – 28. Kenda Tires will be its official and exclusive tire and they are pleased to announce them as US Sprint Enduro’s Title Sponsor!

“I have also had many conversations with some of the top manufactures whom have committed to be at our races along with their top racers! As you can imagine things are moving very quickly and we are working hard to get all the details out to the racers and fans. A new website is being created which will have everything you will need to know to get ready to race with US SPRINT ENDURO in 2021!” Schlag added.

US Sprint Enduro – a series brought to you by Trail Pros. USSPRINTENDURO.COM

UPDATE: US Sprint Enduro has quickly become the Premier Sprint Enduro Series in America. AMA Sanctioned and Charted, USSE became a Regional in 2022 yet garners National exposure and top-level competition from across the Country. US Sprint Enduro is now an integral part of the AMA US ISDE Team prep and an asset to the scope and development for the future of the US Team.

SPRINT ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Trail Pros started the Worlds 1st Sprint Enduro World Championship!

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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.

 

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)
• 2021 Trail Pros starts a new race series US SPRINT ENDURO (USSE)
• 2022 Trail Pros forms the Worlds 1st Sprint Enduro World Championship! (SEWC)