Billy Nelson Earns His Pro License

By Theodore Nelson Sr.
Contributing Writer

Since May 4, Billy Nelson set his sights on becoming the first pro Seminole motocross rider.

On Sept. 28, he earned the points he needed to race in the pro indoor, known as supercross, and pro outdoor , known as motocross, seasons.

From January through April of this year, Nelson had to undergo rehabilitation for a shoulder surgery with one thought on his mind — to get his pro icense. His relentless training both on the track and in the gym paid off as Nelson became a physically stronger and faster on his model CRF450 R Honda dirtbike/motorcycle.

Nelson traveled as far away as Minnesota and spent about three weeks on the road attending various National Pro-Am races. This competition brought out the best in the nation and every rider had the same professional license goal in mind.

Nelson will now only compete in professional division races in 2009. Some of the tentative indoor supercross scheduled races include stops in Daytona, Fla., Atlanta, New Orleans and Las Vegas. Tentative outdoor motocross venues include Freestone County Raceway in Wortham, Texas, High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Penn., Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, Colo., Red Bud Track & Trail in Buchanan, Miss., Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Md., Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, N.Y., Spring Creek Motocross Park in Millville, Minn., Motocross 338 in Southwick, Mass., and Steel City Raceway in Export, Penn.

When Nelson is not competing in the pro schedule, he said he plans to bring a motocross school to Seminole Tribe Motocross in Big Cypress in 2009. The school will be free to Tribal citizens. There will be more information to come.

Nelson’s sponsors include: Seminole Sports Management, Hollywood Tribal Council Rep. Max Osceola, Chairman Mitchell Cypress, Big Cypress Tribal Council Rep. David Cypress, the Tribal Council, Doug Harvey Shocks, Joe Ross (mechanic), WMI Racing, FMF Racing, Seminole Tribe Motocross. He thanks Greg Barker, Jack Gorton, Moses “Bigg” Jumper Jr., his mom and dad and many others for believing in him and helping him achieve the level of success he has today.