Catching Up with Willy Simons - Dirt Rider Magazine

Willy Sr. in position to send Willy Jr. over the berm. Willy Jr., I hope you did all your chores!

Willy Simons graced the cover of Dirt Rider's premiere issue, has been on the cover more times than anyone except Jeremy McGrath, and not only that, talked to me when I ran into him recently at Piru MX. I thought I'd let our more `mature' readers catch up with Willy Simons, and at the same time introduce the young whippersnapper readers to a guy that had a very interesting career and has some very solid advice to pass on to anyone who someday hopes to be a star, and maybe, someday, join the ranks of motocross and off-road greats and be on a Dirt Rider cover.Shoot Cover, Rinse, Repeat - Willy has been on, by his estimation, 35-40 Dirt Rider covers. He's actually been on so many he's lost count. That's not nearly so surprising when you learn Willy was a sort of motocross supermodel. Back in the 80s (the years, not the bikes), Willy was 'discovered' by Ken Vreeke, who was then a road race guy but would often be found at the Southern California motocross races. Well, guess who was winning those races? That's right "Silly Willy" Simons. Ken got Willy started on a journey that made him a photo model for everything from magazine covers, magazine tests, dirt bike brochures, street bike brochures, jet ski brochures, wet bike brochures (remember those?!) and a major ad campaign for Kawasaki's 650 "Water Pistol" that got Willy into mainstream magazines (yes, there are other magazines other than your beloved Dirt Rider).A Motocross Racer Races - But motocross isn't about looking good (or riding jet skis), it's about racing, and Willy did plenty of that, too. Willy raced selected nationals, mostly in the 500 (that's a 500 two-stroke!) class. Willy was fast enough to get support rides and sponsors, but never got the full factory ride. He rode for Honda and Yamaha, and was actually the Doug Dubach of his day - racing and testing for Yamaha. Willy made the top ten numerous times, but it was a different sport then, and even with those strong finishes it was hard to make ends meet. But the fame he was garnering from all the covers and brochures allowed him to race all over the world. With start money being offered, Willy made a career of traveling to and racing in places such as Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, New Zealand, Australia, Panama, The Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, to name more than a few. Roger DeCoster hooked Willy up with a promoter that got Willy invited over to England to compete in a "Run the Gauntlet" event - which consisted of racing motocross, jet skis, dune buggies, boats, and running - a whole assortment of competitions in a made-for-television spectacle. Willy was living a life of adventure.Injury Forces Sale - Willy's pro career took a sharp detour when he broke his back on May 28, 1988. He was not paralyzed, and has recovered fully, but the injury was a set back and a wake up call. Willy was 28 years old and had to find a new way to make a living. Motocross couldn't pay the bills, but roofing could. After he'd healed (it took almost a full year) Willy took over a roofing business in 1989 and built it into a successful venture that he still runs to this day. While Willy built that business, he stayed off a bike. In fact, he didn't even sit on a bike for ten years. He always missed it, and would stay current by reading motorcycle magazines and newspapers, but he never rode. He also got into some real estate deals with a good friend of his - Jim Holley. So he was never far from the sport.

How many kids get to race dad through the whoops?

Boy Meets Girl - Then Willy met a girl. Wouldn't you know it, one of her hobbies was off road riding. So naturally, they got married. They now have a son and a daughter, Willy Jr. (9 years old) and Brooke (5 years old). Can this guy's life be more charmed? Yeah, it can - his wife bought him a bike. Willy was back.Boy Meets Bike, Again - Willy's old racing buddies were thrilled to have him back, and tried to get Willy into Gran Prix racing. Willy wasn't interested. Yeah, sure. Willy is now a 6-time AMA District 37 Grand Prix Champion. His bike of choice these days is a YZ250 two-stroke, but he's been eyeing the 450's and is probably going to be on a four-stoke soon.Willy Jr. Has a Motocross Hero - When Willy Jr. was five, he got the chance to meet one of his heroes, Jeremy McGrath, at the track one day. Jeremy picked Willy Jr. up and asked him, "How are you, little buddy?" Willy Jr.'s response was, in typical five-year-old bravado, "You know my dad can beat you." Willy Jr.'s real hero was good old dad.Sage Advice - Willy Sr. didn't come this far without learning a few things, and he had some advice for upcoming pro racers. He says don't worry about the money you're going to make, do it for the good of the sport and because you love it. Willy feels Ricky Carmichael is so great because he loves racing and doesn't want to lose. Young guys today are getting into the sport because of the money, but to succeed with a motocross career you have to be in it because you really love the sport.Dad Advice - Willy also had some advice to moto-dads. He suggests dads of racers let their kids go at their own pace, and that their main role should be to offer guidance, not pressure. Today's parents push kids too hard. Willy doesn't tell his kids they're going riding - he just tells them that he's going, and invites them to join him. There's no pressure to ride or perform, just an invite to go have some fun with mom and dad.Willy has some current sponsors he wanted to thank, and some sponsors from his pro racing days that stuck with him then, so he's sticking with them now - O'Neal, Holley Racing, Simi Cycles, Scott goggles, and Arai helmets.Willy races today for the same reason he raced back in the day. He does it for the love of the sport. But that dude sure gets a lot of press, doesn't he?