Alabama State Champion racer finds home at Phenix City Motocross

PHENIX CITY, AL. (WRBL) — Grey clouds filled the sky, creating a dim sort of gloom and a stark contrast to the red-brown dirt hills. On the top of the nearest hill stood a man in all black, eyes focused straight ahead.

The whir of a motor filled the otherwise quiet area. Seemingly out of nowhere, a single rider crested the opposing hill. Impossible not to spot in his blue gear atop an orange dirt bike, the rider caught air before landing at the base of the hill and riding away in a spray of sandy clay.

“Got it. Cleared, man,” said the man in black, almost to himself. The rider, Levi Wilson of Beauregard, Ala., sped off down the track for another go around.

Watching his relentless laps around the track, it was clear to see the rider had put in hours of practice before becoming a motocross state champion in his age group during the 2023 season.

But watching from such a distance, it was hard to tell Levi Wilson is just 11 years old.

He stands just about 4 feet tall, weighs 75 pounds and already has 12 sponsorships from brands like Dunlop, A-1 Racing Products and more.

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His dad, Jeremy Wilson, the man in black, remembers the first time he brought Levi to Phenix City Motocross almost three years ago. Levi was only eight years old then.

“I was blind walking into this,” Jeremy said, explaining he didn’t have any experience in motocross before his son took interest.

After reaching out to Phenix City Motocross Track Operator Warren Tyson on Facebook, Levi’s father brought his son out to the track for the first time.

Jeremy chuckled, recalling how different things were then. He said, “We brought him over here with blue jeans and mud boots. That’s a good story.”

Now, Levi has a full motocross kit and rides an 85cc KTM bike. According to his dad, the 11-year-old has only spent a handful of hours practicing with his current bike but it was hard to tell.

Levi upgraded from a 65cc bike a few months ago because he’ll be entering a new age division next year when he turns 12. It will require competitors to use 85cc dirt bikes and Levi’s getting in his practice early.

“It’s a lot different,” said Levi, standing next to the bike, which stands nearly as tall as he does propped up on its stand.

He continued, “The suspension is just – it handles a lot better than my smaller bike and so it’s a lot easier.”

But Levi’s new suspension is better than stock – it’s custom.

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As his father explained, Atlanta-based A-1 Racing Products reached out to him last year asking for his son’s weight with and without his motocross gear to give Levi a suspension made just for him for a reduced price and sponsorship privileges.

It’s sponsorships from A-1 and other brands, like one from Jeremy’s employer Carolina Handling, which helps the family finance Levi’s competitions. His new bike cost just about $4,000 to get race-ready and, with gear-included, that total is closer to $10,000. Plus, competing for championships means there are additional maintenance costs and race fees to cover.

Although the custom bike and sponsorships help, Levi’s success may also be the result of a firm grasp of the basics. The Wilson family made Levi take just under 10 total instructional classes taught by motocross champion Karl Scott at Tyson’s track.

He took beginner, intermediate and advanced courses three times each, his father said. On top of that, Levi spends three to four hours most weekdays practicing at Phenix City Motocross under the supervision of his parents and Tyson, also a former motocross racer.

Tyson has roughly 65 acres and multiple tracks on his land. He built his first track in 2010 while laying in a hospital bed, recovering from a broken pelvis from a dirt bike accident.

In 2017, Tyson built his most popular track – the All Star Track – named after its ability to cater to racers of all speeds, ages and abilities. Tyson also has a supercross track, peewee track and a high-difficulty pro track which is rarely in use these days due to its sandy construction.

One of the advantages to the All Star Track is that Tyson built it by digging up the dirt on his property and using the underlayers of clay to stabilize mounds. The longest jump on the All Star Track is about 100 feet long. Jumps on Tyson’s pro track can be as long as 130 feet.

A clay track also means it is able to be used in less-than-ideal weather conditions, like misty mornings. It also makes the track perfect for a mud run which Tyson plans to host come spring. Last time he hosted a mud run at the track in 2021, nearly 1,400 people showed up.

On opening day for this racing season, after a short period of shut down following the end of the 2023 season for resurfacing, Tyson estimates about 30 to 40 riders came out to practice at Phenix City Motocross.

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But walking around the All Star Track that January morning watching Levi alongside with Jeremy and his two track dogs, Ryder and Sprocket, Tyson said there was one thing that really made the whole business worthwhile.

“Just watching kids like Levi come out and start at an intermediate level or introductory level and then go and win a championship at their prospective class,” Tyson said.

And Levi has his sights set on more wins, despite some scary moments in 2023.

His mother, Tina Wilson, recalls one race where her son’s bike toppled on him during a race, the spikes on its footpegs sticking into his knee.

Though Levi said he was in pain, he got back on the bike and finished the race to avoid a DNF, which would’ve negatively impacted his season score.

Levi’s next competition will be in late February, kicking off the 2024 season which will go until December.

The young racer said, “The goal now is to just travel and see what else we can win and stuff.”

Until the 2024 season begins, Levi will continue to practice at Phenix City Motocross under Tyson’s watchful eye.

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