3/5/2008 10:30:00 AM Wilson's dad sells off car, bike to help finance racing
* Photo by Michael Troutman/Red Bull Rookies Cup.
Red Bull is supplying all the equipment, but Toriano Wilson still needs cash to fly into the various venues of the nine-race series from Bermuda.
Motorcycle ace Toriano Wilson may be a star of the future. But his dad Dennis 'Chicken' Wilson is more worried about right now.
Chicken, himself a former motor racing champ, has sold his car and one of his own bikes and moved back in with his ex in order to help cover the expenses of travelling to and from the Red Bull Rookies Cup events.
Wilson, 13, won a place in the prestigious series with title sponsor Red Bull covering the cost of his bike, his gear, his mechanics and his coaching.
But Wilson senior, who has seven kids, and his family have to cover the rest of the costs,
Pleas to Government for assistance have fallen on deaf ears with a curt "we have nothing for you at this time" response coming from the sports department.
And Wilson says his son may have to miss some races on the series, which also includes talented young riders from Brazil, Argentina and across the States.
In the short term he plans to fly to New York with his son and drive cross country to the events, which take place all over America, in order to save on air fares.
But long-term he admits he may have to try and move to the States to make it happen.
Right now he's disillusioned with the sports funding process after making a written submission to Government, which got no response. When he followed up with a phone call he says he was told there were no funds available for his son.
"I really don't get it. Red Bull's gone and put the Bermuda flag on the front of his bike. He's representing his country. I don't see why he should be representing his country when his country ain't doing nothing for him.
"We may be able to get a couple of sponsors overseas but they don't want to be turning up at the airport when he does well."
The nine stops on the race calendar are all linked to official 2008 AMA Superbike and MotoGP events, and will see Wilson travel to the best tracks in the States to compete on the same race card as some of the current stars of motor racing.
Even the first testing sessions last week at the Laguna Seca Motorsports Park in Monterey, California, were a 'mind blowing' experience, says Wilson.
"I've never been to anything like that. The bikes alone and the type of set up they have there - It's a world class programme.
"These are not second rate riders. The kid that finished just behind Toriano, is well-known throughout the states. The guy who was third - Nicky Hayden, his cousin is a former world champion.
"Some of them are being sponsored for thousands of dollars."
But he accepted he could not expect financial support from Government and insisted he would 'find a way' to help his son get to every race.
"I already sold my car and one of my race bikes. I can't say anything. I can't expect them to help me. If they choose to help they choose to help.
"If we have to do it on our own we'll do it on our own. He may have to miss a couple of events.
"Government has shown they will sponsor teams but they are not showing they will sponsor individuals who have proven they have talent.
"The teams are not giving the type of showing that individual athletes are showing, I think Flora Duffy (World Cup triathlete) is struggling in the same way and I believe her family has more money than we do.
"I've got seven kids. I don't want to get behind on my child support.
"We are making a lot of sacrifices, I don't expect anybody to do anything for us but it would be nice if they did.
"We'll find a way, because we believe in his talent."
Good luck young Mr. Wilson! I hope that someone within the sports ministry opens their eyes and does the right thing by you.
It's a shame that a country which is so willing & ready to funnel millions of dollars into sports where there is no real expectation of the teams winning consistently on the world stage do so, but yet will not even consider underwriting individual talent where there is real promise of succeeding. However the moment that an individual attains celebrity status or recogintion within their field, the Bermuda Government will readily jump to claim that person as "one of our very own". Get real Bermuda!!!
