Camilo Gomez

Age: 18

Hometrack: MTF or Randy Yoho's pit

His triumphant smile widened when asked if those Columbians party a lot. "When I was young, all of my friends used to ride, and then they all turned 16 and they could drive, and they switched sports," Camilo Gomez was born in Columbia, South America and came to America in 2003 to race motocross. With the help of Vince DeVane, Camilo was able to move to Florida, where he currently lives. A recent comeback from an injured shoulder has Camilo at the front of the pack, and the determined Honda rider qualified second in MX Lites B Mod and Motocross B Mod at the Southeast Region Area Qualifier in March.

FLmx: How do you feel after the Loretta's qualifier at Reddick?

CG: I did okay on Saturday. I fell a lot; it had been a while since I rode in mud. On Sunday in the mod classes, it was a lot better. I rode my practice bikes since my mod bikes weren't ready yet. It was good for my first race back. I had only been on the bike for 3 days.

FLmx: Why were you riding your practice bikes?

CG: My mod bikes were getting done for Whitney. When I decided not to go, they stopped working on them just because we didn't need them to be ready yet. I didn't need them for the qualifier; it was a mud fest anyway.

FLmx: Why did you decided not to go to Whitney?

CG: It was right after the qualifier. I didn't want to go and just do horrible. I didn't feel good enough to go ride a national yet. I didn't feel ready.

FLmx: Where have you been in the past year?

CG: I got hurt right before Christmas. I was at MTF training and I crashed and dislocated my shoulder, so that kept me out for six weeks. I came back and raced the last Gatorback race and got third in 250B class, and the week after that, I went back to MTF to get ready for Texas and fell over and got a level 2 shoulder separation. I'm still doing therapy. I waited six weeks, when I could have been back on the bike in three weeks, but I didn't want to have that, how everybody just pops it out and pops it back in, I didn't want to have it like that. I waited a couple more weeks. It's good now.

FLmx: Do you have a nickname?

CG: I would say Gomez, or Papi.

FLmx: How was life in Columbia? When did you start riding?

CG: It was good. I didn't start riding until 2003. I learned on my friend's bike, who lived next door to me when I was 5 years, but I never got my own until 2002. I trained over there and the same stuff as here, but I went to school and just rode in the afternoon. The tracks are okay-they're not that good.

FLmx: When did you move to Florida?

CG: I moved over here in 2003 after Vince DeVane went down to Columbia to teach a class, and while he was down there, we talked a lot. He taught me a lot and told me to come over here and ride. Then we came and he was here, and he showed us around, hooked us up with riding spots, and took us out to private tracks. I came and never went back.

FLmx: Where do you live now?

CG: My house is in Ocala, but I'm an MTF rider so I'm pretty much up their all the time. On the weekends, I'm down here just because we don't ride on the weekends, unless there's a race I'm racing.

FLmx: What do you think of MTF?

CG: It's really, really nice.

FLmx: Do you think you have an advantage now living in Florida?

CG: Yes, I do. There are a lot of places to ride, and I love the sand and the heat.

FLmx: Have you been back to Columbia?

CG: I went back one time. I never went back to live down there. It's just fun to go back once and a while, but I like it better over here just because of the sport.

FLmx: What is the hardest thing about motocross for you?

CG: Everything is hard in motocross. I would say the hardest thing is putting perfect and consistent rides together.

FLmx: How about your support team, how do they help you the most?

CG: You can't get anywhere in this sport by yourself. I think the support is really important. My mom helps me getting the goggles ready, walking me to the line and prepping my gate when George is not there, and driving me to the races. She used to sign me up but she can't any more because I am 18. My little brother helps me out watching the other riders and telling me lines. He's the one who yells at me. My girlfriend doesn't like me getting second, she only likes first.

FLmx: Who is your mechanic?

CG: George Babor at BPM Racing "Jorge"

FLmx: Are you a good mechanic?

CG: Yeah, I can keep my bike running I would say.

FLmx: Your family is pretty involved, do they make you nervous?

CG: Yes, they are really involved but they don't make me nervous. They are all having fun.

FLmx: Do you have any special rituals when you ready for a race?

CG: I stretch my fore arms a lot. That's the only one.

FLmx: What's one bad habit you've had to break?

CG: Eating candy or ice cream. A racing one will be taking the whole stack of tear offs off at once.

FLmx: What is your favorite thing about the races?

CG: The people and the adrenaline.

FLmx: Worst place on Earth?

CG: I don't have one. I like it everywhere.

FLmx: Do you have any other talents or hobbies?

CG: Building stuff and driving tractors.

FLmx: What is the most embarrassing thing about you?

CG: I don't know, probably when I mix Spanish with English

FLmx: Where will you be in 5 years?

CG: I want to be on a pro team and inside the top 10.

FLmx: When are you planning to move up to the A class?

CG: After Mini O's. I really want to do well at Mini O's before moving up.

FLmx: What's next for you?

CG: We're going to Tennessee for a backup region, and the next weekend we're going to Virginia for another region. I always do three regions just in case, you never know.

FLmx: Who is in your regular crew?

CG: My mom, my little brother, Jorge at BPM and his family and Rick Slavick.

FLmx: Sponsors you would like to thank?

CG: Wyn at Performance Honda, BPM racing engines, Randy Yoho, Colleen Millsaps, Pete at MTF, Vortex, No Fear gear and especially my mom and mama Counts!