RACER PROFILE: BILL INGERSOLL

RACER PROFILE: BILL INGERSOLL

A tale of tragedy, overcoming the odds and inspiring others By the staff of Dirt Wheels

Like all of us, Bill Ingersoll was born with dirt, sweat and cold steel intertwined in his DNA. Racing is genetic for Ingersoll passed down from his grandfather, it quickly became a way of life. When Ingersoll’s love for ATV racing took a traumatic turn due to a life-threatening injury that left him paralyzed, the road ahead appeared impassable. This is Bill’s story, which he tells in the hope that it will inspire others to climb back up on that seat, grab hold of the bars and continue to live life to the fullest.

Dirt Wheels: How did you get into ATV racing? 

Bill Ingersoll: I started out riding dirt bikes. I idolized my grandfather, who competed in enduros in the 1970s and ’80s. He taught me to ride, and coached me along the way. I loved dirt bikes, but all of my friends were on quads. So, in 1999, I got a new Honda TRX400EX. I was hooked, and quads piqued my interest while attending local races. They were all so unique compared to dirt bikes. You never really saw a production quad at a motocross track, and I loved the idea of building them as much as racing them. 

DW: What was your first ATV race? 

BI: My first race on a quad was in September of 2001 at Royal Mountain Supercross in Caroga Lake, New York. I got last, but I loved it. We didn’t have lots of money when it came to funding my racing, so I raced a mostly stock Honda 400EX until 2004 when I was able to afford a new Yamaha YFZ450. The 450 was the change I needed, and I excelled at the more technical aspects of racing MX. 2007 was a great year; I won around 13 of 15 races. I planned on racing the full national series from that point, so I spent most of 2008 getting everything I needed to put out a good effort at the national level in 2009. I decided in August of 2008 that I would enter a local race just to get my setup dialed in for the upcoming season. I ended up in a bad crash that left me paralyzed. 

DW: Tell us about your injury and how it happened.

BI: I was in practice prior to our first moto. I went to pass another rider over a step-up jump that had gotten really grooved out from dirt bikes. Another rider and I ended up drifting together, and I landed on him mid-air, turning my quad upside down. I bailed, landing butt first and crushing my L1 vertebrae. I distinctly remember seeing my feet in the air and feeling the numbness in my toes, stopping just below my ribs. I dragged myself off the track in immense pain. Once to safety, I laid on the side of the track with the grim realization that my life as I knew it was over.

DW: What was recovery like?

BI: After several scans, doctors performed surgery to stabilize my spine by adding two titanium rods. I eventually moved from the ICU to a hospital room for around three weeks. From there I went to a specialized rehab facility in upstate New York, where I spent a couple of months relearning the basics: how to get dressed and how to use a wheelchair while focusing as much as possible on healing. With spinal cord injuries, there is always some potential for a degree of recovery, so it’s important to maximize those efforts early on with physical activity. I cannot understate the amount of emotional turmoil you endure day in and day out. I went from being a person admired for my physical ability to spending 30 minutes putting my socks on. When friends would come by to ride, I would just sit in a wheelchair in my shop at 24 years old, hearing them ride; it was emotionally painful.

DW: What drove you to race again?

BI: I knew I wanted to try to ride. I knew it was possible, but when you have a catastrophic injury like that, I had to be sensitive to my family’s concerns as well. My cousin, whom I grew up racing with, had a snowmobile. In December of 2008, he got me on the sled. I rode it just fine, and although I had no sense of balance sitting on the seat, I realized I was going to be able to ride quads again. I spent the winter exploring what quad would work best for me to ride while spending three days a week in physical therapy. In the spring of 2009, I bought a used Yamaha Wolverine 450. I made a few modifications and started riding daily. It was therapy for me at first, but I wanted more. So, just one year after my crash, I competed in the Unadilla GNCC—my first GNCC ever, with some guidance from my old friend, Ken Hill. I felt confident I could complete the race and made that my goal. I ended up finishing seventh out of 13 in the Trail Rider class. It was a huge accomplishment for me, better than any race win or anything I had experienced prior. However, in the years to follow, I was struggling to deal with life in general. In 2012, I decided to give racing a try again, but I was poorly prepared. It was a huge failure, and I just spiraled down a tough path, trying to live life without riding or racing. 

DW: What brought you back?

BI: By 2019 a lot had changed. I met my wife, who encouraged me to give it another go. In 2021 I signed up for the New York Off-road Association (NYOA) Hare Scramble in Binghamton, New York, and had a great time. I found myself again after all those years. They get great turnouts and have been very supportive of me being out there. The courses are great, and they draw in some of the fastest riders in the country as well. I can’t say enough positive things about this series—from the friendliness of those who run the series to fellow racers. 

DW: How has your racing progressed since your injury?

BI: When I was racing in 2009, I strapped myself on. I never liked this because, at that 2009 GNCC effort at Unadilla, I actually rolled on an off-camber. Fortunately, other riders helped me back on the quad and got me going again, but I knew being strapped on was far too risky. I’ve regained some hip strength and became accustomed to sensing things without being able to feel them, which allowed me to be more competitive. These days in NYOA, I race much more competitive riders than I did in the trail rider class at the GNCC, and I can usually beat a few of them. I’m still limited not being able to stand, but I can use things like braking bumps to pop me up off the seat to clear obstacles. This is just one of many techniques I’ve worked on. The learning process made me fall in love with the sport all over again. 

DW: What machine do you ride now? 

BI: I ride a 2015 Polaris Scrambler XP 1000. It works best when it comes to stability and cornering. The suspension is amazing in stock form for just sitting on the seat and hammering through the rough stuff. I reached out to Rick Cecco of Cecco Racing, and I can’t thank Rick enough, as Scramblers require a fair amount of bulletproofing to run hard week after week. We kept the engine and drivetrain stock and mainly focused on bracing up the weak points. I run every product Rick offers for the Scramblers. A component I’ve relied on heavily is Fasst Co.’s Flexx bars. I brace with my arms, so the damping they offer really saves my joints during hours of racing. I also run Elka shocks and a Teixeira Tech steering stem and A-arms.  

DW: How is your current ATV modified for you to race with your injury?

BI: The main thing I focus on is efficiency with my controls. My arms work overtime and keep me on the quad, so it’s important that everything from throttle position, bar adjustment and brake-lever distance do not cause me to work harder than necessary. Cecco made a custom set of floorboard braces that allow my feet to move without slipping off the quad. We also deleted the foot-brake pedal, so I’m not braking unintentionally. 

DW: What are your future racing goals for your racing program? 

BI: I’m pushing 40 now, so I just want to have fun, stay healthy, and inspire others to get off the couch and get back on a quad. I’ll be riding or racing as long as I’m physically capable. 

DW: Are there other series or types of racing you want to try?

BI: I’ve really wanted to do the Ironman GNCC, and the WORCS stuff on the West Coast looks really appealing. I’m a motocross guy at heart, so I love riding natural tracks. 

DW: Who inspires you? 

BI: My grandfather, who passed away, has always been my hero. He believed in me and allowed me to live my dream. As a rider, I look up to bike and quad racers. I have always admired the riding styles of James Stewart, Josh Creamer, Jeremiah Jones and Doug Gust. When I was injured, I looked at guys like Ricky James, Ben Brown, and Doug Henry, who figured out a way to get back out there and keep the dream alive.

DW: What advice do you have for anyone who doubts they have what it takes to race an ATV?

BI: First and foremost, it’s about fun, and hare scramble racing is the most fun you can have on an ATV competitively. It’s also beginner-friendly. You can’t let fear control you. Everyone out there was a beginner at some point. ATV racers are some of the friendliest people you will meet, and they are always willing to help new riders. My wife now races weekly with me. She had no experience riding ATVs prior to meeting me, but now, in her second season, she’s out there enjoying herself in the Women’s class. That is the great thing about this sport, there’s a class, an ATV and a style of racing that can suit just about anyone.