David Vuillemin
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David Vuillemin is a French professional motocross rider born on October 18, 1977 in Berre-l'Étang, France, near Marseille.
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[edit] Amateur career
David started racing at age 8 and was coached by his father Didier, himself a former professional rider. He won his first major race in 1994, at the Metz Supercross.
Until 1997 he alternated between the US, where he participated in the West 125cc championship, and Europe, where he took the European Supercross Championship title.
[edit] Professional career
In 1999, he won the world supercross championship. He also started competing in the AMA supercross championship.
David moved to the United States in 2000 and became a professional rider, riding in the 125cc (now "motocross lite" and "supercross lite") category.
In 2000, he switched to the 250cc and, as a Yamaha factory rider, he won 4 races (San Diego, Phoenix, Minneapolis, New Orleans) in the supercross series on a YZ 250 and was in contention for the title, and 2 motocross race (Sacramento and Mount Morris).
In 2001, he took his best finishes of fourth-place at Daytona Beach and Salt Lake City. In the AMA 250cc motocross series, he took the overall victory at the Mt. Morris round, and had five additional overall top-five finishes.
In 2002, he won the AMA 250cc Supercross series races at Anaheim, San Diego, and Indianapolis, and earned 10 additional podium finishes. He never finished outside the 250cc SX top-four. Vuillemin raced a limited season in the AMA 250cc U.S. Motocross Championship, but earned an overall second-place finish at Sacramento.
In 2003, he raced a limited AMA 250cc Supercross season, but earned five podium finishes. He contested the AMA 250cc U.S. Motocross Championship, earning five overall top-five finishes.
In 2004, he contested the AMA 250cc Supercross series, earning seven podium finishes. Also raced in the AMA 250cc Motocross Championship, earning two overall podium finishes.
In 2005, he rode for the Bookoo/Honda team. This collaboration unfortunately did not work as expected. A reality show, The Reality of Speed was shot for SPEED Channel during the practice sessions and races, as well as during staff meetings and it was clear to all that the team manager and David did not go along very well. Many feared that David was about to retire or move back to Europe.
David managed to bounce back during the 2006 motocross season, as a privateer, riding a Yamaha YZ 450F. His greatly improved results placed him 7th overall and 1st privateer.
Currently, David is back on a Honda CRF 450, for Team MDK Motorsports.
[edit] Results
2006:
2nd Place at Spring Creek MX Park, Millville, MN, August 13, 2006
3 Top-five finishes in the AMA Supercross and Outdoor Nationals 2006 season
12 Top-ten finishes in the 2006 season as well
2005: 4th (250/450F cc supercross), 4th (250/450F cc motocross)
2004: 4th (250cc supercross), 4th (250/450F cc motocross)
2003: 7th (250cc supercross), 6th (250/450F cc motocross)
[edit] Career Number
David first raced in the US with number 934 until adopting number 12 in 2002.
[edit] Nickname
His most common nickname is "Cobra" or "Le Cobra". The most commonly-accepted reason is his unnatural riding position, crouched forward, which itself is explained by the fact that he is taller (6'2", 1.88m) than the average professional motocross rider.
"Villy" is another nickname, sometimes sported by David on the back of his jersey.
[edit] Personal life
David is married to Erica, an American citizen, with whom he has two children.
He is a soccer and basketball fan, two sports that he practiced when he was young. He is an avid supporter of Olympique de Marseille and of the Los Angeles Lakers.
He is also an avid Internet user and devotes a good portion of his free time to maintaining his Web site and communicating with his fans.
