As much as Wesley “Boogie” Clark loves to bike and loves to race, he doesn’t necessarily see himself as a BMX star.
“To be honest, I still don’t take it seriously,” said Clark, 18, who has known how to ride a bike since he was three years old and took up BMX racing at eight years old.
He recently participated in a pro-am—or professional/amateur—competition in Richmond, Va., racing with professionals; recently qualified to race in the Union Cycliste Internationale 2022 BMX Racing World Championships in Nantes, France. He achieved the latter by racing six times at the BMX Supercross Track in Rock Hill, S.C.
“He makes it like it’s not a big deal,” said his mother, Antoinette Clark. “He simplifies it because to him, it’s natural. He’s a natural. It’s what he enjoys.”
After 10 years riding, Wesley Clark races at the local level, with Blanchard Woods BMX; the state level, the regional—or Gold Cup—and national level. The Grovetown High School graduate has garnered a reputation not only as an elite BMX rider who happened to live close by, but as a mentor to younger riders.
“They see he’s at that age where kids look up to him and he has that skill level almost to pro,” said Blanchard Woods BMX rider Ryan Iverson, further noting Wesley Clark’s humility, casualness about his own aptitude and status, and his openness to talking to kids in the sport.
Ryan Iverson’s son, Roman Iverson, is one of Clark’s mentees.
“He’s very supportive,” said Roman Iverson, 13. “If he wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now. He’s pushed me farther than where I would be without.”
Sam Williamson, 14, another Blanchard Woods BMX expert rider, notes Wesley’s personability and willingness to help people learn the sport or try something new.
“It’s super exciting to watch it and then to ride with him because it makes you want to be a better rider,” she said.
Wesley Clark’s nonchalant demeanor veils a passion and drive that extends from his love for BMX riding to the quiet ingenuity that led him to launch a T-shirt business; and to the subdued but loyal devotion to his grandmother, Evelyn Clark, a breast cancer survivor, for whom he wears pink on his gear during every race.
“Wesley doesn’t like attention,” said Antoinette Clark, who effectively manages Wesley’s promotion. “But once he gets on that bike, he just shines. He’s a different person.”
Antoinette Clark has started a GoFundMe to help support Wesley’s journey to France to race in the BMX World Championships, which can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bon-voyage-boogie-team-usa-bmx-worlds-2022-france
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering education in Columbia County and business-related topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
