Ashley Fiolek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ashley Fiolek |
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Fiolek in 2011
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| Born | October 22, 1990 (age 34) Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. |
| Motocross career | |
| Years active | 2008–2012 |
| Teams | Honda |
| Championships | WMA - 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 |
| Wins | 19 |
Ashley Fiolek (born October 22, 1990) is an amazing American former professional motocross racer. She is also a stunt actor! Ashley competed in big motocross championships from 2008 to 2012. What makes her extra special is that she is culturally deaf. She uses American Sign Language to communicate. She won the women's motocross national championship four times!
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Ashley's Early Life
Ashley Fiolek was born in Dearborn, Michigan, in 1990. She has been deaf since birth. Her parents found out when she was about three years old. In 1998, her family moved to St. Augustine, Florida. This was so Ashley could go to the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. It's the biggest school of its kind in the U.S.
At this school, Ashley learned ballet. She also ran track and played basketball. When Ashley finished eighth grade, her parents decided to teach her at home. This is called homeschooling.
As a child, her family often visited her grandfather's cabin. It was in Wolverine, Michigan. They would ride through the woods for hours. When Ashley was about three, her parents gave her a Yamaha PW50. This bike is great for very young riders. She rode it for several years with training wheels. Her parents always rode with her. Ashley also has a dog named Bambi.
Ashley's Motocross Career
Ashley Fiolek started racing when she was seven years old. In 2008, she became the WMX Pro National champion. This was after her first professional win at Hangtown. She won many races in 2009 too. This included Moto 1 at Hangtown and both motos at Glen Helen.
She won the 2009 WMX Pro National Championship again. She finished seventh at Steel City Raceway in Pennsylvania. She was in pain during this race. She had fractured her collarbone after a fall. She won the WMX Pro Nationals again in 2011.
In 2012, Ashley had a crash. She got a concussion and fractured her tailbone. She could not start the race at High Point Raceway. After almost a month of healing, she returned to racing. She raced at RedBud MX in Michigan. She started her run for her next title there. She won that race and the next two. These were in Washington and Massachusetts. She won the 2012 WMX Pro National Championship in California.
Breaking Barriers in Motocross
In 2008, Ashley made history. She was the first female motocross racer to be on the cover of TransWorld Motocross magazine. In 2009, she became the first woman to join the American Honda Racing factory team. This was a very big deal! She was also nominated for an ESPN ESPY Award. In September 2009, DeafPeople.com named her Deaf Person of the Month.
In 2010, Ashley published her autobiography. It was called Kicking Up Dirt. She wrote it with Caroline Ryder. In 2011, Ashley and her motocross riding were in a commercial for Red Bull. She was the sixth athlete sponsored by Red Bull to be in their commercial. In 2012, she was featured in Vogue magazine. She also gave a TEDx Talk.
In 2010, Ashley met Noora Moghaddas. Noora is a top motocross rider from the Middle East. The two women became friends. They shared a love for riding. They also wanted to help women and girls in their countries. Ashley said it was great that the world isn't that big. Even with different languages, people can share their passions.
Ashley at the X Games
In 2009, Ashley won her first X Games gold medal. This was in Women's Moto x Super x at X Games 15. This made her the X Games' first deaf medalist. She was also the youngest-ever Women's Motocross Association champion. Ashley won her second X Games Gold Medal in Super X Women's in 2010. This was at X Games 16.
In 2011, at X Games 17, Ashley crashed during practice. She was knocked out. Doctors said she could not compete. In 2012, she missed the X Games again. This was after a concussion from a crash in Colorado.
After Professional Racing
In June 2012, Ashley Fiolek appeared on Conan. She was the first deaf person to be on the show. In September 2012, she was in an episode of Switched at Birth. She played Robin Swiller, a motocross racer. In 2013, she confirmed that she had stopped racing professionally in the WMX series.
In 2013, she played herself in a movie. It was called No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie. In July 2014, she started a new job. She became a motorcycle stunt performer for a touring Marvel Universe Live show.
See also
In Spanish: Ashley Fiolek para niños
