So, can you remember your last os race from back in the day? Did you send your archrival over the berm,
kiss the trophey girl, crash your brains out, last turn block pass, gett'em by a knobby at the finish line?


So post those last moto memories for me!

and Melvin thanks for the nink, NINK!

BBBWWAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ok boys, cliton's brother is about to stretch out the rubber band for the start, here comes
ernie with the clipboard and motosheet...

Me I think I just got fed up with BS and left...

I remember - I was 16, had my license, I just didn't care if I won or lost anymore. My last race was at Hill Country BMX, in Morgan Hill. I always hated that track...I crossed the line, qualified for my main but didn't race in it. I just wanted to go home.

That started a good 5 year run of drugs and alcohol..

I thank God I found my wife who got me back on track, and allows me to get back on the track!

I remember the last 2 and they're both days I wish never happened.

I raced pro from 80 to 84. Was really only semi serious the first couple of years. We had UBR in Nor Cal, UBR nationals were many times every bit as stacked as AA at an ABA national outside of Califonia. I never raced more than a dozen ABA nationals tops if even that, but after they split the pro class I raced both A and AA depending on how I felt. In 84 I stopped even riding much and started a numberplate company. When USBA started there was a national in Salt Lake City, I think it was their second one. I was already going to the race so I took a bike because they were advertising paying to sixth and I think they did at the first national even though there were only five or six riders.

At SLC there were only 3 AAs so I signed up. From what I remember everyone was right together the first straight and a half. But I had never even ridden at higher elevation and hadn't even ridden at sea level much. Even though it was a downhill track the finish of all three motos were Greg Hill or Harry Leary pretty much together, then Toby Henderson 25-50 or so feet back, then me another 40-50 plus feet back gasping for air like a 75 year old smoker. I don't know if they would have paid forth, I was too embarrased to go see.

You would think I would have learned my lesson but in 1989 I built a cruiser, rode it once or twice and decided to race 26-30 or whatever it was. I went to an ABA national in Bakersfield. Once again, just because you were once a motofiller pro doesn't mean you're gonna beat people who actually ride their bikes. If races were gate, straight, finish I might still be racing. They're not and it's much easier to fake fitness on a motorcycle. Or a skateboard. Or a couch.

`89 in Meriden, CT. (I think). Back when having your shoelaces tucked in and your shoes flopped around on your feet. A track official told me to actually tie my laces, and I argued that they were too long and would get caught in my chain. Well, I lost the argument and tied them, and sure enough they wrapped around my pedal in the 3rd straight and got tighter every crank I took. The very same track official yells to me "see, I told you to tie your shoes". I said "hey a*s hole, I did just fine until you made me tie them." I left and headed to the half pipe with no intention of participating in a BMX race again. Vert was more fun, and I was better at it anyway.

I don’t remember my last race but I do remember my last ride with the guys I rode with. It was the last “team Sodbuster fun run”. The four of us started out on a Saturday morning by loading our bikes and camping gear into a Corvair van owned by Larry’s dad. First we drove to the Dominguez park track in Redondo beach. We rode there until they discovered we didn’t sign up to practice so they kicked us out. After that we drove out to Chatsworth park and rode the track and the general area until we dropped.

We then made our way to lake Piru to camp for the night. The camp ground was located at the end of the road some miles above the lake itself. The land beyond was private property and open range land used by the local ranchers. We would throw our bikes over the gate that marked the end of public access and spent the next day trail riding our BMX stingrays and exploring the back country.

That was in1975. That was our last ride with all of us together. The next week Larry moved up to Walla walla Washington To work in his uncles restaurant for the next year and a half. Not long after the itch to do some off road racing hit us hard and the bikes were soon left behind. Now as for my last off road race? That’s another story. It was the fireworks 250 out near Barstow Ca. I’ll never forget that race because……………

a pro race in 83....one of 3 that year that made me decide to hang it up cause my butt was handed to me in all 3....wish I had stayed with it back then..but having fun now!!!

I remember my last race BITD and I had practiced near the 2nd to 6th gate all day first moto , Holeshoted all of them but I was in lane 1 and the dirt was loose over there . First jump Huge table next thing I knew I was being loaded up with a broken arm and collar bone.. Didnt get to race the rest of the summer and had just turned 16 so that made it even easier to be done... But Im back !!!!!

Randell Ranch was the location of my last race, I think it was a National...Almost positive it was 1976. Knowing I was done with BMX and already moved on to the sport of motocross I decided to do something a little different - I rode a Schwinn Varsity ten-speed in the open class. Man...That was fun!!!

A Pro Class would have kept me around longer.

Kinda hard to forget my last time racing. 1984 in NJ 16x ...23 years ago, I had a freak accident over a set of doubles and landed head first breaking my 4th cervical vertebrae in my neck. It damaged my spinal cord and I've been in a wheelchair ever since paralyzed from the chest down.

Easter 1985. I raced my final race at the Kaiapoi Twilight meet on the Easter Monday. It was a "Pro Am" National championship. (We didn't have full pro down here, but we raced for money, hence the "pro am title").

I pretty much only rode 20's for practice by then, and was much happier on a cruiser. I raced my 82 GT 24 to NZ No.5 Pro Am Cruiser for that year. Never rode my bike on a track again, and sold both of them a few months later. I know where my old GT 24 is, and the guy was going to give it back to me. Now he wont... :/

I still have the jersey I raced in that day, and I still have the GT t-shirt I wore under it. And the photo of me was taken a few days later.

Looking back, I wished I hadn't stopped racing. I absolutely loved it, but like a lot of people. I did the "sheep" thing. I did waht all my buddies did, and quit.

Brad, I've seen some great videos of you racing. You were certainly one good racer!

Nope - I can't remember my last race.
I suspect is was a Saturday afternoon local club race in mid 85.

The last race I remember going to (not racing at) was in 85 when Greg Hill was down here racing.
It was a big meet.
I took the opportunity to sell a bunch of stuff there - brand new 401 flights, my cool open face helmet with Haro visor, Oakley goggles and mask......

I was out and I was selling up.....

I quit in 81 after 3 plus years, but got back into it around 86-7. I actually trained and got to the point where I was a minor threat at the local racetrack (Farnum or Simi) for the 21-25 cruiser class and one a couple local races. So I decide I will do a national or two.

Go to Bakersfield (rain and mud) made it into the main but only pulled a 5th against no one I had heard of. I figure in the dry I could do better. I race the Irvine NBL race. Transferred to the main and I will never forget it.

I had Terry Tennete on one side and Loncarivich and Ellis on the other (among several other crusier riders of the day). In fact I was one of two privateers in the main. I am asking myself what am I doing here, yes I got smoked dead last in the main. But I had a gas doing it.

Being the top dog in my class locally for years I had beat the same guys over and over many times, won a couple district titles, couple state championships and so on. I really faded out in 1984 with work, cars and girls, racing only once a month and not traveling any longer. The guys I beat up on for 5 years were getting all "big time", talking about me getting lazy & fat which was true.

In September of '84 I broke up with my g-friend and asked for the weekend off, lit a fire under my butt and actually rode my bike before work, to work and after work for two weeks. I think I even ate some raw eggs , again, it was 1984.

I showed up at the season ending double point race wearing jeans and a OP long sleeve t-shirt, just the gear I mocked for years as I tore up the tracks all decked out in JT gear plastered with various sponsor logos over the years. Turns out my class all decided to turn pro for this weekend and a bike shop put up $300 to sweeten the pot. So, I signed up.

And smoked them once again.

That was a sweet day.

[ June 03, 2007, 01:52 AM: Message edited by: Randy ]

First race was in 1975, last race Fall of 83. I was suppose to go to the Grand's and just decided one day that I just didn't care anymore. I raced a Saturday afternoon, was suppose to race the next day and I told my parents I decided to quit... Speechles at the kitchen table my parents could not believe what I had just told them.... LOL! I raced alot longer than most. No regrets. Glad I bailed out when I did... The sport really died off the next year or so around MN...

It wasn't actually my last race, but it was the last one that mattered. The Woodward National in 1988. I was in 4th in the Pro Cuiser semi and had a tangle with someone and went over the next to last berm, separated my shoulder.

I was 5 in Pro Cuiser points at this point and never really raced hard after that - never actually got the plate.

neat stories guys....

I have no idea where or when, outside of early '77 perhaps, when my last race was. I continued working for Steve Rink at Peddlepower / Powerlite for another year after I stopped racing and obviously would see BMX NEWS or BMXAction mag during that time but never missed the racing scene. Steve never urged me to race again. I was off doing fishing trips and backpacking in the Sierra, started going to college in Fall of '77.

Last Race (first time) '77: Caught in the back of my van, with a then girlfriend, by Ernie Alexander at a Nationals(?) in Irvine. Missed a moto and chose the girl. (Should have chose the bike, it lasted longer). Comeback '80:Hung over and missed my moto, chose the bottle insted. Was in the Navy and hard to stow your bike in a locker. Last Race (last time, for real) '93. Crashed at Kerney Moto Park (San Diego), Went off a jump and landed straddling the second jump. Thrown over the bars like was doing it all my life. Cracked my shoulder, broke three ribs, and gasping for air like a kicked dog. Ambulance came, no insurance, had to work on monday. You just don't bounce back like when you were a kid. That was it and Reilly (Rick) got my bike.

Thom, do remember what year, what track and who you were riding for when you got tired of the BS? I think I kinda got tired of BMX in general around 78/79 and I just sort of never went back to the track, started skateboarding, kinda wished I woulda kept racing. By the early 80's I was started touring the world tuning guitars for big hair, big time rock bands.

[ June 08, 2007, 02:52 AM: Message edited by: spike ]

I remember may last race was the end of Aug. 1985. I had just turned 17 and this was my 1st race moving form 16X to the 17X class. I had dominated at my track in 15 and 16X and even the open classes on occasion. I remember feeling somewhat intimidated on the gate, and psyched myself into a horrible finish. One of my bud's from 16X rolled up after that moto with the times and just said what was that!!! He basically tore into me and made me remember I was better. Better than this moto and better than the other guys on the gate. The next Moto was more like me, Finished 1st with a time like the week earlier (16X). Took the main, but for some reason after that race I didn't feel the competitive need or desire I used to experience and that was the last race for me.

I still miss that feeling of lining up on the gate wanting and knowing I was going to win.

not sure if it was my last race but i remember the last indoor race at bayfront center, st pete...i was leading my class in points going into the main and i had to make an adjustment on my bike, then i get to staging and they ran my main without me...i tried to protest and no one seemed to care. that kinda left some bad feelings for me.

OK this was a bit of an old thread but I tought It was a good one and I'm sorta new to this site so here is my Last race story


Started racing a liitle in 1980 a little more in 81-82 and a ton in 83-84-85 slowing down by 86 pretty much done by 87

Then in the fall of 1988 2 friends and I started thinking we would get back into it, the Sport was pretty much done at this point and our local track hadn't seen a 1/4 or semi since 1984 when it seemed every kid in the state was racing we had a total of 7-8 tracks in the state and some great comp in every age class mine included,
Now most of the NBL nationals we were going to by late 86 early 87 weren't as full as they once were there were still full gates it just seemed that there was always one instead of the good days when you had 3-4 full gates in your age class at the bigger nationals, so that fall in 88 we rebuilt the trails in the neighborhood, the trails that on any day from the years 1981 til 1985, would have anywhere from 15 to 35 kids riding around jumping telling stories one uping each other,
When we showed up to rebuilt it looked like a ghost town weeds everywhere I dont think there had been a kid riding them all summer, we sent our entries into A NBL late season national they were having in Oct at an outdoor track in Memphis rebuilt the trails and rode them everyday thinking we were going to reclaim some old Glory, we headed down to Memphis for the national I know it was late in the year but there wasn't many people there My age class moto's had a total of 5 guys on the gate,
We finished racing headed home and I don't think anyone of us ever rode a bike again, that was the fall of 1988, I put my bike up and everthing that had to do with BMX, and haven't looked at again until Nov 2007, when I found a Box of old BMX magazine at my parents house over thanksgiving,
looking back I loved BMX that is all we did, and I don't think I would have quit if it wouldn't have just died, it was great going to NBL nationals and there being what seemed like a billion people there with canopy's up everywhere, even at our local races in Ky there were a ton of canopy's up, people having fun, eating, laughing and racing it was like a little family, but when the sport died going to local races was like going to visit your dead grandparents house there was no one there, all you had were memories of better times, there were no new kids coming into the sport, and all the older kids were dropping out one by one,
I didn't miss racing all these years it barely entered my mind, but looking back now I sure do,


Below are pic's of me and my 2 friends L-R Timmy Keys and Steve Kessler at the trails we re built in 1988
and a pic from the Memphis NBL National In 1988, the funny thing is this was my last race, But if you Look at the 2nd rider from the left that is Steve Veltman he was making a comeback to the sport and just started racing For BOSS,

One of my best memories from one of my last races....

1982 NBL Grands, South Park, main event 16-24 cruiser.

I was riding for DeLux BMX. (Best BMX team ever)

I had the best gate position, second from inside.

I came off the first jump with almost a whole bike length lead! No kidding. I was leading Tim Judge (Hutch) and Rob Fehd (GT), as well as Johnny Turner (Profile).

I coasted a tad early with the lead approaching the first turn. Fehd and Judge were charging on the outside. Ken Aman (Mongoose) came in on my outside and virtually pinned me up next to the tires, and everybody crashed, but Judge and Fehd were REAL WIDE up to the top of the berm. I was running with the bike on the far inside. Got passed and salvaged a 6th place in the main, securing Nat'l #9 plate.

After this Labor Day I went to college and couldn't practice. My last race was in northern NJ indoors. I was completely blown away and ate a large helping of humble pie!

Easy, Chandler 1981. Just a normal Saturday race Finished 1st in 16x, the next Monday my bike was stolen, and I said "F" it and dirrected my energy and money at cars. I did eventually pic up a used team goose and coach/manage my old LBS sponsor team for a while.

Racing was never really my thing. I used to go now and then
just because the tracks always had fun jumps to play around on.
Plus lots of cool bikes to admire.

Anyhow, I do remember what was probably my last. All
my buds and I packed the pickups and hit a local track.
Good times for everyone. Towards the end it seemed nobody
had signed up for the open. So me and the guys decided
to go out there and go at it against each other.

Heading down the last straight I was actually leading, since
the boys were mostly jacking around. But one good friend
was right on me. Big doubles coming up, basicly all I know
about racing is speed-jumping, so that's what I did.

My friend literally jumped OVER my head and landed on the
back side of the double. I was kinda mad that I read all
those articles about 'speed' jumping.

Truly though, it was hilarious and I'll never forget it.
Anyone heard of Roger Bassman? 'Cause that's who it was.
He rode a lot of GHPs and may have been sponsored BITD.