As some of you may already know, Jim passed away suddenly near his home
in Hilton, NY this week. He was my father-in-law and will be dearly missed by all his
family and many friends. Jim was active in the BMX community in the eighties
first supporting his children, then a race team, and eventually developing the
COOl-TOOL BMX Raceway in Hilton, NY. As was the case with most things he did,
it was a top-notch facility with showers for the pros and I believe catered dinners.

I was proud to have been a part of the race team he sponsored, and the family
business that still produces the world-reknowned cutting fluid. His funeral was
a both sad and joyous occasion, as many people came to pay their respects to
such a generous man.

There is an online guest book if you'd like to share your own personal memory,
here is a link: http://www.legacy.com/DemocratAndChronicle...rsonId=97401344

Thanks,
Tim Gabriel

I'm saddened to hear this news.
My deepest sympathies.

Johnny Johnson

Tim,

That's sad news. Please tell Dave, Scott and the rest of the family that my thoughts are with them.

Jim Silloway gave me my first real factory ride. He took a chance on a kid that was just starting out. I had a lot of good times with the Silloway family over the years and it was made possible because of Jim.


Jud
Cool Tool
1983-1984

I remember Jim well. Great guy with a great family. Sorry to hear about his passing.

RIP Jim

GOOD TIMES INDEED!

Sorry to here this , great team bitd .
R.I.P JIM

Jim was a nice guy and built one of the finest BMX tracks in the country. I believe is was in the top 5 BITD. My condolences to the family.

Great Track, Great Team, Great Memories...

R.I.P.

With a heavy heart, I say farewell. Godspeed

Thanks for all the kinds words. My father will be missed. It's nice to see that even after all these years he is still fresh in your minds. We had a lot of fun travelling for the races and he loved the sport. I have many fond memories surrounding the BMX scene so to see that this forum exists is comforting. Take care and I look forward to visiting again soon. Kelly

Welcome aboard Kelly! (The OTHER Cool-Tool Nat. #1) I'm sure you'll find
many old friends here...

I would like to add that I enjoyed the COOL-TOOL team and it's comradarie
so much, that I passed up on other factory rides along the way. Your dad always
made things interesting for us: like surprising us with Thanksgiving dinner once
in Oklahoma. He paid the hotel staff to stick around and do it for us if I recall.
It was an awesome feast, and just one example of how we were a family out
on the road...not just a team. I always felt like one of his own when he would stick
around to watch my main, and cheer...long after everyone else had been eliminated.
I owe an awful lot to that man...

what ever happened to the track? was it leveled? or does it still exhist just all grown in? i used to race there as well. i wish we had another track local to us. that track was a top 5 in the country for sure. i remember reading about it in the mags... great track for sure!!!! oh yeah and watching the CW trick team there as well!!!

When I heard the news of Mr Silloway's passing I was both shocked and saddened. I had known him, his family and extended family through BMX. My brother Jim rode on his Factory Team for a brief time. It was his genorosity and hard work that brought a National caliber track to upsate New York. We all had some great times there and made many friends. Most of us to this day still keep in touch.

I can personally say without the Cool-Tool track and the nationals it brought I would have never had the confidence to chase after single digit National #'s. I owe alot of the things I accomplished in my BMX career to that track and Mr Silloway. Thank you.

My deepest condolences to the family. Mr Silloway was a great man, generous and kind. He will be missed by all of us. I know that my family and I are honored to have known him.


Rest in peace....

ditto.

Whitey... Very well put.. I would agree with it 100%...

Rest in peace....

My condolences to the entire Silloway family...

Ditto

R.I.P Mr. Silloway

Mr. Barone came to his funeral.
Anyone remember him?!

Barone's Bike Shop? I bought several bikes from him going back to the Eagle BMX days. Back in those days the best best bike shops for BMX racing were Barones and Brooks bike shops.

yes i remember barones bike shop.!

The track was slowly taken down and leveled. For years, even after it was all overgrown you would find kids riding it. It's now a field with trees and shrubs growing in it. Hard to imagine that there was anything so significant as a nationally recognized and ranked track. It's nice to hear all the nice memories. I know my childhood was that track and racing in general and I still love to ride when I get a chance. Two kids and a professional career hinders my ability a bit though . . . broken bones wouldn't be a good thing!

Hey Mark Lopez,

Thanks for the kind words you submitted...
as you are well aware, the outpouring of support
makes it possible to get through rough times like these.
I'm proud to have raced against such great people like yourself!

Tim

I'm not sure if another man has ever singlehandedly
contributed more to a BMX racetrack.

It's not by accident that it was rated one of the best in the country.

He was proud of that distinction, and would've been even prouder
that everyone still remembers!


Thanks for the kind words....

Wow. I just logged on. What a shock! My condolences go out to the entire family. He will be missed. Have had many talks with you, Tim, all about the sport we love. Kelly, nice to see you Finally get on here, wishing it was on better circumstances. Hope Paul is well. A great Patriarch will be missed.

Andy Spurling
Columbus Schwinn
Free Agent Bicycles
DK Bicycle Co.