Ok post um up, who's got some good stuff on AZ BMX racing, people, places, stupid stuff you did while passing thru, whatever. Don't let these Mid-west guys have all the fun. For one it was the Birthplace of the ABA, and home to some killer tracks like Road Runner park downhill, Castle View, Reservation Raceway, Andalucia, PXA (now Black Mountain) Prescott BMX, Payson BMX, Scottsdale Jaycee's BMX, Gilbert, and the Grand Daddy of all the cool 70's-80's AZ tracks Chandler. Arizona is also famous for probably the most talked about bike and MX stash in the world. The Rye Holly Grail Yard. I'd bet that any member has at least one bike or component there that they would consider "grail" status. I'm shure Shannon would love to get loose in that place just for all the vintage MX iron. I used to get parts for my Maico 440 there before the guy became anti-social.

OK,.... let-er-rip Zonies!

You forgot Peoria Dunes ran by Eric Garcez's Dad and Jam BMX--oh-- and I believe there was a track in Chino Valley and Casa Grande.

Let's see----we had the "Roller Coaster" last straight at Peoria Dunes, the Triples at Jam, they had the "Pro Peak" at Roadrunner (now Blk. Mtn.), and the Infamous "Banzia into the S turns" at Chandler.

Yep, I beleave those tracks started after I quit racing. Nice to see you on the boards Galen, are you still in Vegas working? I'll be there from Feb 24 to Mar 1st for a Building Code conference. If your gonna be around and want have a few beers PM me for my cell #

The track in Chino ran all the way up until 03-04

They changed PXA to Road Runner after the move? Didn't know that. It used to be at 43rd ave. and Union Hills. It was still there in 79-80. I think Pete and Debbie moved it not long after tho. That area really started to explode with development. My first house was at 46th ave. just south of Union Hills. I bought it in 85.

Yeah-- I'm in Vegas working---was home last weekend and flew in yesterday--I'll be going home at the end of the month---so we'll see on hooking up.
Yes--it became Roadrunner BMX--Pete and Debbie took over in '84 or '85 and they renamed it Blk. Mtn.

dont forget about that track(if you could call it a track) out in avondale that was behind the Napa auto parts! lmao galen do you remeber the guys name that broke his neck at roadrunner?? in i think it was '83 or '84??

Cheeze,

Speakin' of rollercoasters... Don't forget about the Legend City track and the AZ. State fair......

I remember night racing at Reservation and eating those rad tortilla things they would sell there.

Don't forget about the crazy tandem races at Chandler.... I still have my '77 ProFab tandem....

Az. was the first place I had Dr Pepper in an aluminum can... We use to buy Space Dust candy (like Pop Rocks) by the box and take it back to cali. and sell it at school for profit (kinda like drugs)...

The original Pinicle peak and (?) Bill Johnson's Big Apple (?) steak houses.... Deelicious!!

Our first non Cali. team riders, Josh Gersten and Carl "Meat' Webster From the AZ. Josh's brother Dave designed the first automatic BMX starting gate (used at Chandler)...


Nuthin' but good times in Arizona!!!!!

I visited Chandler in 82 and I'm from MN... What a great track!

So who was the AZ rider you hung your hat on as the most successful?? You had allot. I know Ronnie Ames was pretty fast during in the late 70's. Anyone know what happened to him or why he quit?

Ahhhh, only a lucky few know of Meat Webster. I even stumped the almighty Johnny Johnson when I brought him up one time. I was like YESSSSS, I finally found someone Johnny Johnson had never seen or heard of.LOL!!!

Meat was the man BITD. THE first AZ. guy to take on the heavy hitters in the PRO class. A real AZ. legend!

I remember hearing about that, wasn't that due to a Kastan Uniblade fork?




AAH yes, Legend City, very fun place. I think that track was the old Castle View. Malibu Grand Prix, and Compton Terrace was there as well. I saw the Go-Go's at Complton Terrace (wierd one of their songs just came on the radio). Sevie Nick's dad (Fleetwood Mac) owned it. Anyone remember Wallace and Ladmo?

Pinnicle Peak Patio that used to be way out in the boonies along with Greasewood flats, and Reatta Pass steak houses as well. Now they are surrounded by homes and sprawl (very sad) I used to do alot of horse back, and cycle riding out there

Reservation raced on Friday nights, flat but fast track. The rad tortilla things was Indian Fry Bread. It was called reservation because the track was at the Pima Indian Reservation rodeo arena.

"Meat" Webster, man I wish I had a Nickle for all the times we locked handlebars, one rad cat for shure.
What about the Battles or the Payne Brothers? Tom Ketchings?

Profab Tandem? wanna sell,.......please? I had a support ride from Profab through Road Runner bike shop on 43rd and Bethany Home (now at 67th and Deer Valley Rd). Remember the legandary Landis Schwinn on 45th ave & Indian School Rd., or maybe Pedlers Corner on 35th and Dunlap (now cycle spectrum on 43rd and Cactus)



Wow where do you start? Old timers would have to be Darrin Beach, Carl "Meat" Webster, Battles bros. Tom Ketchings when he felt like it. Tom was wicked fast and won pretty much anytime he raced, but didn't race regularly, and waisted a great tallent, I remember he could totally smoke Carl. Yes Ronnie Ames was good as an am but I don't think he ever went any further. Personally I didn't like the little stuck up punk, he really thought his crap didn't stink. His Dad still owes me a set of JT pants I ordered from his bike shop back in 77 NO LIE! I gave up calling him about it and my sponser ended up buying us new uniforms anyway. I guess I would have to say the most sucsessful rider would have to be (I hate to say this because his head is big enough allready ) GALEN STARLIN, I was out of racing for quite some time so there are probably a few I don't know about. There shure is alot of tallent from AZ these days just look at the race results.

Galen?? Are you kidding me!!!! LOL!! Galen's my boy, and he was/is damn good, I'll even say he was better than most across the USA, but I'd have to go with Andy Contes. ABA National #1 Am amd ABA National #1 PRO Cruiser. I hear he might be stepping into the VET PRO ranks in the near future. He still shows up at Chandler from time to time and is super fast!


I had this debate with my buddy from Utah. Some one said Todd Parry was the best racer ever out of Utrah. I said TP is good for sure, and one of the best no doubt. But I'd give the nod to Mike Poulson or Tim "Fuzzy" Hall before TP IMHO. LOL!!!

How old were you when you started racing Shannon? I'm 44 and I think Carl is 45. We raced in the same age group for maybe a month or two. Most times we raced against eachother in the Open Class at Reservation, or Castle View, (NBA)

I guess JJ's not az smarts az Hez tinks?

HEY, HEY! what state are we talkin here, it's not Utah. Do I need to get you an atlas?

Almost forgot, Cactus Park BMX, 32nd street and Shea. very short lived. I was there in 04 and there where still remains of hill, jumps and burms.

I raced one time in about 75-76. I think it was around Grand and Northern maybe. I found some old pictures of me racing there. My butt was handed to me. A friend of my raced in the early 80's and was an expert.

O Yeah, watched them everysingle time they were on. I'm 29 so it was directly in my hay day of being a kid.


Andy was unreal!! I remember going to the ABA World Cup in Toledo Ohio in 1994 and there was only 4 people from Arizona there! We all hung out and cheered for each other. That years track was insane by todays standards, you had to do the track 2 times!!!!!! Hit the 14 pack 2 times was hell on your arms!!! Andy being Andy could manual the entire 14 pack and GAIN more speed than anyone that was there. It was crazy hopw smooth that kid was.

I'll be 41 in April Cheez, I started racing in 1980. But my dad was in the Air Force so I didn't get started in AZ. I'm old, but I know what state I'm in. I was just using Utah as a comparison state. LOL!!! Utah is no AZ. that's for sure. LOL!!!

You need to talk with Bill Morris, he's our ABA national series director. He raced all those tracks and events BITD. He knows all the same guys you do I'm sure.

I posted on another thread, but can never remember what tracks they were from. These were around 76 or 77

Last one. Sorry, didn't mean to butt in, just thought I should share.

okcheez no he wasnt riding a uni blade they werent made back then. well anyways he showed up one night out of the blue about 10 years later still wearing a halo brace, and he was riding around in the pits. then dissappeared for like 5 years and then time he showed the brace was gone.

as for the riders i would have to say the most well know Galen would have to be it. i know raced him many times cause he was in my class. but dont forget about Woody Woodruff he probly had the most success in bmy out of AZ. after all he is still making bikes. i dont think he has raced in years but he used to. what about Jeff Moten, Dave balthes, kevin adalot, scott merick, mike miller, damon shelton, tommy baker, joe and ray nguyen, john hass, danny klinder, jason ellis, dean and jon rana, jd finney. i could list these all day. do any of you guys know any of these names? i know Galen will know a few of them.


Andy contes must have gotten really good! when i raced he was a squirly little kid.

Ronnie Ames on the Payton poster. Cool!

Love'n the old pics. If any AZ guys ever raced in MN, feel free to post pics and the thread.

i am sure you are thinking of roadrunner park at 32st and cactus.

Brad i didnt but rode and lived around medicine lake as a little kid untill 81-82

Mark I remember that thread those pic's, at least most of them are from Reservation race way on Pima rd. A couple may be from the Scottsdale Jaycee's track.

JBL yeah you are correct, Cactus park was at 35th and Dunlap across from Cortez High School (Alice Cooper went there) There was/is a Road Runner park in the west valley. It could be called Thunderbird park now. up at the end of 67th ave I think. The road it's on turns into Pinnicle Peak rd. and goes by the water park, golf course, train park, cart track etc.

cheez accually you are right bye 32st and shea was a city park that had a track in it as well as the one at roadrunner park. roadrunner park was run by the city phoenix back then.

When you say Jason Ellis, do you mean Mike Ellis (Elf and GT). How about Eric Philliparts and D.D. Leone later in their careers. Scot Merick was a bad [please review the site FAQs] jumper, ABA used his pictures in a lot of their ads. If Ray Nguyen is the guy I'm thinking of, he was one of the best dirt jumpers I have ever seen.

Galen, I live in the Northwest valley now. When I raced I went to the the homemade track around 67th and Bell as well as the bigger jumps further north I believe, pretty often. Both areas were used when BMXA came and did the Dirty Dozen. Do you remember the exact location of these areas and/or what is on them now. Obviously the small track is more homes.

Dang Dave what happened to you? (your avatar)

Woah! That looks crazy painful. How do you poop?

Wake Up Arizona!!!!

Don't ever forget KYLE FLEMING!!!!!! He was an excellent rider and an awesome kid.......

Here's what the ABA has to say.. click on the link below and take a ride back to 1978.....

Kyle Fleming link

No Shizit how did that happen!

Kyle was hit by a train after a Moto-x event.

Sorry, I posted before I saw what the ABA said. I think this happend in Southern California, but I'm not positive. My cousin knew allot about this accident. I'll find out more.

I guess I didn't know he was from AZ. Kyle was the first little guy ICON forsure. Before Skibel, Ames, Anderson Brown etc. I saw him race once.

yes jason and mike ellis in fact i just found an old pic of mike today and one of his mom also! jason was a killer racer but he just kind of lost to drive to make something out of it.

Does anybody know how to get a hold of scott merick by chance? i wonder if he still has my old cruiser i sold him years ago.
as for ray nguyen if it is the same one. he used to live on the shea blvd frontage road between tatum and 32st. i dont remember exactly where. but i do remember when their parents would leave during the summer time his brother joey when climb on the roof and tell us when to throw the grapefruit over the house on to shea blvd to try to hit cars driving down the road! lol i am not sure if they raced really, but i mainly just road with them.

mike ellis first factory look was from CW he was riding the pro-motion about 2 years before it came out. they he gave it to me cause the whole deal didnt work for him with CW

here are the pics

OK jbl what are you doing with a pic of Mike Ellis's Mom. It looks like she's about to pop ya in da mouth, or make you eat that Kleenex

her and my parents used to sit together quite a bit at big races,andi dont know why but i took a pic of her at one of them. i amstill trying to remember where it was that i took the other pic at! lol

I was just talking about Kyle Fleming at lunch today. We talked about all the great riders out of AZ.

Jaydee Finney, Brent Romero, Jason Wharton, Fred Hightower, Mike Ellis, Jon Rana, Galen Starllet (he's known for his sweet mullets) Isn't he from Texas? hehehehe.... Andy Contes, Meat Webster, Jeff Parscale, Alex Pflug, Eric Philiparts, and the list could go on and on my friends!

YZ250+Whiskey Throttle=Unconcious on my back

i forgot about Pflug what about matt love????? something i dont remeber his whole last name. chris riley remember him?

I remember Chris. How about Shawn Laverty and Cabbot Peters. Cabbot always had a super dialed ride.

i forgot all about Cabbot! and well shawn is my brother. what is your name?

I think the Police Cheif here in Champaign is named Jaydee Finney, I wonder?

Lunch at the ABA offices would trump lunch just about anywhere else except for maybe Hooters if they went with topless Waitresses no............uh....yeah....Hooters would win then.

Man the conversations you guys must have and you don't have to worrie about spelling



Dude, I hope you learned something from that experiance.

Um... next time you come into town we can go hit up a said establishment with the above mentioned!!! Babes is unreal!!!!

Are you saying AZ Hooters went TOPLESS! Dag Nabit It seams like every week I am smacked in the face with another reason why I sould not have left my comfy home in Peoria AZ. AAAAAAAARG!

My fav Hooters was the one at the AZ Center.

Remember back when the DBacks started back in 96.. The pool used to have HOOTERS cater them. All you could eat wings with the rental of the pool...

No not topless, but for me the Mill Ave Hooters is second to NONE!!!!! All the ASU hotties trying to make a dollar!!


Babes Caberet is unreal. Jenna owns it and comes in all the time to visit her employee's.

Good call on that one! The Hooters on MILL Ave. is the best hands down!

Your not helping my AZ DT's Dude!

Hooters girls at B-backs pool OOOH YEAAH! Whenever I went to a game with the Boys we sat above the pool. If the D-Backs were suckin we didn't care!

ASU + Hooters = better than AZ center Hooters. Wish I had gone to that one!

Babe's yep I know it, haven't been there for over 11 years (since married). Sorry the Highlighter will always be my favorite.

Next time I'm in town it sounds like my dance card will be overflowin. There are so many old buds and new VBMX bros I want to hang out with.

Your not helpin either Shannon!

Why couldn't my wife had liked AZ?

For once you agree with me!!!! Whooo Hooooo

My name's Dave Schmitt, I raced/rode with Dylan Powers, Mike Tradup, Brad Debusk, Brian Iverson... Around '90 I think I bought your 170 flights and Cabbots old CW off of Shawn. How are you and Shawn doing?

Dave that avatar give me the shakes EEEEK! That is one serious case of RED ARSE.

So how many of the AZ crew are gonna make it out to Rockford? I hope quite a few!