Kevin Pittman here Ohio Racer from 1986-1998. Checking in to say hi to all the names i havent seen in a long time.

Wow, sounds & looks like you guys all had a blast! You can count SE in to donate some goodies next time around as well. And shoot, I'll try to get out there & bring my mom & dad. I bet Big Nard & him on the mic again would be classic.

Steve- Thanks for spreddin' the BMX love!

big nard was awsome... so was lil nard. other friends i made in that sport during those years were awsome.

My closest being the following: forgive me if i forget some names.

Jim Kelly (best pal)
John Feckie (great guy and fast)
Sean Dunn (even tho he hates me lol)
J-Rad (Looked up to this guy)
The Deans (Mike and Michelle)
Scott Armstrong (for the many rides he hauled my butt to the races)
Erin Belcher(Novice class kid i mentored)
Greg Beam
Mike Lausman
Jimmy Levan (kentucky but he was close enuff)
Suzie Levan
Colin Winkleman

Then The friends aka mentors
Todd Lyons ofc. (watchin him ride convinced me Profile racing frames was the shiz til i broke it in half in Indianpolis trying to clear a triple step jump in the second straight next to David Milham...knocked my butt out lol)
Steve Stump ( dude had upper thighs the size of Tree trunks, u could get him on the gate but after 3 cranks he was gone)
Billy Au. All around great guy.(I could only beat him in indoor if hed been out the night before)
Lawan Cunningham for teaching me the Mighty Elbow and growl.

Geoph Zingoba (I know i spelled that wrong)

I know there is alot more and if i forgot you forgive me. There were alot of years. I have some pics as well of J-Rad and Mike K. and Tom K. hanging at the B-Ville local track. Just after i think we paved the burm for that regional National in 1988 in the rain

I had alot of good times racing with the guys in Ohio. Matter of fact they were the best times of my life.

hate is a strong werd there goof ball.................not sure why you would say that, but whatever. how's life treating ya kev dog?

What's up KP, it's good to see you chime in. Where is Beaver Dam? Nikki the kids and I were just up in Warrens Wisconsin a few weeks ago; a little vacation at the Three Bears Resort (water & ramp park!). If I remember right you were a good artist, and I think I may have seen some of your artwork on the WOXY.com website a few years back, was that you? if so it was nice stuff! I forgot all about you snaping that frame at Indy, man...you got beat up from that one. I remember riding the McJumps trails by your house BITD...good times ! Post up some of your artwork and or OS photos,we'd love to see them!

Hey Chris,

Sorry, but I was gone for a couple of days. I got your message the other day and that was my correct number. I'll try to give you a call sometime Monday. I dug out our old Phase IV team photo the other day. I'll try to post it on here if I can figure it out. Talk to you later

Robb

Hey Sean and Jared,

How you guys doin ?

Well Jared its good to see you and Nikki are still together. I ended up in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin because of a girl. Id been with her for about 4yrs. She was deaf and didnt know many people here and had gone thru some depression. She split one day and left for wisconsin. Later we worked things out and i agreed to move up here so she could be around her family and friends. A yr later we had a baby. 6 weeks after the baby was born... she split again for a cop who lives in Maryland. She had been chatting with the dude on the internet for some time. So now im stuck up here... tied to a lease atm. in a month or so i plan to move closer to Madison WI where i work. I drive an hr each way every day and its breaking me.

Meanwhile since I am up here. im goin to use the remainder of my stay here to focus on my art. toss some stuff into some galleries in madison, chicago, and milwaukee. I need the time to myself to rediscover myself.

I'll be honest quitting BMX a long time ago was a big mistake, when i was doin that i had a purpose. I was driven ya know each day to get up and go out with a shovel to build a jump and just ride. I'm sure u all remember the adrenaline that we thrived on to go faster... jump higher... to pull off something obscure we saw in a magazine... even if some of us never attained iwhat we envisioned for ourselves, just doin it every day and not giving up or letting someone take that from you gave life meaning.

Ever since i stopped i havent found anything quite like it to replace that drive. I've ended up working a poor paying job paying bills and not having anything at the end to show for it. such is life and getting old.

Now I've been given a chance to rekindle that kinda fire into a new direction. Art, although less dangerous seems to be where i can rebuild my self.

As for that crash in Indy... lol yea i got knocked silly. I walked up to Todd Lyons and forgot he knew me... lol he was the only person i recognised after the crash. He helped me over to the medic tent. I left a 4" deep face print on the track and remember the track had been steamrolled! I tore half the flesh off my face on my left side. I was like "Hey your Todd Lyons!!, (all dazed and stuff" lol he said " you alright kevin?" and i was like "you know who i am?" he said yea man and laughed at me. i was like "oh" Then later 2 hrs later i still couldnt remember who i rode to the track with... I remembered the Dean's so Chris Moeller let me borrow the BMX Plus Test Redline 500c bike. I raced with one eye sealed shut and finished 3rd in my main. Reason i raced instead of goin to the hospital was they were giving away an MCS frame ( which we found out later were defective framesets.) all weekend that weekend i believed i was in Akron Ohio instead of Indy. I've never ben knocked like that since... well there was the time i had my ear cut off at the NBL grands.

McDonalds trails.... Too bad i never got to finish the place... just as well tho the city bull dozed it. Too me a long time to dig that stuff. 1 ft under the surface was a lime bed. I had to use picks and never figured out a way to drain the berms after a rain... Broke my collar bone there with michelle dean. (gofer dig a tunnel in the backside of that one large jump in the back) Ive got some goofy picks of greg beam myself and sean at McDonalds.) ill try and get them scanned in.

Yea man i miss it all.

Oh yea... and yes that was my art on WOXY.com

Just got home to Phoenix last night.
Had a blast last weekend hanging out and seeing my idols from the 80's. It was cool to see that everyone still has the same passion for riding BMX even if you don't get to do it as much or at all for that matter. Even the guys that just showed up to hang out obviously still miss the sport and friendships.

Thanks to everyone that posted the videos. I don't have that kind of computer know-how, so thanks again for posting thoughs.

I'll work on posting some pictures in the next couple of days.

What's up Pittman? I took some old zines to this get together, and even thought I didn't get to lay them out (it rained), I did have plenty to read on the way home. Anyway, I still have my copy of Dangerous Shananigans with some pretty good McJumps coverage!!

this is terry lee i will have to start showing up from time to time .that was really fun!! i will have to watch for indoor that would be fun.its too hot for a fat man right now!!!!

thanx for making it the awesome day it was.................................... I had a really good time and it was nice to see a lot of you guys I hadn't seen in years. I really want to thank Steve for putting it together, and Todd for hooking it up with the awards. I hope we can all get together a little more often.

Hey Brian!

How u been man i havent heard from u since 1990 or somethin lol. Lol Dangerous Shananagins... that brings back memories. Man... Yea i have some of the old black and white photos of that day in the field. I need to get them all scanned in. LOL i just remembered one image and im sure sean dunn will find it flattering.

If Sean is reading this i will ask him if he remembers what he did with a certain S&M top bar pad.... lol.

Brian i want ya to know i dreaded every 17 over novice state race i had with you in it. lol I knew if u were in my moto i wasnt gonna get a free ride to the mains that day. You kept me and alot of the others on our toes. I had a great time banging bars with u in many races too many to count.

So what have u done with your life ? you still ride obviously. I want to get back into it. I think about it all the time. Trouble is my knees arent what they were when i was 20 ya know. Im sure none of us from back then feel 100%. But i think with a little time and devotion i could make a minor bounce back.

My son Kanan who is twelve never took to the sport... in defiance he chose the skateboard lol. I think that if i got back on a bike and made him go with me to some races he might decide to give it a shot.

Man u still got that old haro get up u used to wear??.... thats what me and the other guys looked for when we showed up to the state races. u could always find u with that shiny "unstickered" open face echo helmet.

Hey dude! u looked good racing in the vids there.


that settles it.... im gonna put a new bike together.

Hearing Big Nard on the PA system is like a time machine man. Massive thro back i think he was the most prominant announcer back then.

Hey Kevin,
Thanks for the compliment. I never did get to the top of that class so I certainly never had an easy time with you guys in it. Lots of guys had their moments, but in particular, I've always remembered having a hard time with guys such as yourself, Shawn Williams, Scott Armstrong, Jim Kelly, Eric Bahns, Jason Haney and Bryan Grimm.

I spent somewhere around an eternitly racing in that 17 and over novice class so I remember alot of names from those days. I think those days are some of the most fun for me to replay in my brain as there was nothing else in life that mattered other than the next state race or Race Ohio series race. And yes, I do still have some of that stuff I used to race in. I've been carrying it around all these years..LOL!! The Haro Group 1 RS1 got painted so many times it was almost unrecognizable. Years of abuse and ugly paint and I finally threw it away. I know, it was a moronic move!! LOL.. I did buy an RS2 that looks almost identical to it last year on ebay to try and make up for it. And you would appreciate that I still have my S&M Mad Dog from 89 all built up!!

The reunion race last week was GREAT!! So many faces from the glory days and like you said, Big Nard on the mic was an added bonus that truly took us all back.

As for me, my life has actually not changed a whole lot..LOL.. Never been married and no kids. My girlfriend of four years and I moved out to Arizona about two years ago to escape winters and we're enjoying it out here. We have a dog (enough responsibility for us) and I"ve been stacking bags for Southwest Airlines for a little over eight years. I live about 2 miles from the Chandler ABA track and still go out there at least once a week. Still can't get myself to train to go faster but I'll do 180's and tabletops all day!!

This is long and maybe boring everyone else (sorry!..lol), so I'll wrap it up. It's good to hear from you.

Just curious if anyone has had a chance to download and post any more pics from the old school race in Kettering.

I grew up in the NW corner of Ohio..........I've been trying to read all these posts, but my eyes hurt! Good to hear all these people are back into racing. I raced from '83-87, I think. I was closest to Defiance, Ohio, which had a couple of different tracks. We raced in Fort Wayne Indiana a lot, including indoors with the coke syrup.
I'm sure it's all been said, but there were a TON of fast guys from Ohio, I turned expert when I was 15 and it was a tough class. Whoever said the state series was like a Nat'l, that seems acurate.

I'm back after 21years, I race in the 35-39 Cruiser class, my daughter is in 7yr old girls, and my son is 4, racing in the 5 and under boys. I had to move to Michigan, yes I 'm still a BUCKEYE FAN.......

We have a track on Grand Rapids, Michigan.......we just finished our first year with this new track, I know a lot of old school Michigan guys are showing up, and they are still fast. Our State finals are next weekend, my daughter and I are looking good for a state plate, wish us luck.

Here is our tracks webpage WWW.GRBMX.COM

I recently had the 1985 Christmas Classic VHS tape transferred to DVD, I recognize so many of the names posted earlier. I'm glad I found this site..................
I'll try to get some pics on here of the old days, have some from Ft Wayne Indoors...maybe Wapak and Defiance too.
Here is a pic of me and the kids, I'm waving my arm, my daughter is looking at the camera and this is my 4yr ood behind me, his second race ever!

I didn't race many nationals bitd. Raced @ norwalk 78-79 elyria vermillion burbank avon lake

Cool thread!!! I was looking for an old school bike (mid life crisis) like I used to race and stumbled on this site. I grew up in Pataskala, but Phase IV was not around yet when I was really into it. We traveled around to race and spent time at the Marion track. There used to be a track in Pataskala before Phase IV that opened in 82 I think. I think it was called "Dirt Works". I raced from 79-83, then lost interest when I got my drivers license. I still rode on the pavement though, which is what I enjoyed the most. I need to scan my pics, but I'll try to post them.
I ran around with David Ritchey, Fred Pingle and Keith Barrenger.

I finally found a Jag like my last race bike, so I can't wait to build it.


Thanks for the memories everyone.

Chris Ward

hey any chance i can get a copy of the 85 christmas classic,,ive never seen video of myself racing,i made the b-pro main that year,,thanks jimmy crab carabbia

hey any chance i can get a dvd,,i made the main that year,,thanks jimmy

ME 2

For Jim and Steve, send me a PM or email me hlf1@hotmail.com I'll get your address, etc and we can work something out. I still have it saved on my computer to be copied. The tapes weren't in the best shape, there are some motos/mains missing.......I'll look it over and see If I can find yours for sure.
Jason

Hey Jimmy............just watched one of your motos or qualifiers.........you crashed in the first turn with some other guy, took you a while to get up. Said "CRAB" on the back of your pants, then announcer called your name.........I got the right year 85 right?

Is that all of the 85 Christmas Classic or just the mains?

I may be interested in buying a copy as well.

Thanks!

yep that the b-pro main,OUCH how could i forget vince asbury was on the outside david spanky campbell was in the middle and cheap shot vince won i ended up under spanky,,so to speak i got spanked,vince was a cheap shot bastard,ill stand buy that,thanks for posting

Jimmy and Steve.............sent messages regarding the DVD......

-Jason

yea i was a bit older than you but my buddies. jim griffith,jim cowley,the dillions,are from the avon lake bmx area do you remember thoes guys,how about the bower brothers from michi gan ed & rob,,they saved my but at a fortwayne nat,i got second in the main behind jon anderson and kieth gaynor got 3rd behind me,,,well kieth protested me cause i had jeans on,so im at the van after the main feelin good got 2nd - then my name comes up over the loudspeaker to come to the tower,i looked over at the bower brothers and said CRAP IM GETTING PROTESTED FOR HAVING JEANS ON,,rob bauer takes his racing pants off rite there i put them on over my jeans and walked up to the tower and they said never mind,,,I WILL ALWAYS HAVE THUMBS UP FOR MICHIGAN,LUV IT. I REMEMBER THE NAME MARK HUTCHINS,BUT THATS IT


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Crab,
I ws kinda buddies w/Jim Griffith back then. Saw Donnie Dillion a few years back @ the indoor in huron. Jim Cowley was killing it in the older class a few years ago untill he broke his neck at the Norwalk state race. I'm sure I have his phone No. race at Avon Lake all the time. Was probably a few years younger than you.
Jim Kavalec

i remember you the anouncer always had a hard time pronouncing your name,,i had the same problem,heck yea throw mw jims phone if you happen to find it.thanks

I have my brother working on making copies of the Memphis DVD's. For some fucked up reason my computer will not recognize the damn discs! How many people are wanting a copy?

Also, I know its a stretch. But if anyone has an old JMC they want to get rid of let me know. Trying to build up one to race. Thanks.

Anyone interested in banging bars with jack at dayton indoor for a round #2 and give him a chance to rock his #1?
The tracks no hilliard but still fun ..If so ill try and setup the event and record it .maybe we can eat out again [most of you hauled a$$ before i could invite youall to applebees]
Teamstalker:i won the first presidents cup did you get any footage of the pc?

i would love to have one what year do you have,,jimmy

The video I have is from a professional camera person sitting in the upper level. They showed it on the access channel in the hotel room. My mom got a VCR from the front desk and taped it. I put it on DVD just recently, but not all the tape was in great shape. I'll look at some of it again later, but what is there is very clear for it's age and the sound is perfect, you can even hear that WEIRD gate cadence.

Anyone have any idea who may have been racing at Ohio Dreams last Sat., he was on a PK Ripper, wearing a custom painted SE helmet, had gray hair and had to be in his forties, the dude was FLYING. Someone heard him say he had not raced since like '98???

I am not sure, but I was there 2 weeks ago and was talking to a younger kid who was there (probably in his early teens). I was on my Floval Flyer, so he saw it and said he had some PKs at home. Then he asked me if I knew who Richie Yoxtheimer (sp?) was. I remember knowing Richie back in the early-mid 80s in the Mansfield area. The kid told me Richie is his dad and they still have some PKs. He would be close to 40 now, so it wouldn't suprise me if it was Richie. That would be awesome to see him riding - he was very fast in the 80s and rode SE stuff.

would be cool if its Rich -ran into him a few years back @ delaware indoor. His kid was racing but he was on the sidelines. Guess he broke his back twice. Once @ Billy Au's back yard and once on a golf cart. They have been racing motocross for quite a few years and he's from mansfield. Tell him big tall Kavalec said hey

I just watched the videos of the old school race. It looked like a good time.

Now please explain to me, how you were able to convince Tommy M. to get one of the precious JMC's dirty? I had to watch it twice... still can't believe it.

Any plans for a 2009 version?

It was Rich Yox(I wont attempt the rest...), way fast. I think he had alot of fun that night even though he had a bit of a problem with the gate...

Were you there as well? Neat place, isn't it?!!

What days do they practice? Tried their webb sight huh? Price nbl card needed?
Jerry Pirkle is back riding again think he would like to ride against Yox or Kavalec to see if he still has it . Started this summer an blows the rest of us away.

Yes there WILL be a 09 event .Some were saying how they woulda like to ride more at this one [1 moto transfer]
Maybe next years can be at akron or columbus.
Woulda been cool to have one at the christmas prerace but the christmas race was relocated to va this year ..
I think tommy wanted to ride the oldschool bikes class [he didnt ride his newer bike in the oldschool riders class]He rode the jmc in our points class too though- i didnt race the class main myself cause all the rain and my sons needs -i forgot all about it ..
There were at least 10 riders that were top riders bitd that just came and watched ,next year may have 1/4 s

Oh yeah i think next year it will be a all states old school not just ohio riders.
And some of the local newbies/newschoolers wanted to get in on the old bikes class so maybe we can open it too .Only the 30 yr age should stay in my opinion.

Tom,
I'm done due to low-back problems (can't do gates anymore w/out injury to low-back).
Really been missing racing
Jim Kavalec

I would like to take part in this, If you include other states, I can bring some Michigan boys from BITD........

Accually i was thinking of having 2 or 3 so all of these guys can come to 1 or all ....we can see what intrest comes etc..
All states would be a bonus too i think ...i wanted it to be a exclusive event this year but the more old friends the better in my opinion ..

The more the merrier!! Heck, all the columbus indoor races had people from all the surrounding states.

billy,
did you race at the old school gathering? I still see Rich Hamilia & Rick Carje once in a while (Hamilia has a tree buisness & Carje has a concrete buisness in HB CA-he built all the vans parks). Forgot all about lake jumping @ bay boat club-fun as $hit.
Jim Kavalec

Here is a picture of Billy Au and Drew Vonderahe at a race at the marion county fair grounds in Ohio back in 82? maybe?. Check out the roller in the background. It was the starting hill. Classic Ohio BMX.

awsome photo,i posted a few pics a few pages back,got a few stow shots in there.good to see your still around.

Jim,
Couldnt make it. Was in Europe. Going to have to strap me to a tree to miss the next one though. I am definitely going to make it!!! Want to put together a JMC to race again. Rumor has it some kid is riding around on a 24" down in Medina teasing the hell out of everyone!!

I have family in the Kent area and always took my bike with me to hit Stow ( nice track, remember the national event there?) and later on Akron Derby Downs. I remember racing 15 ex there ( 2 motos) and having Billy Au, and another JMC riding ,. DK dude in my moto, very fast riders in that class out of Ohio back than. That track was great.

This picture of BA is GREAT. That is exactly how I remember first meeting him. It was at Hilliard. In practice I was wondering who the fast little red headed kid was... It did not take too long for him to become a fast BIG red headed kid.

He always had the best tuned bikes. Made me a little jealous because I was infamous for have the worst. I was fairly superstitions about my bike. It seemd like every time I cleaned it, I would wreck, so I stopped cleaning it. Did not clean my bike for the last 5 years that I raced!

If anyone talks to Mr. Bill, please tell him Mike Kiniyalocts says hello!