Arizona has a thread. Chicago has one. The Minnesota thread is huge! There may not be many of us from Nebraska, but everywhere we went, we made an impression! Some of the riders in these photos had a huge impact, not only in the central states, but for BMX racing in general.

I put together this slide show because as the years go by, I come to appreciate my close friends and the times we spent on wooden jumps, empty lots and ancient BMX tracks that have long since faded away.

And now, I challenge my friends to name the riders in each photo! The photos are numbered.

Nebraska BMX Slide Show

I can't name every rider in every photo. But I bet Joe Baumert can!

I'll start it off with an easy one:
Photo # 7
Doug Olson - Mr. Bike Team, Factory Torker. Went on to work at Torker with Doug Johnson.
Tim Lillethorup - That's me riding for Bill's Bike Barn. Still taking Advil so I can keep riding today.

To adjust or mute the sound, mouse over the bottom of the show. The audio bar will reveal itself.

Challenge question for Baumert or Grubbs:
Photo #12.
Name the riders, location and most of all...the spectator in the "Gilligan" style hat sitting on fence!

Hint for rider #2. He's riding for Jimmy Weinert and is NOT from Nebraska.

Great photos Tim! The old Spinnin Spokes track. I only raced there a few times. Do you have any pictures of us young punks?

Jeff, I did find that Spinnin' Spokes shot of you from the negatives. Will scan that next!

Meanwhile....this turned into a fun project. I've been on a mission here. Have a lot more photos added. There are categories to click on now.

Update: Jeff...check the Spinnin' Spokes link now!

#2 is Tim "Good Luck Ya'all" Richardson. Kevin Renker is in 2nd. As for Gilligan? Mr. Hayden? A pure guess.

Awesome stuff by the way Tim. Greg is in a few. Old School fo sho.

And the location? Illinois? WOS?

Joe, good call on Tim Richardson! The man in the Gilligan hat.....Mr. Knickerbacker! I'm about 99% sure of it. What ever happened to Scott Kickerbacker?

Now, on the Gnarlsbad link:
Photo #41
Name the early Omaha hot shoe turned hippie
Bonus points for name of dog!

Hint - red hair

Thanks for posting those up Tim. Brings back a lot of good memories. Spent a lot of time on the Y track and at Gnarlsbad!!

Nice job and great old pics.

I remember racing in Nebraska a time or two..



Here's the Grubby-one and the Mad Baumer. Indoor action!!



Tim, I have to see if I can find any pictures of you that I might have. You were always on a cruiser and writing for the ABA..Right??

WOW. The early Spinnin' Spokes pics are great. That was such a fun place. One of my earliest memories of being at that track is watching Grubbs launch down the drop off and just being in awe. Very cool stuff. Thanks for posting.

The Weinert rider looks like Wouda, Billy MAc or Robbie Rube. I had same F/F/Hoops/Helmet combo... So I could be more like Dave Clinton. Yet that doesn't look like Clinton.

Tim Boren (Or Born as some called him). I should know the name of the dog but I do not. What was the name? Classic photo Tim.

Also, great photos Jeff. Nice jeans on me! And an A'ME Jersey. Thanks for posting them.

Jeff, Nice shots of the GB Racing Team (Grubbs/Baumert)!
If you had any shots of me from 80-81, I'd probably be on a cruiser - either Powerlite or RRS jersey, #4.

Ben, Joe nailed the ID of the Weinert rider. Its Tim Richardson of Wichita, Kansas. After Weinert, Tim was on the BMX Products/Mongoose Factory Team, and then faded away. He was VERY fast back then. That photo of Tim. R followed by Nebraska's Kevin Renker was shot in 1977 at the NBL Gateway National in St. Louis, MO.

Joe, you are correct sir. It's none other than Tim "Where's Tim" Boren. I first met Tim Boren in the very early days of Yankee Hill and Spinnin' Spokes - around 1976. He was riding with the Gavin brothers, Steve and Jeff. Joe, does the name "Microdot" ring a bell? LOL! That's what Boren named his dog. I think he drifted off into the hippie world. He only raced for a few years, but was very fast early on.

These photos are just the tip of the iceberg. I'll keep adding to the slideshow from time to time. Classic races that I have yet to add are: 1978 Jag World Championships at Indy - the first year!, 1978 NBA Summer Nationals in Shawnee, Oklahoma, 1977 or 78 Shootout at the OK Corral in (help me out Cash) Somewhere in Okie Land, and the 1979 ABA Last Race of the Decade in Tucson, Arizona. This race determined the first ABA Number One Pro Stu Thomsen, and was a heated battle between Stu and Greg with the KOS, McNeal, Davidow, Shobert and Chris Heyden and I from the middle of nowhere Nebraska. This race was at the blazing fast downhill track in Reid Park. Also from that weekend I have photos from the old Union Hills track in Phoenix!

There are also many more photos from Nebraska track dating back to 1976 at Yankee Hill.

Cheers,

Tim

Keep those photos coming. I remember those "Shoot Out at the OK Corrall" and Shawnee NBA Nationals. There was also an ABA "Mini National" in Nebrasca in 1979 or 1980 that I attended.

Good stuff!

Nice shots there Milkman. Another of Tim's nicknames. Also, ELBOWS Lillethorup was another nickname as you can see he's posted several of him beating me out of the first and second turns at Gnarlsbad. Obviously I was a victim of his sharpened elbows that managed to send you over any berm. I'm kidding, at that point I couldn't touch Tim until I started to bribe TJ Hayden to give me lane 1 when he handed out the cards for gate positions. It was an advantage at that track. There's so much good stuff there Tim it's going to take me a while to go through it with Joe. And Gonzo you are right they had mini National there at the end of 80'. Eddy King came and didn't make the main. It was my ONLY National win as an 16 expert before I turned pro. In all fairness I had the inside and Joe was outside of me. I got lucky. Good stuff and a few characters we'll have conjure up names for, it'll come to me.

Wow, look at Grubber being honest, LOL. Eddy, do you remember this? I think you maybe you do? Greg says you do. Even if you do, it was only 1 time out of many races that we beat you as amateurs. BTW Greg we were licemsed as Pros at that race, do your homework. We could race 16 evpert as well as Pro then. A bit of a grey area I say. LOL. Big E would probably say we cheated!!!

And BTW, did anyone catch how Greg said he needed to cheat to win by having our good Pal TJ "give" him a prefered "inside" gate position? Just saying - lol.

How fun is that to hear Joe and the Grubber mixing it up!

Man, I could get excited about a Midwest Nebraska/Kansas/Oklahoma/Texas reunion sometime with you yahoos. Let's pick a warm time and all meet up in OKC or Shawnee or something! I'll bring Gonzo Summers with me!

Grubber, welcome to the internet!

Joe Baumert...you are one of the great pros from back in the Golden Era....

That indoor stuff is fantastic! Someone call Pat Quinn!

Do I use too many !!!!?????

Cash, it's not my fault I had to get on using a new name and password. I would love a midwest reunion !! Anyone remember Kent Deeds from Kansas ? He rode for Bicycle X- change. Or as we Nebraskans said Bicycle Sex Change. He was an arch nemesis there for awhile and he kicked butt at his home track.And Cash knows how I feel about him and Oklahoma !! lol

Gonzo, you don't understand I had to cheat I was 5'6'' and maybe a 150 pounds then. Joe was over 6 feet as a 13 year old. How fair is that ??? And Joe you're just bummed you didn't think of it first. TJ ( RIP ) was a very good man and I miss him still, but he would tell me where to stand and then magically lane 1. We would always laugh about it later together and we never told anybody. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH

All's fair in love and war and bmx.

And yeah Joe I know I was licensed as a pro but it was my only expert National win, so shut up.

What about Mark Moody from Kansas? He came down to a 1977 Texas State Championship race. For some crazy reason, I remember his vertical striped jersey. Seems like he brought some other guys as well, probably Tim Richardson.

Regarding those "Shoot Out at the OK Corral" races, how about those kersoene burners and the black junk you whould expell from your nostrils during and after the race. It was a total health hazard, but a load of fun!

I've added some classic photos over the past few days:
37 photos added to the Standard Trails section. The color photos have never before been seen! I printed maybe one or two of these back in 1977 and filed the negatives away until now! Standard Trails were the raddest Nebraska had to offer in the late 70's, The Lincoln crew would often head up to Omaha to join Heyden, Fanshaw and I on our "local" trails. The result was some amazing jumping and photos that bring it all back to life. Here are four that exemplify how rad we really were, especially considering that most people think of cornfields, cows and covered wagons when they think of Nebraska.

Doug Olson


Larry Woodruff


Joe Baumert (little 14 year old Mad Baumer)


Dave "Fuzzy" Czech


ABA's Last Race of the Decade. 1979 at Reid Park Downhill Track in Tucson, AZ. This race was not only the last of the decade of the 1970's, it would also determine ABA's very first Number One Pro. While the Second Annual Jag World Championships was going on in Indy, we were enjoying the desert climate and witnessing history in the making. The race was tight. Only a few points separated Stu Thomsen and Greg Hill. Whoever came out on top would win the title. Of course, we all know Stu was Number One at the end of the day.

Stu Thomsen and Greg Hill are still to this day, the two greatest BMX racers of all time. Imagine being a Pro from Nebraska at that race. There were two of us. Chris Heyden and myself. There were also Kevin McNeal, Jeff Kosmala, Denny Davidow and a bunch of Pros from Arizona and around the southwest like George Faysak and Ed Timmsen. I know that Chris and I won at least a moto or two each, you can see us leading in a few of the photos. I remember that I missed the main event by just one spot. I believe it was the KOS that edged me out at the line. I remember being really mad, but then thinking at least I won't crash in the main and take out Stu or Greg somehow!

Then there was the blazing speed of that track. So fast and so smooth. The photos tell the story! You have guys like Davidow and McNeal in there with Stu and Greg. Those guys, especially McNeal was like a heat seeking missile. In one moto I saw McNeal practically put someone over the first berm. The other side was a VERY steep drop off.

Someone at ABA will have to chime in on this question: Was this a National race? Seems like it was a Mini National.

There are 31 photos in the Last Race of the Decade section. Here are two primers:

Heyden (110) and Lillethorup (108) - (in over their heads!)


Davidow, Kosmala, Lillethorup, McNeal, Thomsen with Ed Timmsen I believe partially shown.


Then, I added some great, goofy shots from the Kansas City Downs Arena and group shots from the Nebraskans cleaning up at the Kansas Coliseum. Here's one that captures the heart and soul of Nebraska BMX:


Left to Right Standing:
Rex Reason, Joe Baumert, Tim Lillethorup, Greg Grubbs, Steve Gavin, Chris Heyden, Randy Gibson
Left to Right Sitting:
Todd Calfee, Curt Allgood, Brad Fanshaw, T.J. Heyden

Here's the slideshow link in case you missed it:
Nebraska BMX Slide Show...and more!

Gonzo. I do have some black and white prints around here with Mark Moody! I will get on that request sir!

Hell yea, I was coughing up the black soot from those heaters for days!

Cash and Greg - count me in on that reunion idea! That really would be a good time.

Greg, remember the time we raced at the Wichita track with the huge starting hill? It was in Derby I believe. Wasn't it Deeds that we all beat that day? Either you or I or Joe won, or a 1, 2,3 sweep (as usual) and I seem to remember having to leave in a hurry? Something about throwing trophies in the air, or driving over them?

Oh and Greg, thanks for finally confessing on the lane fixing deal. You are forgiven my son. It would be like T.J. to pull that off! I can still see the cat that ate the canary grin on his face.

Joe, I think that is me in the RRS jersey in those indoor shots of Manning's. Nice catch.

Badass shots TIM!

Being from Minnesota, I always felt a strange affinity to racers from Nebraska. Nebraska was just like Minnesota, only without the lakes, wintertime snow, cities whose populations exceeded 1,000, pretty girls, etc...

Seriously, I always pulled for the underdogs, and back in the day any BMXer living in the middle of the country was an underdog.

I'll never forget the first time I raced at D&N Raceway in Iowa... the year (1980 I think) when all the top Pros came. It was a wicked fast, smooth downhill track that was oil-based. Coolest track I've ever raced on.

Everyone who, at a "normal" track, would run 42x16 gearing, was using 45x16 at that D&N race and STILL maxed out and in need of something taller.

But there's this one guy who is rail thin, probably 110 lbs., wearing some faded jersey and the straightest-leg versions of Levi straightlegs that I'd ever seen. And he was absolutely flying on this track, legs spinning so fast he looked like the road runner. Seriously, he must have been running a 39x17, because he was spinning like mad before he reached the bottom of the starting gate.

And in practice, this same guy is goofing around on the track -- all by himself -- and sails sky-high to clear the whoops. This was the old days, when nobody launched over jumps, so that one move dropped jaws. I'm not kidding, everyone kind of stopped and it took a few seconds to register what an amazing maneuver just happened. Nobody else even tried it that day.

I think most of the heavies raced at D&N that weekend...the Pattersons, Scott Clark, Stu (I think), Bobby Woods. It was the only time I remember seeing the legends race at an outdoor race in the Midwest, and it was a HUGE deal.

But my strongest memory of that race was watching the skinny kid who spun six billion rpm and skied the whoops.

Grubbs.

Jeez John, thanks for the kind words and you've got a great memory. And a nice little busting of the chops on the girls, snow and other things Nebraska didn't have. I appreciate that. I remember the oil based track like it was yesterday but I don't think I was the only one jumping the whoops. Wasn't PK doing it too ? I also have an affinity for midwest riders and have always pulled for the underdog as well. I remember coming up to Rondo and being scared to death of the legendary Dave Christiansen and Steve Reddlesperger. Remember when they screwed up his jersey spelling and he was Reddlesterger? We kidded him about it a few times and he was cool to a point but I think we may have got on his nerves a little. Sorry Steve. Dave was fast and in the mags and a very nice guy. In fact he said one of the most encouraging things ever to me as I was on the gate for the ABA Summer Nats in Lubbock, Tx that was on ESPN. He put his hands on my shoulders and told me " you've got em' right where you want em'." I was lucky enough to win and I never forgot that. Then we came up to Minnesota a few weeks later for the ESPN race and Dave kicked our butt and won handily. That wasn't nice.

Man D & N was a nice track wasn't it ? Driscoll was flying there and he was from Iowa and I pulled for him that day.

And Tim, yeah TJ did have that cat that ate the canary smile. God we couldn't believe that you guys never put it together that summer of 81' when I got lane 1 EVERY main. Thanks for the forgiveness.

Oh and it was the other way around with Deeds, Tim. He taunted us with the famous line " we'll see who's in the main won't we squirrel ?" Like we weren't good riders and then HE WON not us. You got second and I didn't even make the main as he predicted. Yeah, then we showed some signs of poor sportsmanship by taunting them and running over our trophy's in the van and leaving them smashed in the parking lot. They sort of chased us out of there with a never come back attitude. I wonder why ? God that was a good time.

And one more thing John, I know exactly which pair of straight leg Levi's you're talking about. I have a picture of me with them on and it's pretty embarrassing so thanks for that. My parents wouldn't buy me leathers because they said I would just outgrow them so I didn't want to look uncool with my pants tucked into my tube socks so I went with the tight straight legs. And if I'm not mistaken you were an honorary member of the poodle head club weren't you ? Take that !

If Steve got fiesty with you because of his misspelled jersey, it's only because he was thoroughly tired of hearing me give him crap about it. Yep, sorry Steve.



Dave was and still is one of the nicest and genuinely-good people I know. I'm not surprised to learn that he said that to you. But regarding him winning at the ESPN Gold Cup in Richfield, Minn., a few weeks later...I am surprised that you never noticed how he pulled the #1 starting gate position in every race. Same for all the Rondo Classics. Coincidence?



Thanks for reminding me of my massively curly hair which, at certain times during my adolescence, was the source of great emotional pain and the main reason I didn't get any hot chicks. Lillethorup and I used to attend group therapy together.

Great pics Tim thanks for sharing. Much simpler times back then. Do you have any 26" cruiser photos to post?

Great photos Tim! I remember a few of those tracks and many of the names.

Grubbs, since Sandberg does not speak of himself often, I'll chime in and say that, John shows up still at the local races unexpectedly and still rides like he is 16 and pretty much blows by everyone in the elder class!


And yes he was a club member of the Poodle Head Society. Had his own shirts. PLUS, he still fits in to all his old uni's....











Sorry Tim, not trying to hijack your thread


-Mark Conley-

Tim, Greg, Joe great to read the posts! Many memories 20+ years ago, as we had a ton of fun racing the NB boys! Nothing but respect, and truly I always looked at it as the Midwest guys vs. CA guys. Tim I would have to spend all day scanning photos, these two were on top BITD in Chandler ~ good times! Tim maybe we will gate together again 46+ Cruiser this year? Correct Advil® is a must! - Dave Christensen

OK, I have a bunch of things to comment on here. Soooooo......


1) Sandberg you ba*$#*rd how dare you fit into those uni's like that. That is seriously impressive. I think I could still get into my GHP jersey but that's about it. And nice shirt do those really exist because that's a classic. Also, I have the DVD's from that Gold Cup ESPN race and I'm going to give them a once over to see where everybody was on the gate. I suspect Jack D for any shenanigans in preferential lane assignments. He always wanted you guys to do well and you did the midwest proud. As for the poodlehead club therapy Lillethorup didn't do too bad, especially when he grew that ridiculous mustache. We didn't have the word MILF back then but let's just say the ladies, who unbelievably would be younger than us now appreciated his ..........vitality. And I'm so glad you gave Steve grief over the jersey and we weren't the only ones. If you look at the photo from the Kansas Coliseum the announcer butchered Joe Baumert's name. They called him Raurment and to this day 30 years later that's still how I greet him on the phone. Some stuff just sticks. I had to go through grade school and Jr High with the name Grubbs, try that everyday. Oh Tim L I think it's time for a story for the folks !!!!!!

2) Mark, those photo's are a classic and if you guys didn't have over a trillion posts on that Minnesota thread I probably would have saw them. Guess I gotta start a reading assignment for myself.


3) Dave, I apologize for getting the spelling of your last name wrong. I should have just remembered from being behind you in every main in Springfield, Illinois National alone. And I too have always had a midwest versus Calif. and the East Coast attitude. I was somehow inducted into the ABA Hall Of Fame and I mentioned your name from the podium along with Baumert, Driscoll, Matt Harris, Piant and all the other midwest guys who deserve to be in the Hall for taking bmx and spreading it through the rest of the country. Hell, Lillethorup and Heyden were a MAJOR INFLUENCE on creating the cruiser class that has been a staple at every race since. All of us midwest guys should be proud as hell of how well we did against people who had perfect weather all year long and great tracks. We did good !!

Shannon, I know this isn't the first time somebody has said this but I was talking to Fiola the other day and I think the ABA should do a mass induction of freestyler's at the next Grands. You could go all the way from from Haro and RL and Buff, Martin and Woody and all the rest through Matt Hoffman. Freestyle is the ABA and BMXA's child. How many rims did we all ruin trying rock walks because we saw it in BMXA. The first shows were at ABA races. You could get a massive group of them and bring in the current Mega ramp and have a great show and dinner. I know there will be politics involved but hopefully they could work it out. Racer's influenced them and they influenced racer's. It's time for a mass recognition. I'm pleading you take it the powers that be. They're all reasonable men and it could be a great way to have a big party and attract new numbers to the sport. I may be talking out of my rear but at least consider it.

You know I love ya.

Grubber

There is too much to comment on and not enough time! WOW! Sandberg and Christensen on here! D&N Raceway and Chandler? Wow, take me back to those great times.

Racing and hanging out with the legendary MN riders from back in the day are some of my best memories.

When Dave was leading Pro points that season and spent a month or so training in Arizona, we spent a lot of time racing and hanging out. Dave, you were there that year. Had it not been for a knee injury (wasn't that it?) you really had a good shot at Number One. Off the track, one of the most sincere, humble and genuine people you could meet. On the track - a powerfully fast determined winner. Our local Pro class at Chandler was always intense, but when you were there that Fall, it was unreal.

Those photos from Chandler are great. I think that might be Bill Morris or Steve Mennega behind you in one of those. Take a close look at my bike...that was a full boat Hutch Pro Racer. How much would that be worth today?! Where did it go? Keep the pictures coming!

I can remember heading up to Minnesota around Spring of 1979. It was a slightly downhill track that wasn't more a few lanes wide. We all thought we were pretty good. Thought we would clean up. We saw this entire team of riders in green uniforms that said Tremco. We said to ourselves, "What the heck is Tremco?". And then there was this big, tall guy who looked like the general of the Tremco army. It was Jack Dougherty. I'm not even sure I qualified for a main that day. You guys cleaned house.

Dave, I just might have to come out of retirement again this year, just to ride you with a few more times. Cheers old pal!

Poodle heads? Mine had to be record for a skinny white boy. Sandberg, your's was perfectly sculpted however.

Grubbs, where do I begin? Too much material for one post!

The reunion Cash mentioned must happen! Maybe we could have Shannon get us one of those side rooms at the ABA Grands and we could have it there? Just a thought.

Those unis weren't mine...they were Jack Doherty's and sized for him. He mailed them to me for the photo shoot.



For doing that you are my hero.

What Dave C. was to the rest of us in Minnesota....what you, Raurment (I'm going to call him that from now on) and Poodlethorup were to to Nebraska...what Driscoll was to Iowa...was MONSTER HUGE! You were the hope and heroes of every BMXer from your states. The Davids vs. the Goliaths. And you represented the dreams we had for ourselves.

You guys made IT. The colossal factory-uni-and-photo-in-BMXA-or-BMX Plus-kind-of-made-it.

Every BMXer's greatest dream.

Yep.

Also, Tim: Did you wear a new Powerlite jersey, leathers and Vans everytime you went to a race? And did you bikes always get a fresh chroming for each race?

I ask because your stuff was always gleaming and perfect. You were factory, but more importantly, you LOOKED factory. Maybe that's why you were always shagging MILFs.

Thanks for the kind words John but I'm no hero. I was in awe and so jealous of the guys like Dave C and Piant on the cover of BMXA and Cash knows that I would have mentioned the Oklahoma guys but, THE'RE ALL IN THE HOF ALREADY!! And I think that's what contributed to the chip on our Nebraska shoulders. We had guys who were way deserving of factory rides and we were the Rodney Dangerfield of the midwest, no respect no respect I tell ya. We had a bit of an attitude but just look at Raurments results as an amateur alone. He did great in big races, races I didn't even go to because I didn't want to get dusted. Doug Olsen had a bit of help from Torker but basically it was for one summer. It really fueled the fire but my chip now is more good natured but still serious. The guys who took bmx and made it important in other states deserve recognition. California is great and they had the majority of riders but we all had local heroes who made us want to be better. And there isn't a state in the union who didn't have that one or two guys who inspired others that it was possible for the David's to take on the Goliath's.


And you can't believe how anal Joe and Tim were with their bikes. They were immaculate and mine was just a pile of crap. I remember once in staging the mighty Stu Thomsen gave my bike the once over and asked " how do you ride that thing ?" It hurt a little I won't lie. Just as an aside nobody and I mean nobody matched Jeff Osmus when it came to perfection. He would fly up to Lincoln and ride with Joe and I and his bike was dialed and off limits. He was serious. hahahaha

Come on Tim and Joe and all the other Husker's out there, chime in. This is why the Nebraska threads die. Tell some stories Joe as you have plenty. The Minnesota guys have set the standard again with what over 500 pages and still counting.

Cash help us out too. And Gonzo do you remember Olin Crabtree the promoter from the Ok Corral race. He was always hitching up his trousers and playing pocket pool. Just our Nebraskan observation.

C'mon speak up.

Olin Crabtree, oh yes! He started up a sanctioning organization as I rememeber, something like "Central States BMX Association".

Regarding Jeff Osmus and his immacualte bikes, you are right on. I remember one mud race when he came up to the gate with a bike that was showroom clean, just like his uniform. He even had plastic covers on his shoes that he removed right before the gate dropped. Everyone else was just trying to keep their wheels able to turn with all the mud and he looked like he was getting ready for a Torker photo shoot for BMXA.

I found a few more from the Uni Dome in the Manning files

I could get into a four hour conversation about what constitutes a hero and, of course, it's complicated. But I called you a hero because you got up in a room full of people who were there to celebrate you...and you celebrated others who haven't had the honor of being in that same place.

Now...whether or not you think you made IT: I remember you wearing full-factory Redline gear...on the cover of BMXA, inside the pages of BMXA and I'm pretty sure you tried to date some of the hot, big-haired models that stood next to Ron House in Super BMX. So...you made IT.

I'm glad you're humble. Very Midwest of you.

Did Nebraska riders have a fierce rivalry with a particular state?

I can't speak for all Minnesota BMXers, but I always tried extra hard to beat Iowans. Why, I don't know? Maybe because it always felt like they came up hear and beat us.

Greg Grubbs is indeed a hero. He was a voice for lots of midwestern kids who learned to believe in their own possibilities. He showed the world, indeed, the world, that anything is possible. I admire him on many levels, one of which is bmx.

We come from a golden age where there were many heroes. Many of those folks didn't get much mention, but if you ever dropped a gate, straddled a bike, scored at the finish line, or participated in any way during those times, you have hero status with me. It was such a fine time and everyone played a huge part. The lead actor in a play doesn't have much to crow about if the lighting guy ain't there.

So many fast humans came out of the Midwest. Tim and Greg were notorious. So was this cat named Joe Baumert. Others like Tim Richardson from Wichita also had what it takes. Geography was the one thing working against them in those early days, but you couldn't find tougher competitors any where. These guys were good!

Let's get together sometime!

Cash, you know I was in awe of you and all others at the turn of the 80's. I really was in absolute awe of ANYBODY who made the pages of the magazines. I just didn't know how it was going to be possible being from Nebraska and slightly undersized. And John I'll just say thanks but I'm sure there are plenty of people who thought I was a jerk, like my best friend Joe B. We once were going back to Woodward after the Johnstown, Pennsylvania ESPN race and Joe and I had been together so long I told him either I was taking him to the bus station or we we going to get out and fight, his choice. We decided to fight but by the time I pulled over we realized we weren't going to fight but it is hilarious to look back now when we talk about it. Joe would have slapped me around and it would have sucked to drive my car after getting my azz kicked by him so I'm glad we didn't. LOL I can already hear it Joe so shut up. Ask Cash how we are together still, EVERYTHING is a competition no matter what. Joe's former wife couldn't stand to hear us talk bmx and made no bones about it. Man, that's still funny to me.......sorry Joe.


I always wanted to beat anybody from Kansas, especially Tim Richardson. Who was he to always say good luck to everyone in his moto and then crush me ! Joe could beat him then but I couldn't. And even though not a single one of them knew it I always wanted to beat Texans. They were like another country, in a good way. There was Mark Summers, Dee Chips, Danny Wall, Don Johle, The entire Anderson family and anybody on a Rebel bike. And I'm just saying those off the top of my head. There are many many more.

I consider ALL the midwest my homies now. Nothing but fond memories of all of it and we should get together Cash. I hear there's a place called Rockford that people go to. Maybe there or the Grands again ?

I forgot to say how much I love the Uni-Dome pictures too ! One of my best races ever because in that particular time period Harry and I had no love for each other. There was no other pro who would put me over more berms than Harry. He just hated to lose to anybody, period. The winner of that little 5 or 6 race series won a new truck. I missed one of them and was out. McNeal won the truck but, I won that day and it felt good coming out of the last turn and seeing Joe on the side of the track cheering for me. I had the inside by the way and no cheating.

And Gonzo, yeah Nebraska was a CSBA track and before that NBA and then ABA so we had to dole out money to a new sanctioning body every year. LOL

I've had a busy week. My youngest daughter Bridget turned 16, I drove to Clinton, IA for a railroad shoot, I picked up my daughter Amy from college in Lake Forest, IL, I moved into a new office....but...I did make time to upload more great old school BMX photos! There are some very classic shots here.

Let's begin with more jumping shots from Standard Trails. One rider from Omaha that won a lot of races early on, then quit racing and faded away was Doug "Lugnuts" Kahl. Lugnuts was an incredible rider with his own signature jumping style. The new photos are from a shoot with Lugnuts, myself and I think its also Randy Gibson. Joe or Greg, is this R.G.? #15 on an FMF. I'm #19 on a blue Mongoose in these new shots. Lugnuts also coined the term "Gnarlsbad", which Chris Heyden used to name his infamous Gnarlsbad Raceway in 1979. Doug "Lugnuts" Kahl, #4 on the Redline in these shots, raced in the same age group as Grubbs and Baumert. Those 3 were unstoppable in the Midwest.

Doug "Lugnuts" Kahl


Is this Randy Gibson?


Next up is the complete archive from the Kansas Coliseum race. Amazing photos here with riders from all over the midwest. These negatives were so dark, that I never even gave them a close look 30 years ago. They actually are much better than I thought. Here some highlights:

A classic shot of the Grubber on his Mongoose:


The Pro Main. Myself in First, followed by Tim Richardson and Chris Heyden in 2 and 3.


The very best is saved for last in this post. Speaking of negatives that I wrote off years ago as being too dark to print. Here are some historic shots from the 1978 NBA Jag World Championships. The quality of these images suffers from lack of light, graininess of 400 speed Tri-X film, and lack of photographic knowledge of the then 17 year old me! There are images here of many of the great ones. Team Redline, Clinton, Hill and Dain. Stu in SE gear on what appears to be an early GJS. Scott Clark, Robby and Eric Rupe. Then you have the Jag riders and several shots of Anthony Sewell, our first World Champion who passed away last month.

There are over 100 never before seen images here, including these of Anthony Sewell:




BMXACTION'S OZ!


Chris Heyden from Nebraska - #59


Me on my Torker - #58


The World Championship photos deserve their own post. If you see yourself in these photos, chime in!

Here's the link to my full gallery of Old School BMX images:
Nebraska BMX Photos

Re: Grubbs and Leary:
Greg, remember when we drove all night to an ABA National in Ohio? Just the two of us in my Mom's Ford Fairmont station wagon. I ran over that air conditioning unit that fell from the Semi ahead of us in the wee hours on I-80. We launched about 4 feet in the air and blew out a tire and mangled the rim! The real story here...Leary put you over the berm in practically every moto!

Re CSBA:
We used to call it the CSBS! Remember the meeting at Crabtree's house in the middle of winter? It was off the Moore, OK exit. We had a massive snowball fight in his back yard. The California guys didn't know how to have a good snowball fight. I beaned Stu in the head with an iceball. That was bad form, I got out of there fast! I still have my CSBA license around here somewhere in a box.

Re: Jeff Osmus
Osmus is the one who called me "Milkman" one day at McDonalds, and the name stuck for a while. I drank milk with every meal...now I can't stand milk!
My bikes may have been clean and dialed in, but as Gonzo says...Jeff Osmus's bikes and uniforms NEVER got dirty. I saw Jeff a few years back in Desoto, TX. It was good to see him again after all those years. The last time I had seen him, was not so good. He broke his leg right in front of me as I shot photos at the 1982 ABA Grands. I think that ended his racing. Jeff's a good guy. Great memories here.

Re: D&N Raceway:
Sandberg, do you have any photos from that big race at D&N?

Tim I remember all of it. It was the first time I had ever seen or heard of a dude named Jim Paiva in his all Zeronine uni. If memory serves he won the pro main event. The blow out was classic but not as classic as the night you got us lost on I-29 and we went 2 hours out of the way. I remember waking up and asking why the h*ll are we headed to Kansas City and you started yelling at Joe and I it was our fault because you were so tired!!! LOL

I made Osmus cry one time. At Nashville when it was a hundred degree's out and we were cooling off in the lake next to the track. I walked out of the water dripping wet and walked up to his bike and threw my leg over it and sat down and he nutted out. I laughed because I thought he was kidding and his dad who was a very nice guy chuckled with me and Jeff would have killed me right there on the spot if it wasn't illegal. He had tears of anger and rage and I never ever messed with his bike again. Jeff if you're reading you know I love you and I'm sorry.

As for Harry? My first race for Redlne was at the Orlando WOS and Lake Alfred the next day. Me and Kosmala missed pro practice completely so my first moto was my first time on the track. I made it out and to the Main and was winning in what I thought was a good distance when this black blur came at me at a 90 degree angle and made little attempt to turn. I went sailing over the back of the berm. I was so mad I started riding at the track and was going to ghost my bike into him on the next straight. Instead I flipped him off because I thought a fight and suspension at my first race would be bad form. Kosmo got in Harry's grill for me and I was stoked. The berm shots eased up from then but never completely. I bet neither of them remember. Not to sound like a [that which cleanses internals] but I did win the next day to make up for it. I had lane 1 where lane 8 had at LEAST 30 extra yards to cover.


Sorry to ramble but it feels good so I'm doing it !!

PS
I still have some parts from that Mongoose shot Tim. I've never seen that photo before. Wonder why I was wheeling out of the turn ? Got the Phil hubs and forks and the plate with all the Haro sticker ripped off. And the helmet and Jofa. Nice shot of Anthony at Jag !! We always got along because of the pop bottle glasses. We would joke about who's vision was worse.

So sweet.

Great pics! One thing though: Can you insert captions with names and dates? Not being from Nebraska from that era, I don't know who I am seeing. Thanks!

Oldtimer1980s