2012 National BMX Hall of Fame Inductees

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Sat, May 12 2012 8:45 am | Comments

 Press Release

Inductees for 2012 National BMX Hall of Fame are Announced

The Sport of BMX will come together under the Olympic Flame at the US Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, June 16, for the 2012 National BMX Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner. Inductees in the four traditional categories will be joined for the first time by a new category honoring the women who have helped make BMX the great sport it is. We will also pay tribute, in this Olympic Year, to the first USA Olympic BMX Team, by inducting all four of its members as “Special Recognition” honorees.

A select number of tickets are being offered to the public for the 28th Annual Induction Ceremony at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA on Saturday, June 16, 2012.

Tickets for the 2nd Annual National BMX Hall of Fame Golf Tournament are also being offered to the public.

Visit the link below for more information and to purchase tickets to these events: http://2012bmxhofcombo.eventbrite.com/

Here are this years’ nine Inductees for the National BMX Hall Of Fame – the “Class of 2012″:

Pioneer BMX Racer – John Palfreyman, Jr.
A true pioneer in the early days of the sport, “Snaggletooth,” as he was lovingly called by his contemporaries, blazed a trail on the early tracks, on which nearly all the sport’s later heroes would follow. The featured rider on the storied Rick’s Bike Shop team, JP turned six years of competition into a lifetime achievement through title wins at the 1974 Northern California Yamaha Gold Cup series, where he won the Expert Class; placing third in the first-ever pro BMX race at Saddleback Park (also in 1974); and a now-legendary pairing with Doug Takahashi as half the unbeatable sidehack duo of the time. John was also one of the original test riders for Linn Kastan’s Red Line BMX line, and appeared in the very first Red Line magazine ad.

BMX Racer – Eric Carter
With an easy smile off the track, and fierce competitive nature on the track, EC was at the top of every fan’s autograph list through the mid-1980s and 90s. His winning ways also made him an “anchor” member on the team sheets of the time. Eric was one of the key riders who put Hall Of Famer Yvonne Shoup’s Free Agent brand on the map, and rode his Hutch to an ABA National #1 Amateur Title in 1986– adding the cup to IBMXF world titles from 1985 and 86 (he would go on to win the 87 and 88 world titles as well). Eric made the transition to the Mountain Bike world in 1993, where he stacked up a slew of national and world titles in Dual-Slalom, Downhill and Four-Cross. In 2012, he returned to former BMX sponsor Hyper Bicycles, where his skills are breaking new ground for the brand on the mountain.

BMX Freestyler – Mat Hoffman
From early roots as a 14-year old blasting unbelievable airs on his personal ramp in Edmond, Oklahoma, to being widely-credited as the savior of the sport of BMX Freestyle in the early 1990s, to his role in organizing the X Games with ESPN, and his position as president of Hoffman Bikes and the Hoffman Sports Association, “The Condor” literally has too many accomplishments to list. Through his passion for the sport, “big idea” business skills, and unequaled talent as an athlete, much of the popularity of BMX Freestyle today can, in one way or another, be traced back to Mat’s vision and efforts.

BMX Industry – Steve Johnson
Even today, yellow and black on a BMX uniform are bound to start a discussion of Steve Johnson’s Torker. His iconic twin-top-tube frame design, and keen sense for the granular details of marketing his products made Steve among the most celebrated and respected industry figures of the late 70s and early 80s. Steve had a deep respect for riders, and The Torker Factory Team was home to a roster of A-List talent that, over his eight-year tenure, included Eddy King, Jason Jenson, Kathy Hanna, Tommy Brackens, Kevin McNeal, Mike King and Mike Miranda. Steve was also instrumental in the early days of BMX Freestyle, sponsoring Bob Haro’s touring team in 1980, and later serving as a mentor and manufacturing source to Bob in creating the Haro Freestyler–the first frame made specifically for BMX Freestyle.

BMX Woman – Windy Osborn
“Photo By Windy” was the line that a generation of BMXers would look for upon cracking open the newest issue of BMX Action magazine. For many, she was our first crush, and for everyone, she was our visual link to all the action that was happening at the tracks and secret riding spots, far, far away from wherever we, the readers, happened to be. First published in Hall Of Famer Elaine Holt’s “BMX News” newspaper in 1974 (as a high school freshman), Windy helped define the sport of BMX through her viewfinder for nearly 20 years, in BMX Action, Freestylin’ and GO magazines.

Special Recognition – The 2008 Olympic BMX Team
As the place where the sport of BMX originated, the United States felt an overwhelming sense of pride when Team USA captured three of the six available medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Mike Day, Donny Robinson, Kyle Bennett and Jill Kintner represented their country with extreme poise, sportsmanship and untiring dedication. Their accomplishments as the first US Olympic BMX team have set an example of excellence for future generations of BMX Olympians, from London in 2012, to Rio in 2016, to the local tracks where the next generation of Olympians are just starting out.