History

The first unofficial race took place in 1969, July 10, whereby a group of motorcross fans (who were still too young to ride motorcycles) decided to pit their skills out in Palms Park, Santa Monica, California. With the help of park attendant, Ron Mackler, the race on dirt trails was organizes with the kids competing with their 20-inch bicycles.

The next year, teenagers in Long Beach started imitating motorcross riders. Amongst them was a 13-year-old entrepreneur, Scott Breithaupt. After setting up a dirt track and receiving good responses for the “motorcross” race in bicycles, he formed the Bicycle United Motorcross Society (BUMS). From there, he organized the first “Official” BMX race in California and even set up SE Racing, a BMX manufacturing company.

In 1971, a documentary movie on motorcross racing, “On Any Sunday”, was released starring Steve McQueen (motorcross hero). Thus many young die-hard fans took attention of this new type of motorcross racing when they wanted to imitate their heroes.

In 1973, the National Bicycle Association (NBA) came up with the name Bicycle Motorcross (BMX) for the sport instead of the earlier known name, pedal cross.

Now, anyone with a bicycle and the necessary protectors can take part in BMX racing as long as they are up to the challenge.