Associated learning page: https://sites.google.com/view/lititzbmxinventorylist/learning-resources/quizzes/1982-bmx-history-quiz
Source: BMX Action, December 1986 retrospective sequence
Printed pages: 42–43
Transcription basis: Supplied complete two-page magazine spread
Archive package version: 1.0
Prepared: July 19, 2026
Original headings, quotations, names, colloquial wording, capitalization, and visible punctuation are preserved as closely as the supplied image permits.
Like the ad said . . . “What’s super fast and starts with a G?” The obvious answers, of course, were Geoff Scofield—the lil’ mighty midget; Greg Hill—the now-faster-than-a-greased-banana-peel pro; and GT—their sponsor.
This was at the same time that GT came out with those trick lookin’ jerseys, with the crooked yellow stripe zig-zagging across the chest. That jersey alone is an all-time classic!
Besides seeing Greg out front in just about every moto, semi, and main, you saw him on just about every page of the magazine, either in race shots or ads. Greg OWNED 1982.
He also didn’t shave a lot.
The race: Pontiac Silverdome. The rider: Harry Leary (who else?). The significance: This was the first IBMXF race on American soil, and not only did it have riders show up from ALL over the world, but it sported a five thou pro purse and Stompin’ Stu designed the track. WOW. Photo by Oz.
Sure. They’d been doing it for some time now, but this is when it really got dialed in, became a factor, an art form, or something like that.
Nelson Chanady, from Florida, had arrived and delivered. It didn’t take too long before GT picked him up.
Clarence Perry, CW’s walking earthquake, had shown up here and there, and with the Pro Cruiser class, he finally found a home.
Showing up in a lot of B-pro mains was some squid called “Gibey.” His mama called him Steve. His competition called him tough. Oz called him “a warehouse boy done good.” Len Weed, BMXA’s mad editor at the time called him an Assistant Editor (for now).
Darrell Young became known as one of the smoothest guys to ever grace a BMX track. The guy was silk!
Another Team Terrible Tour. We’ll let the picture speak for itself.
“Greg Hill. The business man. Totally concentrated. Peak physical condition. 100 percent support from GT. Psych totally dialed. Wants it more than anyone. Greg will own ’82.”
Oz, on his Pro predictions.
BMX ACTION, June 1982.
Mr. Smooth, himself. Darrell Young, doing what he called a “Young.” JMC always did have the stylish riders, didn’t they?
Stu, wowing the very excitable crowd in Nagoya, Japan. Stu had just gotten his second NORA Cup and Red Line got No. 1 team, so you could say that Stu was jumping for joy here.
Friends, Bob Medrano whippin’ into a Crews, and Frank “Wild Man” Post gettin’ tabled during halftime. At one time or another, these two guys held their own.
And one of the biggest locals-on-the-verge was Greg Grubbs. From outta nowhere (Nowhere, Nebraska), he showed up in a pro main. At first, people questioned if he was in the wrong moto. He wasn’t. And once the gate dropped, they never asked again. He twisted himself into weird positions off the track and got some good positions ON the track. Instant super star. Red Line jumped on him—figuratively speaking, of course.
I don’t think that any of us expected to see what we saw. All the BMX’er/movie goer knew from what Oz warned them, was that it was about a gang of kids jammin’ around on BMX bikes with some weird alien creature.
If you are anything like I am, then I know for a fact that when you walked out of the sticky-floored theatre, you were STOKED. Not only was E.T. an ultra cool thing (person?), but we got to check out BMX on the big screen—the first time since “ON ANY SUNDAY.”
First off, let me mention that at this very instant in time, 26 inchers instantly became history. The 24 Wars had begun. Mongoose was the first to jump on it. Everyone else followed, which brings the cruiser controversy up to its present status.
“If you want to be the very best, then you have to get up Monday morning and put as much effort into it as you can. You have to want to win all week long.”
Greg Hill
BMX ACTION, July 1982.
GT Pro bars were a hot item, FUR sure. GT is said to have sold “close to a million.” (Slight exaggeration, maybe.) Red Line Flight cranks were also selling hotter than tanning-lamps in Alaska—the long awaited Flights became the ultimate crank to have if you had the ultimate cash flow.
Pedalin’ Lee Medlin. Him and Dennis Dain were the original factory GT riders. He jammed, up until ’85.
Pit bikes gained in popularity. Skyway came out with 16 inch Tuff’s, and it was the full-blown factory look to have your very own 16 incher to cruise around the pits between motos. And every once in awhile, if you could talk the track operator into it, you might get a pit bike race goin’!
And last but surely not least, the Premier helmets were laid down to rest when Bell came out with their tough and durable looking Moto III. It was mean. It was used by the best. It was the hot prod.