Bill Curtin

[bmiddaugh]

So….
I email the guy, he says “gimme a call”
After an hour conversation about everything from the ironman classic, to wooden indoor tracks to the first eastern afa contests from Les and Carol to Jimmy Cerullo and Ron Stebbene and Paul Delarrio, there is no question in my mind who is doing more for BMX, NONE.
It’s sad to me that it has come to this. I mean Bob Warnicke was doing so much, the nbl was in NJ at one point, Carol goes all the way back….but right now, right this minute, the guys who grew up on BMX are waiting for us.

[RaidenHayden]

Ahhhhhh, grasshopper. enlightenment is the first step to a broad horizon!!!!

[bmiddaugh]

So who do I call at the nbl? If I mention Carol Gleason on the phone it may drive people mad.
How about this….
A group of us drop an “aba” track in. Only thing is it’s all the same guys who race nbl, we race, talk up all the tracks, make people want to ride…sorta…like…what…we do now.
Let’s get nuts….
The aba is stoked to have an track in “nbl” NJ. So we say give us a redline race. But we’d like to run it the weekend before or after an nbl regional or national that goes on here. (I can see peoples freaking heads SPINNING as I type this, bob will never let that happen, blah blah blah…remember we have an ace to play…) Now gee, what would this do.
Give all kinds of people a chance to race all the tracks in nj, in big events close together and holy bajeepers…all those nbl guys race the aba track and all the aba guys race the nbl track in NJ and they all….get along? How strange. Because NJ has always know what it’s about…BMX.
And don’t even say it’s a bad idea, because it’s already proven to work. We did it 20 years ago when Carol Gleason (nbl) and Jimmy Cerullo (aba) had two of the biggest tracks on the east coast.
Holy shit, an aba and nbl track director talking and working around each others schedules? What a novel idea….
This is what NJ has done for BMX since it’s inception. We lead. By example. We just gotta do it again.
Oh….
and the aba isn’t evil because they are for profit.
and the nbl isn’t the worse organization in the world either.
BUT
It’s time for NJ to do what it always does, throw down its attitude and get the job done.
Ya know what got me going on this?
I saw Phil at the track last night, that dude is a bundle of BMX energy beyond belief.
EVERY time I see him, he is pumped on being on that bike. Smiling, busting chops, having fun.
It wasn’t there last night…
It broke me down man, we gotta do something soon before this thing implodes and we’re all over at Breton Woods remembering back when they used to race those BMX freestyle bikes…
Is there not one other person here who is with me on this?

[tuffneck]

Brett this sounds great , but what track is going to be able to do this ?
what do the yearly contract say when you sign with aba or nbl ? I am going to test the waters at bensalem tommorrow night , it will be our first aba race. Just want to see the difference between the nbl and the aba for myself . I now cj did this 20 years ago, but can we do this now with the support from the nbl and aba or do we really need them .

[bmiddaugh]

A new track.
If the aba builds the track. 3 years and then you are free to do as you wish.
nbl is….different.
Our tracks in NJ have a 25 year history.
25 YEARS.
Do we owe anyone anything?
Hell no.
Do they owe us…
Does anyone owe Carol Gleason for coming up with a better way to give out trophies in the early days?
Does anyone know that Carol’s daughter and her friend (at the time FOURTEEN YEARS OLD) ran NATIONAL registration for the nbl a few times. (and did a better job than the adults!)
Does anyone care that Carol used to have to sneak the fact that she would talk to Jimmy Cerullo to get a good schedule that didn’t conflict to enhance the sport on the east coast for nbl AND aba riders.
If everyone would just sit down and talk with people like Jeff Morgan, Les Vanderhoff US OLDER RIDERS and be true to your heart instead of just being aggravated over nonsense, everyone would learn what NJ has contributed to this sport.
It stinks and yet it’s sorta cool at the same time that we get to start at ground zero again, because we are getting a second chance to do this right.

[tuffneck]

Yes a new track ,maybe indoors .Does the aba loan you the funds to do this or do you have to get them on your own.

[bmiddaugh]

Getting the package in a few days, we shall know more then.
Indoors would require $$$ and maybe $$.
Plus, that would be stepping on mia compadre RF toes.
Phil says TR is down and all we gotta do is start pushing.
(don’t take any of that last post as a personal thing, I’m just all fired up here, lol)
I didn’t get into the specifics of what we can do if WE do all the work and just want them to sanction…..
I know a few good track builders…
Phil’s dad is a master carpenter….

[tuffneck]

Brett i now were your coming from your just all amped up. i have seen you in action .if there is anything i can do please ask i will be glad to help.

[bmxmom156]

would this location be anywhere north of that driscol bridge???( please dont say another track is in so jersey) i love the shore as much as the next person but remember us north jersey folks have been without since seacaucus went under(pretty please???lol)

[LeadSled1]

When I posted the link up with all of the people who looked to be racing out of class in both sanctions you will never guess what happened. I had a message that night on my phone from Bill asking for me to call him back so I could give him more info. I had never talked to him on the phone before that. A big + in my book.

[RaidenHayden]

Here’s one, in 97′ the ABA added an 28and over class, but at the time it was for nationals only. That year at the gold cup finals, the east being the first out of the three run, Bruce Bischoff and I go to Clayton and say “hey how about for the fianls we run as a seperate class, since we had so many”, 10 minutes later, he says” since the east is the first one to be run, we’re gonna do it” Wow!!! They will listen to a reasonable request or idea A big plus. I think cause they ARE a for profit bus, they want happy customers, you will never make everyone happy, but put a good product out there and they will come.

[BillCurtin]

Hello Gentlemen,

I spoke with Brett yesterday and we had a great time chatting. I sent him some info and he should have it in his hands later today. If any of you have questions, you can reach me at 480-961-1903 x103.

I loved racing in Jersey, here is a shot of me racing at the Ironman in 1995.

I had #122 that year. The next year I was #29 and the final year that Carol ran it, 1997, I had the #1 on my plate.

I found out from the track operator, Doug Shoener(sp) that they took registrations as early as August so I called Carol in March of 1997 and asked if I could prereg for the December race. She laughed and said OK. There was quite a puzzled people who wondered how I had the #1 plate.

I went up to Carol as soon as the race was over in 1997 and slapped my money on the counter to sign up for the 1998 race. I had #1 lined up for 1998 but Carol contacted me a few months later and explained that they had sold the business and were no longer going to be running the track.

I had the privilege of running the #1 at the Ironman Classic. New Jersey has an incredible BMX history from the days of Leapin’ Litsky to the Ironman to Bob Warnicke. I wish you guys the best and if I can be of help, just let me know.

[bmiddaugh]

For those wondering, you don’t HAVE to run aba transfer system at a local race. Whatever the racers like is what you can do.

[bmiddaugh]

I get one of the top guys at the aba to come on the site and not one person has a question you would like to direct to him?
Come on man! This is like….
Don Olsen coming on here and saying he’s always available to help out!!!

[RaidenHayden]

Go to an ABA nat, then go to an NBL nat. Afterwards you will want to go to only ABA nats. So no questions here!!!!!!

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