Shawn Patrick Texas (born September 8, 1963 in Los Angeles, California United States) was an American professional "Old School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from (1983–1987)
Racing career milestones
Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated.
Started Racing: Early August 1977 at 13 years of age. His friend took him to a local track in Lakeside, California. He didn't have his own race bike, so he raced his friends. He got his own bike for his 14th birthday on September 8, 1977.
Sanctioning Body: ()
First race result: Third place.
First win (local):
First race bicycle:
Home sanctioning body district(s):
First sponsor: Bicycles N' Stuff 1979.
First national win:
Turned Professional: Mid 1982 at 18 years of age.
First Professional race result: Third in Pro class at the World Wide BMX Association (WWBMXA) Supernationals on June 6, 1982 in Rancho San Diego, California. The WWBMXA didn't have a two tier Senior/Junior pro class like the NBL or the ABA. As a result he raced at least two Senior pros; Harry Leary, who won the event, and Clint Miller who came in second. However, Texas was still considered a junior pro in the ABA and the NBL and raced that class at those events.
First Professional win: In "A" Pro at the American Bicycle Association (ABA) Supernationals in Lake Elsinore, California on January 23, 1983. He won US$450, the equivalent to US$929.37 in 2007 (Cost of Living Calculator)
First Junior Men Pro* race result: Second Place in "A" Pro at the ABA Fall Nationals in Lancaster, California on October 17, 1982. He won US$250 (US$532.90 in 2007) Technically speaking it could be said his first junior pro race result was at the WWBMXA Supernationals in June 1982 but the WWBMXA did not have a two tier pro system unlike the NBL and the ABA. At least two top level senior pro racers raced in Texas's class but the majority of the racers in that class were junior pros.
First Junior Men Pro win: See "First Professional win"
First Senior Men Pro** race result: Did not make main at the 1983 Mile High Nationals in Longmont, Colorado on July 4, 1983
First Senior Men Pro win: In "AA" pro at the ABA Fall Nationals in Bargaintown, New Jersey on August 28, 1983. He won US$320, the equivalent to US$660.88 in 2007.
Retired:
Height & weight at height of her career (1986): Ht:6'2" Wt:195 lbs.
Career factory and major bike shop sponsors
Note: This listing only denotes the racer's primary sponsors. At any given time a racer could have numerous ever changing co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX press coverage and sponsor's advertisements at the time in question. When possible exact dates are used.
Amateur
Bicycles N' Stuff: 1979. Hidden Valley Schwinn: 1979-1980 Cal Bike: 1980-Early 1982
Professional
O'Neal: 1982-May 1983
Gruenert Design Racing: May 1983-September 1, 1983
Pro Neck: September 1, 1983-December 1984. He signed with Pro Neck right after winning the B Pro Main at the 1983 NBL Grand Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee. Pro Neck dropped its race team at the end of the 1984 season. Bassett Racing: Early April 1985-Early July 1985. Texas would be unsponsored for almost the entire summer of 1985 after Bassett went out of business. CW (Custom Works) Racing: October 1985-September 21, 1986. Texas was dropped from CW Racing after the weekend of the ABA Freedomnationls. According to BMX Plus!, CW claimed that Texas's racing was not up to par. Note: at the time there was no written contract between Texas and CW Racing. BMX Action reported that Shawn Texas received a letter from CW telling him that among the reasons he was let go was that he didn't wear his cosponsor's goggles and Texas was dissatisfied with CW's products. Texas confirmed the letter but contested the reasons:"I didn't wear my goggles in Oregon because I didn't have any. I wore them on tour after Roger (Worsham) said something about it...Man, I did everything he ever told me to do!"