Shelby James


Shelby James was an Amateur American "Old School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1982 to 1990. Starting at age six, it could be said that Shelby James was one of the best racers never to turn pro. From the first year of competition in 1979 he was winning titles. In part due to his large size for his age, he was already 5' 11" by the age of 13 in June 1988 and then 6'1" at 14 years of age, he was one of the most dominatant amateur racers since Richie Anderson. However, his first love was basketball and always had the intention to become a professional basketball player in the background of his mind. In 1990 after an injury during a race, he quit BMX to pursue that dream.

Racing career milestones

Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated.
MilestoneEvent Details
Started Racing:April 1979 at six years old.
Sanctioning body:
Sanctioning body district:American Bicycle Association : Florida District 1
First race bike:A borrowed bike.
First race result:First place
First win :See above
First sponsor:DG
First national win:
Turned Professional:No Professional career.
Height & weight at height of his career :

Retired: In early 1990 after suffering an injury to his chest in a crash at the NBL Easter Classic on April 15, 1990, James retired from BMX to pursue his dream of becoming a professional Basketball player. This was practically confirmed by an April BMX Plus! article writing about another racer, Shawn Bone, when he quit the Robinson Products racing team giving up BMX for the Basketball court:

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

Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in italics. "Defunct" refers to the fact of that sanctioning body in question no longer existing at the start of the racer's career or at that stage of his/her career. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles. Series and one off Championships are also listed in block.

Amateur

National Bicycle Association
National Pedal Sport Association
National Bicycle League
American Bicycle Association
*In 1984 in addition to the District and State and National No.1 titles the ABA divided up the race season into three distinct points seasons and rewarded year end plates for it.
International Bicycle Motocross Federation
Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme *
* Due to FIAC rules at the time James had to race in a year older class than his usual 14 Expert class because James had his birthday late in the year.
Independent race series and Invitationals
*
Basketball player.

Post BMX career

Note: Only magazines that were in publication at the time of the racer's career are listed unless specifically noted.
Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
BMX Plus!:
Total BMX
Bicycles and Dirt:
BMX World :
Bicycles Today' & BMX Today :
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer :