Dominick Donald Leone Jr. (born February 27, 1966, from Marrero, Louisiana[2] United States) was a professional American "Current School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1982 to 1985. His nickname was "D.D." and "The Ragin' Cajun".[3] The former the initials of his first and middle names the latter an obvious reference to his Louisianan background the home of the Cajun.
Note: Professional first are on the National level unless otherwise indicated. Included under the title of "National" are American Bicycle Association (ABA) Gold Cup Qualifiers.
Started racing: 1977 at 12 years old. Some of his friends persuaded him to go with them and watch them race at a track in a field near his house.[4]
Sanctioning body: ()
Home sanctioning body district(s): American Bicycle Association (ABA) Louisiana District 2 (Lou-2) in 1982
First professional race result: Second Place in "B" Pro at the National Bicycle League (NBL) War of the Stars (WOS) VII in Pompano Beach, Florida, on January 13, 1984. He won US$200. He also came in second place in Pro Cruiser, also winning US$200[5] The 1984 US$200 winnings in each case is the equivalent to US$417 in 2010 funds[6][7]
First professional win: In "A" Pro at the Gilley's Gold Cup Qualifier in Pasadena, Texas, on March 17, 1984. He won his first proper National the next day in "A" Pro at the Gilley's National.[8] Probably in "B" pro at the NBL WOS VII National in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 19, 1984[9]
First Junior Men Pro* race result: See "First professional race result"
First Junior Men Pro win: See "First professional win"
First Senior Men Pro** race result: Possibly second in "A" Pro at the United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA) Houston National in Houston, Texas, on March 2, 1985.[10]
First Senior Men Pro win: Possibly in "A" Pro at the USBA Grand National in Dallas, Texas, on October 27, 1985.[11]
Retired: Originally in early 1986. The last race his name appears in the national results was at the NBL War of the Stars IX Memphis Classic National in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 23, 1986 (Day 2). He came in first in Pro Cruiser.[12] but in early 1988 Gene Roden convinced him to come out of retirement and back into serious competition that year concentrating on Pro Cruiser class. He retired for the second and final time in November 1991 after the ABA Grand National in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on December 1, 1991, in which he came in third place in Pro Cruiser winning US$100.[13][14]
Height & weight at height of his career (1984): Ht:6'2" Wt:195lb.[15] Lorene's weight would steadily go up throughout his career. In November 1982 after gaining national prominence and a Redline sponsorship a few weeks before he weighed 163lb at 6'1" tall[16]
*In the NBL "B" Pro/Super Class/"A" pro (depending on the era); in the ABA "A" pro. **In the NBL "A" Pro/All Pros/Pro Class/"AA" Pro/"Elite Men"; in the ABA "AA" pro.
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.
Redline Engineering: September 1982[18]-December 1984 Leone started with a support sponsorship on the weekend of the ABA Fall Nationals in Lancaster, California, on October 16, 1982[19] He would turn pro with this sponsor.
Professional
Redline Engineering: September 1982 – December 1984. His last race for Redline was the NBL Heart of Dixie National in Montgomery, Alabama, in December 1984.[20]
Zeronine: Early June 1985 – late June 1985. After being unsponsored for approximately five and a half months, Leone was picked up by Zeronine. His first race for Zeronine was the 1985 Murray World Cup of BMX IV in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 23, 1985. He won Pro Cruiser and US$5,000[21] beating Ron Anderson who came in second winning US$2,000
Vector: Late June 1985 – November 1985 He only stayed with Zeronine for three weeks before going to Vector. His first race for Vector was the NBL National in Denver, Colorado, on June 29, 1985, winning in Pro Cruiser and a seventh in "A" Pro.[22]
D.D.'s Wheels: December 1985 – February 1986. He left Vector and sponsored himself through the Bike shop he had just started D.D's Wheels His first race for his shop was the USBA National in Banton Rouge, Louisiana on January 4, 1986. His Bike shop won team trophy.[23]
Zeronine: February 1986 – April 1986 After about two months of riding for his own bike shop, he was back on Zeronine. His first race was the NBL War of the Stars VII Montgomery, Alabama, on February 22, 1986. He had been having trouble with sponsors ever since leaving Redline.[24] This second tour with Zeronine only lasted approximately three months.
Vector: May 1986 – June 1986
D.D.'s Wheels: June 1986. He was once again on Vector by the USBA National in San Antonio, Texas, on May 17, 1986[25] That only lasted for a brief time and he raced at least once more with his self sponsorship with "D.D's Bikes". He apparently he went into quiet retirement at this time due to the fact that his name ceases to show up in the results after Summer of 1986.
Year and a half hiatus: July 1986 – early 1988
TIP Distributing: February 1988 – May 1988. Gene Roden of Tip Distributing brought D.D. out of retirement. Leone had a very noticeable "beer belly" when he was at the 1987 ABA Grand National strictly as a spectator with Roden, but Roden told people at the event that Leone would be back.[26] Leone was living in Marrero, Louisiana, working as a welder but it wasn't what he really wanted to do with his life and therefore had accepted Roden's proposal to come out of retirement.[27] Roden put D.D., who was living with Roden at the time (in a spare room of Roden's house[27] ), on a strict training program.[28] He had weighed around 242lb. when Roden talked to him about making his comeback.[27] His debut national was the ABA Winter Nationals in Chandler, Arizona, on February 13, 1988. He came in second in Pro Cruiser but didn't make it out of the semis in "AA" Pro.[29] by that time he had reduced to 232lb. with a further intent to slim down another 25lb. to 207lb.[27]
Free Agent: May 15, 1988 – December 1989 He was picked up by Free Agent right after the NBL War of the Stars (WoS) National in Houston, Texas, on May 15, 1989. The day before, May 14, was his first Senior Pro victory since returning to racing.[30] The ABA Spring National in Roseville, California, on May 21, 1988, was his first race with Free Agent.[31]
TIP Distributing: January 1989 – May 1989
Kastan: May 1989 – November 1991 His first race for Kastan was the ABA Lonestar national in Austin, Texas, on May 12, 1989[32] He retired for the final time after the ABA Grand National in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on December 1, 1991.[33]
Career bicycle motocross titles
Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in italics. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles. Only sanctioning bodies active during the racer's career are listed.
Amateur
National Bicycle Association (NBA)
National Bicycle League (NBL)
1983 18-24 Cruiser Grand National Champion
1983 18-24 Cruiser National No.1
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
1982 15-25 Cruiser US Gold Cup Champion
1983 17-21 Cruiser and Cruiser Trophy Dash U.S. Gold Cup Champion (Double)
1982 17 Expert and 15-25 Cruiser and 15 & Over Trophy Dash Grand National Champion (Triple)
1982 Louisiana District 2 (Lou-2) 20" and Cruiser No.1
1982 17 Expert and 15-25 Third Place Jag World Champion (ABA Sanctioned)
1985 "A" Pro and Pro Cruiser Grand National Champion (Double)
1985 "A" Pro and Pro Cruiser National No.3
Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*
None
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
1984 "B" Pro First Place Murray World Cup III Champion (NBL co sanctioned)
'Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
Pro Series Championships
Notable accolades
Named unofficially by BMX Plus! as Newcomer of the Year for 1983.[34]
Named as one of BMX Action's "Terrible Ten" top ten amateurs for 1983[35]
Named as one of BMX Action's "1984's Hottest Rookie Pros." list of top new pros for 1984[15]
Leone is a National BMX Hall of Fame 2009 Inductee.
Significant injuries
Suffered an Achilles tendon pull during practice at the ABA Grand Nationals on the weekend of November, 1983. It removed him from competition.[36] He also missed the Jag World Championships. He returned after a two-month and a half lay off in January 1984.[37]
Injured in early 1984 first race back after a few weeks was the NBL War of the Stars (WOS) VII National in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 19, 1984[9] He would be injured for most of 1984.[38]
Injured some ligaments in his left shoulder in August 1988.[39]
Racing habits and traits
Starting out as a rather slim 16-year-old amateur, he steadily gained weight throughout his career (including during a year and a half retirement) He had weighed around 242lb. When Roden talked to him about making his comeback.[27] in late 1987 His debut national out of retirement was the ABA Winter Nationals in Chandler, Arizona, on February 13, 1988. He weighed 232lb.[27] By the time of the NBL WoS National in Norco, California, on June 18, 1988, he weighed 229lb.[40] In late 1988 then Free Agent Team Manager Bill Starlin (father of racer and teammate of Leone, Galen Starlin) put him on probation on pain of not being sent to the 1989 ABA Winternationals in Chandler, Arizona if he didn't lose 30lb, by February 1989, the month Winternationals were held.[41] Leone did attend the ABA Winternationals. At the time he weighed 225lb.[42] If he did lose 30lb by then that would mean he weighed as much as 255lb. at the time of the ultimatum. By the first quarter of 1991 his stated weight was 218 pounds at six feet one inches tall.[43]
BMX press magazine interviews and articles
"The Marrero Flash" BMX Action May 1983 Vol.8 No.5 pg.52 Sidebar biography of Leone.
"D.D.'s PL-24 Setup" BMX Action May 1983 Vol.8 No.5 pg.59 Sidebar about Leone's Redline Cruiser.
"Racing Tips--Who Dat Back Der?" BMX Action December 1983 Vol.8 No.12 pg.87 Sidebar article in which Leone gives tips on when it is to one's advantage to looking back to see who might be passing you and when it is not.
"The Redline Racers:" Super BMX December 1984 Vol.11 No.12 pg.33 mention in the article about the 1984 Redline team George Seevers, Jon Anderson, Eric Garcez, Robert Swick and Trae Brannon.
"Just Crusin'" BMX Plus! August 1991 Vol.14 No.8 pg.24 Duel but separate interviews of Leone and Kenny May about their competing in Pro Cruiser Class in general and against each other
BMX magazine covers
Note: Only magazines that were in publication at the time of the racer's career(s) are listed unless specifically noted.
Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
BMX Plus!:
April 1984 Vol.7 No.4 (1) in left middle inset. In separate insets Pete Loncarevich (73L bottom), freestyler Mike Dominguez (right middle); and Richie Anderson (top).
BMX World
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (the official BMX publication of the ABA under three different names):
ABA Action January 1983 Vol.6 No.1 (26) with Paul Grossrau (5) to his right.
USBA Racer: (The official USBA membership publication)
Inside of American BMXer July 1986 Vol.7 No.6 pg.49) on the extreme left hand side coming into fram behind Todd Slavik (10).
Notes
↑ BMX Plus! October 1985 Vol.8 No.10 pg.41(results)
Gary Leo Ellis Jr. was one of the last American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross (BMX) racer whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982 to 1996. He was nicknamed "The Lumberjack".
Eric Fitzgerald Rupe is an American professional bicycle motocross (BMX) racer. His prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1990.
The American Bicycle Association (ABA) was a US-based BMX racing governing body in Gilbert, Arizona. In 2011, the ABA merged with the former National Bicycle League and became the present-day USA BMX: The American Bicycle Association. The ABA was founded by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. Reportedly one of the world's largest BMX associations, it has tracks in the United States and in Canada.
Peter Pete Loncarevich is a former bicycle motocross (BMX) racer. Loncarevich was an "old school" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994. He is of Croatian origin.
Scott Clark is an American "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1985.
Brian Patterson is a former American "Old School" bicycle motocross (BMX) racer.
Charles Heath Townsend is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996. He has 2 kids.
Luther William Grigs is an American "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996.
Michael Allen King is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1984 to 1998 and is also a former Mountain Bike (MTB) racer who prime competitive years in that discipline were 1993 to 2004.
Stephen James Veltman is a former American "Old School/Mid School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980–1985 and 1987 to 1998. His nickname during the time he first achieved fame as a 12- and 13-year-old was "Spider-Man" due to the posture he had as he speed jumped his bicycle over moguls. He would be tucked all the way back over and just above the rear wheel. His right elbow would be down while his left up as opposed to having them near perfectly level. This along with his red and white Hutch uniform and helmet with mirrored lensed goggles gave an impression of the comic book superhero Spider-Man swinging on his web. His later moniker "V"-Dog" came into being concurrently with him joining the Vans Racing Team in April 1991. He was also known as "Primetime".
Darrell Young is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1981–1988 and 1991 to 1994.
Kenneth Henry May is a former American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 2000.
Clint Miller 1 is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1976 to 1984. A popular nickname given to him was "Miller Time", particular after a win. "Miller Time" was a play on his name that happened to invoke a popular 1970's advertising campaign slogan by the makers of Miller Beer, the Miller Brewing Company to indicate to the consumer that after a hard task at work or play that it was "Miller Time", a "..time to relax.."
Kiyomi Waller is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1989-1998.
Melanie R. Cline is an American former amateur "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1982–2004 and 2009 to the present.
Donald Atherton is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1978–1982.
Matthew Merle Hadan is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1995. Hadan was nicknamed early in his career as "The Master" and later "The Diesel".
Gary Wayne DeBacker is a retired American professional "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose competitive years were from 1980-1999. His greatest achievements occurred during his amateur days, highlighted by four international world championships.
Timothy Judge is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1979-1985. When he was a young racer his given name was used in the diminutive "Timmy". His nickname was "Da Judge" a play on an on the 1970s catch phrase "Here come da judge" first popularized on the 1968-1973 comedy Variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. The show was off the air for about six years when Tim Judge first came to national BMX attention, but due to the show's popularity and his name lending itself to be associated the phrase "Here comes Da Judge" was quickly associated with him. The fact was that Judge was fully rad in an era when not that many pros were.
Darwin L. Griffin is a former professional American mid-school Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were 1982–1989.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States 