Donny Atherton
Personal information
Full nameDonald Atherton
Born (1964-01-30) January 30, 1964 (age 60)
Newbury Park, California, United States of America
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineBicycle Motocross (BMX)
RoleRacer
Rider typeOff Road
Amateur teams
1978-1979Flying Dutchman
1979Jag BMX
1979-1980Schwinn
Professional teams
1980-1983Schwinn
1984Pro-Fit
1984Champion
1984Redline Engineering
1984Works/Pro-fit
1984-1985Vector

Donald Atherton (b. January 30, 1964 from Newbury Park, California, United States) is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1978–1982.

Racing career milestones

Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated.

Started Racing: December 1977 at age 13.

First race result: First place in 13 beginner at the Elks Club BMX track in Simi Valley, California.[1]

First win (local): See above.

Sanctioning body: NBA (NBmxA)

Sanctioning body district(s): American Bicycle Association (ABA) California 7 (CA-7 1980)

First race bicycle: A red FMF.[2]

First sponsor: Flying Dutchman Team (bike shop)

First national win:

Turned Professional: Late December 1980 at age 16.[3]

First Professional race result: Fourth place. It was a local race in Van Nuys, California during the week of December 20, 1980.[4] His first National pro race was the JAG World Championships on December 27, 1980. He crashed in the Pro Money class first qualifying moto and his two other qualifying finishes in the qualifying round wasn't good enough and did not transfer to the semi-finals. He did get a sixth in Pro Trophy.[5]

First Professional* win: In "AA" at the American Bicycle Association (ABA) Great Northwest National in Sumner, Washington on June 15, 1983. He won US$500[6] (US$1,032.63 in 2007 Cost of Living Calculator).

Retired:

Height & weight at height of his career ():

*At the start of his pro career, there wasn't a two tier system of Junior and Senior Pros, therefore his first pro race and/or win was his first in Senior 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 given.

Amateur

Professional

Career bicycle motocross titles

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 (NBA)

National Bicycle League (NBL)

American Bicycle Association (ABA)

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)

Professional

National Bicycle Association (NBA)

National Bicycle League (NBL)

American Bicycle Association (ABA)

United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)

Pro Series Championships

Notable accolades

Significant injuries

Racing habits and traits

Miscellaneous

Post BMX career

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BMX press magazine interviews and articles

BMX magazine covers

Bicycle Motocross News:

Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:

Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:

BMX Plus!:

Total BMX:

Bicycles and Dirt (Magazine published by the ABA):

NBA World & NBmxA World (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):

Bicycles Today & BMX Today (The official NBL membership publication under two names):

ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (The official ABA membership publication under three names):

USBA Racer (The official USBA membership publication):

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Super BMX August 1980 Vol.7 No.8 pg.67
  2. ^ a b BMX Plus! August 1980 Vol.3 No.8 pg.36
  3. ^ BMX Plus! Vol.4 No.4 pg.45
  4. ^ BMX Plus! April 1981 Vol.4 No.4 pg.46
  5. ^ BMX Plus! Vol.4 No.4 pg.53 (Race Results)
  6. ^ BMX Plus! October 1983 Vol.6 No.9* pg.10 *There was no May 1983 Issue of BMX Plus!.
  7. ^ BMX Plus! August 1980 Vol.3 No.8 pg.37
  8. ^ Super BMX & Freestyle May 1985 Vol.12 No.5 pg.13
  9. ^ BMX Plus! December 1984 Vol.7 No.10 pg.64
  10. ^ Super BMX & Freestyle May 1985 Vol.12 No.5 pg.12 (photo caption) & pg.14 (text)
  11. ^ Super BMX August 1980 Vol.7 No.8 pg.66
  12. ^ BMX Action July 1985 Vol.10 No.7 pg.46

External links

Categories