that got the notice of Yamaha. They then made their own bike and hired him to create a race series that legitimized what had been going on in dirt lots all over. Scot garnered a nickname of "Godfather of BMX" which I think is well deserved.
He took a BUNCH of kids on a National Tour in a clapped out school bus in 1977 when he was only 20. I'm SURE most of the kids parents didn't know he was that young, but he had a way with words, and an infectious enthusiasm that could win anyone over.
In the late 70's, my friend Keith Lawson (RIP) and I asked the organizers at La Mirada BMX if we could have a cruiser "race" on our Schwinn balloon bikes for fun to break up the day. The first week, he and I rode coaster wheelies down the start hill, banged elbows a bit in the berms, and generally had a great time. The next week Bob Morales joined us. The third week Scot showed up on a Schwinn, and what started as a fun time-filler became full-on racing. 
It wasn't long before the first OM Flyer was built, and the rest is history.
I worked for Scot at SE Racing in the early 80's alongside Perry Kramer (PK Ripper, now working as a SoCal Sales honch for Giant Bicycles) and Todd Huffman (former Marketing Genius at GT Bicycles, now an award-winning film maker...) I remember there being a goal for Scot to
become a millionaire before the age of 30. If that happened, I'm not sure, but I know he got close. What he DID create was one of the most iconic brands we've ever had in the US Bicycle Market.
Original SE Racing Bicycles are coveted the world over because of their quality, design innovation, and legacy. Todd Lyons at ASI (parent company of SE Racing) takes particular care to continue the feeling of the original legacy in their bikes today.
With Scot's success came excess, and he had a taste for illicit substances that eventually brought him down hard. He had stints in prison, would get out, try to get back on his feet, and more often than not, fall back. But every time you'd see Scot, even if his life was in the worst shambles ever, he ALWAYS had a smile on his face, a big hug and a 
handshake, and a kind word to give. He dug deep in the "fake it to make it" theory of positivity.
In a lot of ways, he was larger than life, and a true visionary. Sometimes the "larger than", and "way with words" went a little too far over the top, and that could get him in trouble.
Five years ago he curated a "40 Years of BMX" show in Long Beach, where he was honored by the Mayor and City Council. He had plans to have a 45-Year celebration later this year. I will be forever grateful and indebted to Scot for his tenacity as a teenager to solidify an activity that went from building jumps in sandlots to becoming a Global Olympic Sport, and gateway into cycling for millions of kids. I wouldn't be here without what he did.
As a final note, I had been thinking about Scot recently, not for any particular reason, but I hadn't seen updates on Facebook from him for a while, so I thought about calling him. I wasn't sure if he was not posting as much, or if Facebook's algorythms had pushed him a little out of my stream. But I didn't call. I wish I would have.
So, perhaps this can be a reminder for when those feelings come to you, make the call. The person on the other end might need it.
RIP Scot, Love Always, Steve.
As far as I recall, I first interacted with Scot at the Yamaha Gold Cup qualifier in San Diego. I was 13. To imagine that he was only 16 and running that thing at the time is amazing. He always went by the monikor "the OM (Old Man)" I believe as a marketing tool to get parents, sponsors and business partners to think he was more mature than he was, and he grew a beard as soon as he could... Most of us had no idea how old he was. For him to pull off what he did between the ages of 13 and 30 is amazing.
There has been much argument over the last few years as to who "created" BMX. Our friend in Europe Gerrit Does has images of bicycle races with number plates on city bikes over jumps and berms. But one guy started putting on races regularly in SoCal
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.