1980 ABA Midwest National - Pro Money Main by Lillethorup Productions Inc.

Nov 13, 2016

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 3548 times

One of the most controversial Pro main events in BMX racing history. Filmed in 1980 by John McKiernan at Bud's BMX Park in Elkhart, Indiana.

John may have been the first person to videotape BMX racing and he filmed all of the main events that day including this famous race and battle of BMX legends.

Factory Pros - the best of the best were in Elkhart that weekend to battle it out. Making it to the main event were Brent Patterson, Stu Thomsen, Jeff Ruminer, Greg Hill, Kevin McNeal, Leo Green and some skinny kid from Nebraska - Tim Lillethorup. It was my first ever Pro main event, so personally for me - it was a big story. But what happened in that race was a much bigger story!

Kevin McNeal had already been earning a bad reputation for taking out (T-Boning) riders. Some of this may have been legit, but remember that BMX racing has always been somewhat of a contact sport - especially in the days racing without clips. As you'll see in the video, there was plenty of contact that day in Elkhart. But was the contact in turn two blatantly Kevin's fault worthy of a several month suspension by the ABA? Or was he just diving for a hole left open by Brent? Watch the race and decide for yourself.

Interesting side stories about this race:

1. It was my first Pro main event. I had to beat a number of factory riders to make that main, and I made it by just a point or two.
2. Greg Hill started from the outside gate, waited for the right opportunity and once he saw that opportunity - he was long gone! There was no catching Greg Hill - even at only 15 years old.
3. Kevin McNeal's power, spinning ability and raw speed - he came from mid-pack in turn one - almost taking the lead in turn two.
4. There was mega horsepower in that gate! Stu, Brent, Kevin, big Leo Green and how about the Flyin' Okie, Jeff Ruminer!
5. Stu Thomsen and Greg Hill are brother-in-laws and this was near the beginning of what would become one of the longest running total domination steaks in BMX. Well into the 1990's those two names were on top of results in major events.
6. Merle Mennenga, the founder of ABA - his announcing voice was well known. You have to get a laugh out of his sales pitch for four dollar t-shirts as we were waiting for the gate to drop!