Eric Fitzgerald Rupe is an "Old School" American professional bicycle motocross (BMX)

BMX

Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...

 racer. His prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1990.

Considered one of the most underrated BMXers in its history, he also had one of the longest careers in BMX. He nominally retired from Senior pro racing after the 1990 American Bicycle Association

American Bicycle Association

The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...

 Grand National but would go on to participate in Pro BMX competition on a serious basis for another 11 years, albeit in Masters/Veteran pro class, the class for racers past their peak competitive years, much like the Champions Tour

Champions Tour

The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...

 (formally called the Senior PGA Tour

PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...

) in golf

Golf

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

. He wa given the term "Big Daddy" at a 1988 Rockford ABA race by the announcer Dugan Finnel. He used the pharase “Big Daddy coming out on fire” for his win in Senior pro that day. He specifically called him that because he knew Eric was a father by then with a few children at home. Eric was one of the first racers to become a family man when he had his first child in 1984 (albeit Greg Hill

Greg A. Hill

Gregory Alan Hill is a former "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1989...

 became a father in late 1983) His clean-cut born again Christian lifestyle and philosophy lent greatly to the family man image. Over thirty-four years after his first race he was still racing professionally in the ABA Veteran pro class until recently. Today, he races in the Amateur 45 and Over cruiser class. However, he still is very competitive, winning the USA Cycling BMX National Championship in that class on March 21, 2009.

Racing career milestones

----

Milestone	Event Details
Started racing:	November 1974 at age 11 at the Soledad Sands, California Motorcycle Motocross (MX) track. His uncle Bill used to race motocycles there. The previous November Rupe's father had told him and his brother Robby that he didn't want them to ride their motorcycles anymore least they get hurt. A few days later sensing his sons dis appointments he suggested racing their bicycles there.
Sanctioning body:	National Bicycle Association National Bicycle Association The National Bicycle Association , later known as the National Bicycle Motocross Association was an United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Soledad, California that was created by Ernie Alexander in 1973 and ceased operations as an independent body in 1981...  (NBA)
Sanctioning body district(s):
First race bike:	A Schwinn Stingray custom welded by his brother Robby Rupe in his school shop class.
First race result:	Sixth place overall (out of eight in his 11 Novice class). He wrecked after the drive chain broke. He raced the next two motos on his older brother's (Robby Rupe) bicycle. It would take him a year to get his first trophy, a second place in January 1976.
First win (local):	February 1976. at the Van Nuys Youth Center in Van Nuys, California, just over a year after he started racing.
First sponsor:	Canyon Schwinn Cyclery (Bike Shop) April 1976.
First national win:	13 Expert, September 1976 NBA Fall Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... .
Turned professional*:	1977, age 14. In a March 1988 BMX Action interview with Eric Rupe it has him listed as turning pro when he was 13, but in the sidebar "The Life and Times of Eric Rupe", a year-by-year chart of his career, it is listed as having him do so in July 1977. If he was born on June 13, 1963, that would have him being 14 years of age in July 1977, not 13.
First professional race result:	Third place at the local race at the Van Nuys Youth Center on the first night of local races. He won USD$3.00 winnings, the equivalent of USD$10.18 in 2007 (Cost of Living Calculator). It cost him USD$2.00 to enter the race.
First professional win**:	Pro Class at the National Bicycle League National Bicycle League The National Bicycle League is a United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Deerfield Beach, Florida but after several moves it was based in Hilliard, Ohio...  (NBL) War of the Stars National in Petersburg, Indiana Petersburg, Indiana Petersburg is a city in Washington Township, Pike County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,383 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Pike County.Petersburg is part of the Jasper Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...  on July 5, 1980.
Height and weight at height of his career (1983–1988):	Ht: 5'6" Wt: ≈148 lbs.

Retired (nominally): After 1990 ABA Grand National age 26. It was according to Eric a forced retirement due to the unsatisfactory contracts that were offered him by Mongoose

Mongoose (bicycles)

Mongoose is a brand name of performance bicycles originally designed, manufactured, and sold by BMX Products, Inc. Mongoose merged in 2001 with Pacific Cycle, a subsidiary of Dorel Industries. It produces several models of BMX, mountain bikes, and street bicycles, making ample use of light weight...

. He even made a formal announcement prior in the September 1990 issue of American BMXer, the American Bicycle Association

American Bicycle Association

The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...

's newspaper in a letter dated July 24, 1990. However, while he may had retired from the points chasing top pro circuits that contends for no 1 Pro for the year, racing was not out of his system. Like a lot of retired BMX racers who come back and race a national or two for old time's sake and to keep a thumb in the pie, Rupe raced occasionally after his retirement. His post-"retirement" racing was one of the more active. After about 11 months of "retirement" he raced in the October 26–27, 1991 ABA Fall Nationals along with fellow retirees Stu Thomsen

Stu Thomsen

Stuart L. Thomsen was an American bicycle motocross racer.Stu Thomsen was one of the first of the "Old School" of professional BMX racers who gained fame in the early days of the sport beginning in 1974. His prime competitive years were from 1976-1985...

 and Harry Leary

Harry Leary

Harry Clarence Leary Jr. was a "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer....

. He had himself reclassified as an "A" pro and came in second to Eric Carter

Eric Carter

Eric Robert Carter is a former American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1983 to 1998...

 in that division as well as third in Pro Cruiser on Saturday and a fourth in Pro Cruiser on Sunday. In the ABA Grand National of that year he raced and won the Pro Cruiser Class. Most returning pros did it mostly for fun but Rupe had a serious cant to his "semi-retirement". He raced in the 1991 ABA Grand National on December 1, getting a first place in Pro Cruiser. Beginning in 1995, he would race and totally dominate in the mid and late 1990s and early 2000s the ABA Veteran Pro Cruiser class and win the 2000 and 2004 NBL Masters class no. 1 plate. He was still racing seriously in the ABA's Veteran Pro and NBL's Master classes as of 2006. He is 43 years old.

Amateur

• R & R (Rick Ankron & Rick Varner) Racing Products: February 1977-June 1977
• Schwinn Bicycle Company: June 1977-November 1980 Eric turned pro with this sponsor.

Professional

• Schwinn Bicycle Company: June 1977-November 1980 He left Schwinn when he got indications that he and his brother Robby Rupe was about to be dropped by them.
• SE Racing (Formally Scot Enterprises, Now called Sports Engineering, Inc.): February 1981-November 1981. Left under unprofessional circumstances.
• Mongoose (BMX Products): November 1981-February 1983.
• Profile Competition Racing Products: February 1983-December 31, 1983.
• Mongoose (BMX Products): January 1, 1984-November 25, 1990. Retired nominally after the 1990 season due to Mongoose's drastic cut in his salary, from $25,000 a year to $3,000. During the 1990 season Eric was forced to get a normal job to support his family, This cut into his training and practice time significantly which in turn affected his performance at races negatively. Mongoose was going to cut his salary even more which what provoked his-as it turned out-brief retirement.
• Haro Designs/Bicycles: October 1991-December 1992. By late 1991 his brief retirement was over. Following Ronnie Anderson's example in 1990, He had himself reclassified as an "A" pro in the ABA.
• Pro Forx-GHP (Greg Hill Products): January 1993-
• Parkpre Bicycles: 1995-June 1997.
• Mongoose Bicycles (formerly BMX Products): June 1997-February 3, 2007. This was his third stint with Mongoose.

• GT (Gary Turner) Bicycles: February 2007–Present

Amateur

National Bicycle Association (NBA)

• 1976 13 Expert Western States Champion
• 1977 Local #1 in 14 Expert

National Bicycle League (NBL)

• None

American Bicycle Association (ABA)

• None

Professional

National Bicycle Association

National Bicycle Association

The National Bicycle Association , later known as the National Bicycle Motocross Association was an United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Soledad, California that was created by Ernie Alexander in 1973 and ceased operations as an independent body in 1981...

 (NBA)

• None

National Bicycle League

National Bicycle League

The National Bicycle League is a United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Deerfield Beach, Florida but after several moves it was based in Hilliard, Ohio...

 (NBL)

• 1980 National No.2 Pro
• 1983, 1984 National No.1 Pro
• 1985 National No.2 Pro
• 1986 Pro Cruiser National No.2
• 1987, 1988 National No.1 Pro Cruiser
• 1989 Pro Cruiser Grandnational Champion
• 1995 National No.1 Vet Pro
• 1996 NBL Legends Grandnational Champion
• 2000 National No.1 Masters Pro
• 2000 "A"* Pro National No.1
• 2002 "A" Pro Cruiser Grandnational Champion
• 2002 "A" Pro Cruiser National No.1
• 2004 Master Elite Grandnational Champion
• 2004 National No.1 Masters Pro

American Bicycle Association

American Bicycle Association

The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...

 (ABA)

• 1982 "AA" Pro 2nd Place Jag World Champion (ABA sanctioned)
• 1984 National No.3 Pro
• 1987 Pro Cruiser U.S. Gold Cup West Champion
• 1987, 1988 National No.1 Pro Cruiser
• 1989 Pro Cruiser U.S. Gold Cup West Champion
• 1991 Pro Cruiser Grandnational Champion
• 1996 Veteran Pro Grandnational Champion
• 1995, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2000, '01 National No.1 Pro Veteran Cruiser
• 1997, '98 World Cup Vet Pro Champion
• 1998 World Cup Pro Cruiser Champion
• 1998 Veteran Pro Race of Champions (ROC) Champion
• 1999 Race Of Champions "A" Pro Champion
• 2001 Veteran Pro National No.1
• 2001 World Cup Veteran Pro World Champion
• 2002 "A" Pro National No.3 and Veteran Pro National No.2
• 2003 Veteran Pro Grandnational Champion

United States Bicycle Association (USBA)

• 1984 Unlimited Pro† Grandnational Champion
• 1984 National No.1 Pro
• 1986 Pro Cruiser Grandnational Champion
• 1986 Pro Cruiser National No.2

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)

• 1987, 1989 Pro Cruiser World Champion
• 1987 Pro Cruiser Vision Street Wear World Cup* Champion

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)

• 2005, 2006, 2007 40-44 Cruiser World Champion.

USA Cycling BMX

• 2008 and 2009 45 and Over Men Cruiser National Champion

Notable accolades

• Winner of the BMX Plus! 1985 Racer of the Year Award with 44% of the reader survey vote. Won a Honda Elite Motor Scooter. This was the first ever BMX Plus! Racer of the Year award.

• 1988 ABA Hall of Fame Inductee.

BMX product lines

• 1984 Mongoose Eric Rupe Signature Edition Frame Set.

Product Evaluations:

BMX Plus! February 1985 Vol.8 No.2 pg.24 Official BMX Plus! test article.

BMX Action August 1985 Vol.10 No.8 pg.56 Official BMX Action test article.

• 2002 Mongoose "Eric Rupe" Signature Frame

Product Evaluations:

Racing habits and traits

For whatever reason, Eric Rupe had rarely raced ABA since its inception in 1977 until January 1984. In fact until the GT Supernationals held on January 27, 1984 in Burbank, California

Burbank, California

Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....

 it was only the fourth ABA national he ever attended. He happened to double, winning "AA" and Pro Open class at that one, his first ABA national wins as an amateur or professional.

Miscellaneous

• In 1977 he was a stunt double
  Stunt double
  A stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television , and for other sophisticated stunts...
  
   doing stunts on a bicycle for the character Riff in the TV show Loser Takes All. In this sense stunt riding does not mean freestyle, but doing perceived difficult high speed maneuvers on a bicycle and/or staged falls.

• He got married on June 2, 1983 to Kathryn H. Meleski (he proposed in February 1983).

• Eric is the father of three boys: Eric Mathew Rupe, born on August 5, 1984; John David Rupe born on December 13, 1986; and Kevin Phyllip Rupe born on September 13, 1988.

• Eric Rupe's elder brother Robert "Robby" Rupe, a respected racer in his own right, married Deanna Tomac, John Tomac
  John Tomac
  John Tomac is a retired professional cyclist who competed in multiple disciplines in road racing and mountain biking during a successful senior career that spanned twenty years. He is regarded as a mountain biking icon and was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1991...
  
  's sister. John Tomac, after having a notable but comparatively brief BMX pro career, would switch to mountain bike racing
  Mountain bike racing
  The Union Cycliste Internationale recognised the sport of mountain bike racing relatively late in 1990, when it sanctioned the world championships in Purgatory, Colorado. The first mountain biking world cup series took place in 1991. Its nine-race circuit covered two continents—Europe and North...
  
   (MTB) and would become one of that sport's most respected racers.

• Rupe is a born-again Christian. Also Rupe had a love of golf and video games almost the equal of his love of racing.

Significant injuries

• Tore ligaments in ankle at the NBL Memphis National on March 31, 1985. His first race back was at the USBA San Antonio Nationals in San Antonio, Texas
  Texas
  Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
  
   on May 4, 1985 after being laid up for five weeks.
• Badly injured left knee on November 3, 1985 at the ABA Lake Elsinore Fall Nationals race. Laid up for four and one half months. His first race back was the 1986 NBL race in Memphis, Tennessee
  Memphis, Tennessee
  Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
  
  . In Rupe's recount of this injury, he believes it happened in 1986 but he is in error.
• Crashed in the main at the NBL Easter Classic in Sarasota, Florida
  Sarasota, Florida
  Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
  
   on April 11, 2004, breaking his wrist, specifically fracturing his scaphoid bone. He tore a few pectoral muscles as well. He was laid up until the ABA Rockford, Illinois National. This was his first broken bone he received from his 30 years of racing up to that time, although this was not the first time he was badly injured as the previous two times show.
• He suffered severe facial and head injuries in a crash on the second straight at the ABA Silver Dollar Nationals in Reno, Nevada
  Reno, Nevada
  Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
  
   on January 11, 2008. He had a broken eye socket, cheekbone and temple bone. He had surgery on January 21, 2008 to insert Ti plates in his head to keep the bones in place as they heal. He was expected to be laid up a month. His first race back was the 2008 USA Cycling BMX National Championships in Desoto, Texas
  DeSoto, Texas
  DeSoto is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Over the past eleven years since the 2000 U.S. Census Report, the City of DeSoto has grown in population from 37,646 to 49,047....
  
   on March 28, 2008 in 45 and over Cruiser.

BMX and general press magazine interviews and articles

• "Eric Rupe" BMX Plus! January 1982 Vol.5 No.1 pg.20
• "Top Pros Speak Out" BMX Action April 1982 Vol.7 No.4 pg.62 Joint interview with Stu Thomsen
  Stu Thomsen
  Stuart L. Thomsen was an American bicycle motocross racer.Stu Thomsen was one of the first of the "Old School" of professional BMX racers who gained fame in the early days of the sport beginning in 1974. His prime competitive years were from 1976-1985...
  
  , Greg Hill
  Greg A. Hill
  Gregory Alan Hill is a former "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1989...
  
  , Kevin McNeal, Harry Leary
  Harry Leary
  Harry Clarence Leary Jr. was a "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer....
  
  , Brent Patterson
  Brent Patterson (BMX rider)
  Brent Hathaway Patterson is a former American "Old School" bicycle motocross racer....
  
  , and Scott Clark
  Scott Clark (BMX rider)
  Scott Clark is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1985....
  
  , speaking about various issues facing the racing world.
• An Eric Rupe side bar. BMX Action August 1982 Vol.7 No.8 pg.40
• "Eric Rupe: A New National Number One Pro." Super BMX January 1984 Vol.11 No.1 pg.70
• "Eric Rupe" BMX Action March 1984 Vol.9 No.3 pg.42
• "Devonshire" BMX Action July 1984 Vol.9 No.7 pg.31. One of eight mini-interviews with other racers held during the 1984 Devonshire Downs NBL race.
• "Eric Rupe on...Turning Losses Into Wins" Super BMX September 1984 Vol.7 No.9 pg.38
• "Moto-Notes: Jawin' With Eric Rupe" BMX Action December 1984 Vol.9 No.12 pg.60
• "My Road To The NBL #1 Pro Plate" Super BMX & Freestyle June 1985 Vo1.12 No.6 pg.34 Story written by Eric Rupe.
• "Eric Rupe's Advice for Young Riders" Rad Gallery Spectacular July 1985 pg.28 A one-off issue published by Daisy Hi-Torque, the publishers of BMX Plus! magazine
• "The Champs: Eric Rupe" BMX Plus! April 1988 Vol.11 No.4 pg.40 One of six mini articles of the six ABA National No.1 winners of 1987.
• "Cook with Eric Rupe" BMX Action March 1988 Vol.13 No.3 pg.62
• Gold Cup West mini interview. American BMXer November 1989 Vol.11 No.10 pg.17 Very brief interview taken after win.
• "The Big Daddy of BMX" BMX Plus! April 1991 Vol.14 No.4 pg.24
• "BMXer For Life: The Life and Times of the 'Big Daddy'" Snap BMX Magazine June 1998 Vol.4 Iss.4 No.23 pg.80 Autobiographical article by Eric Rupe.
• "Eric Rupe: 32 years To Life Behind Bars" BMX World Magazine April/May 2006 Vol.1 Iss.3 pg.52 Very large article of the career of Eric Rupe. Forward written by his brother Robby Rupe.
• Masters Cycling Summer 2008 A magazine targeting the older Cyclist. It featured Eric Rupe's BMX career in the older BMX classes.

BMX magazine covers

----
Bicycle Motocross News:

• None

Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:

• Super BMX Presents The 1985 World Championship Winter 1985. In fourth with #"1" on his helmet to Harry Leary
  Harry Leary
  Harry Clarence Leary Jr. was a "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer....
  
  's (85) behind/left. Leary is in the rear foreground in second to Gary Ellis
  Gary Ellis
  Gary Leo Ellis Jr. was an American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer.Ellis was one of the last of the "Old School" BMX racers whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982-1996.Nickname: "The Lumberjack"...
  
  's (47) in the lead. Brian Patterson
  Brian Patterson
  Brian Patterson is a former American "Old School" bicycle motocross racer.Brian Patterson is the younger of the most potent sibling combinations BMX has ever seen. With Brent the Brothers Patterson are the only brothers to both hold the National No.1 Pro title in any major BMX sanctioning body...
  
   is to Ellis's rear left in third. Also two unidentifieds (SBMX special edition).
• January 1988 Vol.15 No.1 (5) behind Gary Ellis
  Gary Ellis
  Gary Leo Ellis Jr. was an American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer.Ellis was one of the last of the "Old School" BMX racers whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982-1996.Nickname: "The Lumberjack"...
  
   (6). In inset Freestyler Denny Howell.(SBMX&F)

Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:

• July 1985 Vol.10 No.7 in insert with Mike Miranda following. Brad Birdwell main image.
• July 1987 Vol.12 No.7 (BMXA)

BMX Plus!:

• January 1983 Vol.6 No.1
• June 1984 Vol.7 No.6 main image. In insert Stu Thomsen
  Stu Thomsen
  Stuart L. Thomsen was an American bicycle motocross racer.Stu Thomsen was one of the first of the "Old School" of professional BMX racers who gained fame in the early days of the sport beginning in 1974. His prime competitive years were from 1976-1985...
  
  .
• December 1984 Vol.7 No.12 (22) in insert with Clearance Perry (20) (top center). In other inserts Pete Loncarevich
  Pete Loncarevich
  Peter Loncarevich is a former Bicycle Motocross racer. Loncarevich was an "Old School" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994....
  
   (73) & Anthony Sewell
  Anthony Sewell
  Anthony Sewell was a professional "Old School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1984. He was nicknamed "The Panther". He got the moniker jumping curbs in his neighborhood and neighborhood kids likened his jumping to that of a cat. This was soon converted to...
  
   (13) (bottom center); freestylers Mike Dominguez (top left); Woody Itson (top right); Rick Avella (bottom left); Ron Wilkerson with Shawn Buckley clowning around.
• February 1985 Vol.8 No.2 in insert. Main image: Toby Henderson.
• April 1985 Vol.8 No.4 main image. In insert Harry Leary
  Harry Leary
  Harry Clarence Leary Jr. was a "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer....
  
   (2) & Eddy King
  Eddy King
  Edward King is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1985....
  
   (5).
• September 1986 Vol.9 No.9 in photo composite behind Greg Hill
  Greg A. Hill
  Gregory Alan Hill is a former "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1989...
  
   (1), Tommy Brackens
  Tommy Brackens
  Tommy Lee Brackens is an American former professional "Old School" Bicycle Motocross racer...
  
   and ahead of Gary Ellis
  Gary Ellis
  Gary Leo Ellis Jr. was an American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer.Ellis was one of the last of the "Old School" BMX racers whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982-1996.Nickname: "The Lumberjack"...
  
   (1) and unidentified (15). Freestyler Eddie Fiola
  Eddie Fiola
  Edward Lynn Fiola in Bellflower, California, USA was a professional freestyle BMX rider in the 1980s and a film stuntman....
  
   "above" them.
• October 1986 Vol.9 No.10 In bottom insert (2) behind Pete Loncarevich
  Pete Loncarevich
  Peter Loncarevich is a former Bicycle Motocross racer. Loncarevich was an "Old School" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994....
  
   (3) ahead of, Eddy King (6.) In upper insert Robby Rupe, Scott Towne, Billy Griggs
  Billy Griggs
  William Luther Griggs is an American "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996....
  
  , Dave Cullinan & Tim Ebbett. Main image Todd Anderson.
• November 1987 Vol.10 No.11 (5) with teammate Travis Chipres (8) following.

Total BMX:

Bicycles and Dirt (ABA publication):

• August 1984 Vol.2 No.9 (33) In insert behind Bart McDaniel (17), and ahead of Harry Leary
  Harry Leary
  Harry Clarence Leary Jr. was a "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer....
  
   (Diamondback). Racer Tim Judge
  Tim Judge
  Timothy Judge is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1979-1985. When he was a young racer his given name was used in the diminutive "Timmy"...
  
   and Freestyler Woody Itson in main image.

Snap BMX Magazine & TransWorld BMX:

• None

Moto Mag:

• None

BMX World:

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):

• ABA Action March 1984 Vol.7 No.2 in the center with Robert Fehd on the right and unidentified racer to the left.

USBA Racer (The official USBA membership publication):

Specials:

• Masters Cycling Summer 2008. A Cycling magazine aimed at the older cycling enthusiast.

External links

• Short biography on the Mongoose Bicycles website
• BMXaction Special interview with Eric Rupe
• A brief photo montage of Eric Rupe's career BMX Racing News, Monday, December 6, 2004
• The American Bicycle Association (ABA) website
• The National Bicycle League (NBL) website