Dave Mirra

David Michael "Dave" Mirra^[1] (born April 4, 1974 in Chittenango, New York) is an American BMX athlete, Subaru Rally Team USA driver and business owner. Mirra holds the record for most X-Games medals, standing (and gold medals) and has medaled in every X Games since they started in 1995. His current medal count as of July 31, 2009 in the X Games is 24.^[2] In 2008, he placed second in BMX Big Air and third in Rally Car Racing at the X Games. He is known primarily as a vert ramp and park rider. He has ridden and has been sponsored by Haro Bikes since the mid '90s before starting his own bike company. In 2004, Mirra guest starred on an episode of George Lopez (TV series).

Early life

Dave Mirra graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona).^[3]

Making Protown

Greenville, North Carolina is more commonly known as "Protown" in the BMX community. This is due to the large amount of contest-riding BMX professionals living there.^{[citation needed]} In the 1990s, Mirra's brother, Tim Mirra, moved to Greenville where there was virtually no BMX scene.^{[citation needed]} Mirra was looking to get out of New York, so he decided to move down to Greenville. Not long after, fellow professional BMX rider Ryan Nyquist moved in with him. Mirra and Nyquist became quick friends and would build and ride ramps together. Greenville is now home to over twenty professional BMX riders.^{[citation needed]}

Mass media

Dave Mirra's success has brought him to numerous outlets besides riding his bike, such as hosting two seasons of MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge. He is featured in the Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX video game series and more recently appeared in the 2009 video game Colin McRae: Dirt 2. He has published a photo-biography titled "Mirra Images", has appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and the "Today Show", was Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher for IRS fraud, and was once one of People Magazine's "50 Hottest Bachelors". He was also featured in Rolling Stone magazine. Dave also rode a $7500 gold plated bike in the 2006 X-games, but was not able to finish the competition because of a crash. He was left with a concussion afterwards.

Sponsorship

Dave's first major sponsor in the BMX world was GT Bicycles. Hitting a slump, and reluctant to sign, Mirra's hero Dennis McCoy finally convinced GT to pay him a fair amount for sponsorship. GT wanted Mirra to move to California and tour the country doing stunt shows at bike shops to promote their bikes like the rest of their riders but, since Mirra felt at home on the East Coast, his relationship with GT eventually faded. He has been sponsored by Haro bicycles for a number of years. In 2007 he started his own company called MirraCo.Dave Mirra has his own video game for the PlayStation 2 generation consoles.

Aside from bike sponsors, Mirra has had various secondary sponsors throughout the years. His current sponsors are: Recaro, MirraCo, Monster Energy, DC Shoes, Maxxis Tires, Nike, Bell Helmets, Snafu, and Subaru.

See also

• Freestyle BMX

References

1. ^ DAVE MIRRA @ 23MAG BMX
2. ^ http://www.davemirra.com/-/Bio
3. ^ http://collegeprowler.com/cal-poly-pomona/alumni--and--post--grads/

External links

• Official Website
• Official website of MirraCo, Mirra's company
• Online photo-biography
• OXY Nation Website, Dave Mirra Video

Persondata
Name	Mirra, Dave
Alternative names
Short description	American bicycle motocross rider
Date of birth	April 4, 1974
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death