Gary Wayne DeBacker was an American professional "Mid School" 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 whose competitive years were from 1980-1999. His greatest achievements occurred during his amateur days, highlighted by four international world championships.

Getting started in BMX

Gary started racing in 1979, when his uncle Dan took him to a BMX track in Woodhaven, MI. He took fourth in his first race as a four year old. Once he turned 5, he began to win regularly at the local track, his parents took him to different tracks throughout Michigan. Gary dominated these tracks rather quickly, and it was suggested to his parents that he try to race the national circuit. When Gary turned seven, he received his first full factory sponsorship with JMC Racing. From there, he began to travel the US and World Competing in many national and international events. Four major influences have been cited as his guides in BMX career. The first are Jim and Vera Melton, the husband and wife team that started JMC Racing, which they started first as a bicycle shop and later became a factory bicycle manufacturer. they were Debecker's first sponsor, He said of them:

"Great Pioneer of manufacturing high quality
race bikes. The first to manufacture junior and Mini frames to target the younger kids market. Always focused on staying positive, and believe that having fun was more important than winning. He created a family atmosphere within his team members."

Another influence was another husband and wife team that ran a small but highly respected BMX bicycle manufacturer; Joe and Betty Martino of Cycle Craft. They were another long term sponsor and another quasi family of his:

A second set of parents for all their team members. Being a member of Cyclecraft was like being part of a family.
They manufactured high quality race frames and introduced the "Gary DeBacker Lite" signature race frames in 1987."

BMX racing career milestones

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Milestone	Event Details
Started Racing:	In 1979 at four years old. His uncle took him to an old motocross track so the father could race his motorcycle. He found most of the track being used by bicycle motocross racers. Angry, he went to complain to the track operator. Meanwhile, four year old Gary was fascinated by the BMXers and he knew what he wanted to do was race BMX and he told his father mother when he returned home.
Sanctioning Body:	ABA and NBL
First race bike:
First race result:	Fourth
First win (local):
First sponsor:	Late 1981 JMC Racing
First national win:	In 5 year old class† at 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...  (ABA) Great Lakes National in Lansing, Michigan Lansing, Michigan Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...  on August 3, 1980.
Turned Professional:	March 1992
First Professional/Junior Men race result:	Third Place in Superclass (formerly "B" pro) 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) Pro Series National at South Park, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1992.
First Professional win:	In "A" pro at 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...  (ABA) Midwest Nationals in Rockford, Illinois Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...  in July 1992.
First Junior Men/Pro* race result:	"First Professional race result".
First Junior Men/Pro win:	See "First Professional win".
Retired:	1999

Amateur/Junior Men

• JMC (James Melton Cyclery) Racing Equipment: Late 1981-July 1985. JMC went out of business in July 1985.
• Cyclecraft: Early 1986-December 27, 1987. Debacker went in to a brief retirement after JMC went out of business in July 1985 but returned to competition by early 1986.
• Mongoose Bicycles: December 27, 1987-Late September 1988. DeBacker was picked up by Mongoose on the same day and right after the NBL Christmas Classic.
• Cyclecraft: Late September 1988-December 1990. After less than a year at mongoose, DeBacker was back at Cyclecraft.

• Schwinn/Volkswagen: December 1990-December 29, 1991. The last day of the 1991 edition of the NBL Christmas Classic nationals was his last race for this sponsor.
• Revcore/Wilk: Early January 1992-(through September 1993) DeBacker would turn pro with these sponsors.

Professional/Elite Men

• Revcore/Wilk: Early January 1992-(through September 1993)
• Tangent: August 1994-
• Kovachi Wheels: 1998-1999

Amateur/Junior Men

National Bicycle Association (NBA)

• None

National Bicycle League (NBL)

• 1980 5 Novice Michigan State Champion
• 1981 6 Expert National No.1
• 1986 11 Expert Grandnational Champion
• 1986 11 Expert National No.1
• 1987 12 Expert & 12 Cruiser Vision World Cup Champion
• 1987 12 Expert and 12 Cruiser Grandnational Champion
• 1987 12 Expert & 12 Cruiser National No.1
• 1989 14 Expert Grandnational Champion
• 1989 14 Expert National No.1
• 1990 15 Cruiser Grandnational Champion

American Bicycle Association (ABA)

• 1981, 1982 Michigan District #1 (Mich-1) No.1
• 1982 7 Expert Northeastern Gold Cup Champion
• 1988 Michigan District #4 (Mich-4) Cruiser No.1

United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)

• None

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*

• 1981 6 & Under Expert International Champion
• 1983 8 Expert World Champion
• 1986 11 Expert Murray World Cup V Champion
• 1987 12 Boys World Champion
• 1989 15 Expert World Champion

Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*

• 1988 14 Boys No.3
• 1989 15 Boys World Champion
• 1990 16 Boys World Champion

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*

• None

Professional/Elite Men

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 (defunct)

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)

• None

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)

• None

United States Bicycle Motocross Association

United States Bicycle Motocross Association

The United States Bicycle Association was a short lived Bicycle Motocross national sanctioning body based in Tempe, Arizona. It was founded in March 1984 by five former members of the American Bicycle Association : Rich Mann, Dave Cook, Geoff Sims, Steve Schaefer and Rod Keeling, who became the...

 (USBA)

• None (defunct)

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*

Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*

• None (FIAC was an organization for amateur racing.)

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
Pro Series Championships and Invitationals

Notable accolades

• Named 10th out of 21 racers deemed BMX's Hottest Amateurs in 1988 from a BMX Plus! poll of seven team managers which included Don Crupi of MCS, Mike Seevers of GT, Yvonne Shoup of Free Agent, Dave Custodero of Mongoose, Mike Donell of Revcore, Bill Nelson of Robinson and Racer/Team Manager of Diamond Back Harry Leary
  Harry Leary
  Harry Clarence Leary Jr. was a "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer....
  
  .

Miscellaneous and Trivia

• On September 19, 1982 in Waterford, Michigan during an 1982 ABA Leukemia
  Leukemia
  Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
  
   "Race for Life" event that was memorial race dedicated to the memory of Todd Kingsbury (The Todd Kingsbury Memorial Race), a boy who had died of leukemia in 1981, Seven year old Gary DeBacker gave his 1981 Michigan District #1 No.1 trophy he won to Bob Kingbury, the deceased boy's father because if Todd did not stop racing due to his illness, he would had been Michigan District #1 champion and not him.

BMX magazine covers

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Bicycle Motocross News:

• None (defunct)

Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:

• December 1988 Vol.15 No.12 (SBMX) Last issue of Super BMX/Freestyle ever published.

Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:

• None

BMX Plus!:

• December 1983 Vol.6 No.11* In top inset in the extreme lower right corner in JMC uniform. 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...
  
   in GT Racing uniform is in the center; to the left 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...
  
   in Redline livery
  Livery
  A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
  
  . Also present is Nelson Chanady
  Nelson Chanady
  Nelson Chanady is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1981–1987-Racing career milestones:-----Amateur:...
  
   in GT Racing jersey to the right and behind Hill, 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"...
  
   in Hutch colors and to Thomsen's right and others at beginning of national banner presentation at the start of the 1983 IBMXF BMX World Championships. 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 the main image.

Total BMX:

• None

Bicycles and Dirt:

• None

Snap BMX Magazine & TransWorld BMX:

• None

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

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

• June/July? 1991

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

USBA Racer (The official ABA membership publication):

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

• "Up front with DeBacker" BMX Plus! November 1991 Vol.14 No.11 pg.38

External links

• The American Bicycle Association (ABA) website.
• The National Bicycle League (NBL) website.
• Gerrit Does website, with "History of BMX" links to World Championship winners from the 80's.