Terry Tenette
Encyclopedia
Terry Tenette is a professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
racer whose prime competitive years were from 1989 to 1998.
His nickname "Mr. T" is an allusion to the alliteration
of his given and family name, both starting with the letter "T". It is also an incidental reference to the American actor with the stage name "Mr. T
" who played a character on the popular 1980s American television show "The A-Team
", Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus.
Started Racing: July 24, 1978 Introduced to the sport by a friend named Greg Hill. NOT the BMX racer but a childhood friend. Mr. Tenette raced at the Fred Watson Park track in San Jose, California
Sanctioning Body:
Sanctiong body district(s): American Bicycle Association
(ABA) California 15 (CA-15) (1984); CA-19 (1985)
First race result: First place in 9 novice.
First win (local): See above.
First sponsor: Jack's Cyclery; Woodside Bicycle Shop.
First national win:
Turned professional: November 1987 Age 19.
First Professional race result: First place in "A" pro at the 1987 American Bicycle Association
(ABA) Grand Nationals on November 29 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
. He won USD$800, or the equivalent of USD$1,448.59 in 2007 (Cost of Living Calculator). He also won Pro Cruiser, winning USD$330 (USD$597.54) and came in sixth in Pro Open, winning USD$150 (USD$271.61).
First Professional win: See above:
First Junior Pro* race result: See above
First Junior Pro win: See above
First Senior Pro** race result: First in "AA" pro at the ABA Gilley's National in Pasadena, Texas
on March 26, 1988. He won USD$700, or USD$1,267.52 in 2007 dollars. He also won "AA" pro the next day, winning USD$875, USD$1,584.40 2007.
First Senior Pro win: See above.
Retired: Still active in Veteran Pro and Masters classes.
Height & weight at height of career (1994–1998): Ht:6'0" Wt:200 lbs.
In a later interview with BMX Action Terry Tenette made this statement:
Other than alleging that what GT did was unlawful search and seizure
, Terry at this stage and time never denied GT's allegations against him. Also during this time when his time was free he worked at a hospital counseling teenagers with drug and alcohol problems.
National Bicycle League (NBL)
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
(NBA)
National Bicycle League
(NBL)
American Bicycle Association
(ABA)
United States Bicycle Motocross Association
(USBA)
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
Pro Series Championships
Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
BMX Plus!:
Total BMX:
Bicycles and Dirt (Published by the ABA):
Snap BMX Magazine & Transworld BMX:
Moto Mag:
NBA World & NBmxA World (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):
Bicycles Today & BMX Today (The official NBL membership publication which changed its name once.)
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (The official ABA membership publication under three names):
USBA Racer (The official USBA membership publication):
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 prime competitive years were from 1989 to 1998.
His nickname "Mr. T" is an allusion to the alliteration
Alliteration
In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
of his given and family name, both starting with the letter "T". It is also an incidental reference to the American actor with the stage name "Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
" who played a character on the popular 1980s American television show "The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
", Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus.
Racing career milestones
----Started Racing: July 24, 1978 Introduced to the sport by a friend named Greg Hill. NOT the BMX racer but a childhood friend. Mr. Tenette raced at the Fred Watson Park track in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
Sanctioning Body:
Sanctiong body district(s): 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) California 15 (CA-15) (1984); CA-19 (1985)
First race result: First place in 9 novice.
First win (local): See above.
First sponsor: Jack's Cyclery; Woodside Bicycle Shop.
First national win:
Turned professional: November 1987 Age 19.
First Professional race result: First place in "A" pro at the 1987 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) Grand Nationals on November 29 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. He won USD$800, or the equivalent of USD$1,448.59 in 2007 (Cost of Living Calculator). He also won Pro Cruiser, winning USD$330 (USD$597.54) and came in sixth in Pro Open, winning USD$150 (USD$271.61).
First Professional win: See above:
First Junior Pro* race result: See above
First Junior Pro win: See above
First Senior Pro** race result: First in "AA" pro at the ABA Gilley's National in Pasadena, Texas
Pasadena, Texas
Pasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 17th-largest in Texas, and 162nd largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston....
on March 26, 1988. He won USD$700, or USD$1,267.52 in 2007 dollars. He also won "AA" pro the next day, winning USD$875, USD$1,584.40 2007.
First Senior Pro win: See above.
Retired: Still active in Veteran Pro and Masters classes.
Height & weight at height of career (1994–1998): Ht:6'0" Wt:200 lbs.
Amateur
- Jack's Cyclery: 1981
- Woodside Bicycle Shop: 1981-1983
- Boss Racing Frames: January 1984-December 1984.
- CW (Custom Works) Racing: January 1985-June 1985.
- U.S. Boss Racing Products: June 1985-December 1986. Boss had changed their name slightly since the last time Terry Tenette was on their team.
- GT (Gary Turner) Racing: December 28, 1986-early August 1987. Terry Tenette was removed from the GT factory team for drug use after he was caught with marijuana and drug paraphernaliaDrug paraphernaliaDrug paraphernalia is a term used, often with a slightly negative connotation due to its use in criminal law field e.g. "possession of drug paraphernalia", to denote any equipment, product, or material that is modified for making, using, or concealing drugs, typically for recreational purposes...
. He was previously given a warning a month prior after GT detected a problem but he apparently disregarded the warning and was subsequently released from the team after being caught with the controlled substanceControlled substanceA controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession, or use are regulated by a government. This may include illegal drugs and prescription medications ....
. Terry Tenette stated that he was being made a scapegoatScapegoatScapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
for five other racers. Fellow Senior pro Kevin Hull was sent home from the team on suspicion and apparently on guilt by associationGuilt by AssociationGuilt by Association can refer to:* Association fallacy - sometimes called "guilt by association".* Guilt by Association Vol. 1 - album by Engine Room Recordings.* Guilt by Association Vol. 2 - album by Engine Room Recordings....
alone since he and Tenette often were off together. Hull demanded and received a polygraphPolygraphA polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
test. He passed and was allowed to rejoin the GT team in time for the IBMXF World Championships in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
held on the weekend of August 8. The various factory team sponsors were taking a vigorous zero toleranceZero toleranceZero tolerance imposes automatic punishment for infractions of a stated rule, with the intention of eliminating undesirable conduct. Zero-tolerance policies forbid persons in positions of authority from exercising discretion or changing punishments to fit the circumstances subjectively; they are...
policies particularly ever since the revelations of Ronnie Anderson's admitted 10 year drug habit as he revealed in quotes in the December 8, 1986 issue of Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
and rumors and accusations of anabolic steroidAnabolic steroidAnabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
use by top pro racer Pete LoncarevichPete LoncarevichPeter Loncarevich is a former Bicycle Motocross racer. Loncarevich was an "Old School" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994....
which were never substantiated. Auburn BMX racer Danny Millwee would also be fired for marijuana use in late 1988. GT's spokesman Shawn Buckley made this statement about Tenette's dismissal (excerpt):"This is a clean sport with a good reputation. Drugs are not a major problem in BMX, but if we let this kind of thing go on, it could become one." --Shawn Buckley BMX Plus! November 1987.
In a later interview with BMX Action Terry Tenette made this statement:
"I just think GT blew it 'cause I think they could've used me as an example to sell more bikes, like they do in baseball. They could've played it off. They could've kept me in there and let people know that there was a problem, they've solved it, and now look what they've done--like, 'GT! We're an example.' Instead, they threw me out in the street, like 'We don't need you! Beat it!'"
--Terry Tenette BMX Action August 1988.
Other than alleging that what GT did was unlawful search and seizure
Search and seizure
Search and seizure is a legal procedure used in many civil law and common law legal systems whereby police or other authorities and their agents, who suspect that a crime has been committed, do a search of a person's property and confiscate any relevant evidence to the crime.Some countries have...
, Terry at this stage and time never denied GT's allegations against him. Also during this time when his time was free he worked at a hospital counseling teenagers with drug and alcohol problems.
- MCS (Moto Cross Specialties) Bicycle Specialties: Mid August 1987-August 1988. Tenette was added to the MCS racing team two weeks after he was fired from GT. Tenette would turn pro with this sponsor.
Professional
- MCS Bicycle Specialties: Mid August 1987-August 1988. In August 1988 MCS joined with Eagle Snacks to form a combined race team.
- MCS Bicycles/Eagle Snacks: August 1988-November 1988. MCS claimed that it fired Terry Tenette because of a "bad attitude". Tenette claims he had quit, went on strike as it were, pending a better offer from MCS for his services. Lawrence Rybko, the owner of MCS said they "...couldn't come to terms." for a new contract.
- Peddle Power (bicycle shop): November 1988-December 1988
- Vans (Van Doren Rubber Company): Late December 1988-November 1989. Vans has not yet merged with the MCS team after Eagle Snacks reduced its BMX race effort.
- Vans/MCS Bicycles: November 1989-December 1990 The Vans and MCS race teams merged near the end of 1989. By the end of 1990 Eagle Snacks dropped out of the BMX scene.
- Vans: January 1991-September 1994. Vans and MCS separated after the 1990 racing season.
- Cyclecraft: December 1994-mid 1995
- Ross: 1995-1996
- X-treme: 1996-1997
- Vans/Calabazas Cyclery: Early 2001-June 2001
- Atlas Bike Company/OX Industries: June 2001-
- NorCal: 2002
- Munger/OX Industries: 2003
- Maxim USA: 2004 Tennette was also the Regional Sales and Promotions Representative for Maxim Sports Nutrition at this time.
- Psykopath: 2006–Present
Amateur
National Bicycle Association (NBA)National Bicycle League (NBL)
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
- 1984 California District 15 (Cal-15) No.1
- 1985 Winter Season 17 Expert District Age Group (DAG) California 19 (CA-19) champion
- 1986 17 & Over Expert and 17-21 Cruiser Grandnational Champion.
- 1986 National No.2 Overall and 17 & Over Expert National No.1. This was for his age class only. The overall National No.1 Amateur for 1986 was Eric CarterEric CarterEric Robert Carter is a former American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1983 to 1998...
. - 1986 National No.2 Cruiser Overall and 17-21 Cruiser National No.1. This was for his age class only. The overall National No.1 Cruiser for 1986 was Matt HadanMatt HadanMatthew Merle Hadan is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1985-1995. Nicknamed early in his career "The Master" and later "The Diesel"....
.
United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
- None
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
- 1986 17 Expert Murray World Cup V Champion.
Professional
National Bicycle AssociationNational 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)
- 1990, 1991, 1992 National No.1 Pro.
- 2006 Elite Masters Grand National Champion
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)
- 1987 "A" Pro and Pro Cruiser Grandnational Champion
- 1988 AA Pro Race of Champions (ROC) Chmapion
- 1993 National No.1 Pro Cruiser.
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
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
- None
Pro Series Championships
Notable accolades
- He was named number one of BMX Action magazine's The Terrible Ten of 1987 of top amateurs and future pros.
- He is the winner of the 1989 BMX Plus! "Racer Of The Year" award with 15.8% of the vote out of 6,517 cast. He won Honda NX125 street legal motocross motorcycle.
- Terry Tenette was the first pro racer to win the Senior Pro 20" class three consecutive times: 1990,'91 & '92 in the National Bicycle League "A" Pro (Elite Men) class. Brent Patterson did it previously in the NBL Pro Cruiser class in 1981,'82 & '83 and Cheri ElliottCheri ElliottCheri Elliott was an American champion female bicycle motocross racer in the 1980s, and a champion Downhill and Slalom mountain bike racer in the 1990s and early 2000s. During her BMX career, she spent most of her racing career on the national circuit with the Skyway Recreation factory team...
in the ABA's girls amateur 20" division in 1983,'84 & '85. Other racers have done it and exceeded it in other classes since but Terry Tenette was still the only one to have done it in 20" Men's Senior Pro in any sanctioning body until 2006. John PurseJohn PurseJohn Eric Purse is a former American professional "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer...
came close to matching it in 1997 in the NBL after winning in 1995 and 1996. He was leading the points totals going into the 1997 NBL Grand Nationals by one point over Christophe LeVeque. A crash in the semi-finals ended John Purse pursuit of a "three-peatThree-peatThree-peat is a contraction of the words three and repeat, which has been trademarked for commercial use by retired basketball coach Pat Riley; the active trademarks in force are registered under numbers 1552980, 1878690, and 1886018...
". However, 14 years after Terry set the record, current top pro 20" racer Bubba Harris who won the national pro 20" number one title with the ABA in 2004 and 2005 has equaled Terry's record by winning the ABA National No.1 plate on November 26, 2006 in Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa, OklahomaTulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. He can make it four in a row breaking Tenette's record if he takes the 20" AA pro title again in either the ABA or NBL racing circuit in 2007 and becomes the first to quadruple with any sanctioning body. Terry still retains the distinction of being the only one who has done it three consecutive times with the NBL.
Racing traits and habits
- Tenette was known for often giving the "thumbs up" sign when photogaphed.
Miscellaneous
Like fellow BMX racer Pete Loncarevich, Mr. Tenette had a heavy interest in body building, and was often pictured displaying his physique in BMX publications.BMX press magazine interviews and articles
- "Terry Tenette & Trademarks" BMX Action August 1988 Vol.13 No.8 pg.40
- "Terry Tenette" BMX Plus! June 1989 Vol.12 No.6 pg.36 His Racer of the Year interview.
- "N.C.B: Nor Cal Boys" BMX Action August 1989 Vol.14 No.8 pg.23 Joint article with Cecil Johns.
- "Mister 'T'" Bicross & Skate Magazine Avril (April) 1990 No.87 pg.40 French language BMX and Skateboarding magazine.
- "BMX Plus! RAP" BMX Plus! January 1991 Vol.14 No.1 pg.26 A short interview with Terry Tenette.
- "Terry "Mr. T" Tenette: NBL's #1 Pro!" BMX Plus! December 1991 Vol.14 No.12 pg.37 A short blurb interview with the 1991 No.1 pro.
- "Vans' Grand Slam! Taking a stand on BMX!" BMX Plus! April 1992 Vol.15 No.4 pg.35 Interviews with Tenette and his teammates Pete LoncarevichPete LoncarevichPeter Loncarevich is a former Bicycle Motocross racer. Loncarevich was an "Old School" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994....
, Steve VeltmanSteve VeltmanStephen James Veltman is a former American "Old School/Mid School" professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1981–1983 and 1989 to 1998...
and Racer/Team manager Everette Rosecrans. - "#1 PRO cruiser terry tenette" American BMXer November 1994 Vol.16 Iss.10 pg.42
- "From One Track to Another" Transworld BMX May 2003 Vol.10 Iss.5 No.79 pg.32 An article written by pro BMX racer Jason Richardson the described the tryouts on a Velodrome track at USA CyclingUSA CyclingUSA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX and collegiate racing...
's United States Olympic Training CenterUnited States Olympic Training CenterThe United States Olympic Training Centers are three campuses created by the United States Olympic Committee as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Lake Placid, New York; and Chula Vista, California. There is a U.S. Olympic...
(USOTC) from January 8 to 14 2003 with Steven Alfred (track racer), Jason Carnes, Kenth Fallen, Rob Lindstrom (track racer), Darrin Mitchell, John PurseJohn PurseJohn Eric Purse is a former American professional "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer...
, Craig Reynolds, Richardson himself, Greg Romero, Randy StumpfhauserRandy StumpfhauserRandall Richard Stumpfhauser is an American professional "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1998 to the present...
and Terry Tennette. Following the lead of Jamie Staff making the British Track Cycling team some of his fellow BMX racers explored the possibility of trying out the track racing discipline with the idea of going to the Olympics. This was done Just before the announcement on June 30, 2003 by the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) of their making BMX Racing an Olympic sport beginning in 2008.
BMX magazine covers
Bicycle Motocross News:- None
Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
BMX Plus!:
- September 1987 Vol.10 No.9 in bottom insert (2) with Craig Marsh (4). In upper left insert freestyler Krys Dauchy. Main image is freestyler Dennis McCoy.
Total BMX:
Bicycles and Dirt (Published by the ABA):
- None
Snap BMX Magazine & Transworld BMX:
Moto Mag:
NBA World & NBmxA World (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):
Bicycles Today & BMX Today (The official NBL membership publication which changed its name once.)
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (The official ABA membership publication under three names):
- American BMXer July 1987 Vol.9 No.6 (2) with J. Richards (4)
- American BMXer January/February 1988 Vol.10 No.1
USBA Racer (The official USBA membership publication):