Steve Veltman

Cyclist infobox
ridername = Steve Veltman


image_size =
image_caption =
fullname = Stephen James Veltman
nickname = "Spider-Man", "V"-Dog", "Primetime"
dateofbirth = birth date and age |1969|8|4
height = 1.83 m (6'0" Imperial)
weight = ~93kg (~208lbs. Imperial) (1994)
country = USA
currentteam = Retired
discipline = Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
role = Racer
ridertype = Off Road
protourrank =
europetourrank =
amateuryears = 1980
1980
1981
1981-1986
1987-1988
1988-1989
amateurteams = World of Wheels
Mongoose (co factory)
Bassett
Hutch Hi-Performance BMX/Products
McDonald's
U.S. Boss Racing Products
proyears = 1990
1990-1991
1991-1992
1992
1992-1995
1997-1998
1998-1999
1999-2001
2003
2003
2004
proteams = U.S. Boss Racing Products
L&S Racing
Vans
ODI
U.S. Boss Racing Products
Torker
Next
Magna
ODI
Answer Products
GT Bicycles
majorwins =
updated = July 14, 2008

Stephen James Veltman (b. August 4, 1969 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; [ [http://expn.go.com/athletes/bios/VELTMAN_STEVE.html Expn.com site.] ] later raised in Conroe, Texas U.S.) is a former American "Old School/Mid School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1981-1983 and 1989 to 1998. His nickname during the time he first achieved fame as a 12 and 13 year old was "Spider-Man" due to the posture he had as he speed jumped his bicycle over moguls. He would be tucked all the way back over and just above the rear wheel. His right elbow would be down while his left up as opposed to having them near perfectly level. This along with his red and white Hutch uniform and helmet with mirrored lensed goggles gave an impression of the comic book superhero Spider-Man swinging on his web. ["Go" July 1991 Vol.2 Iss.9 pg.19] His later moniker "V"-Dog" came into being concurrently with him joining the Vans Racing Team in April of 1991. ["BMX Plus!" August 1991 Vol.14 No.8 pg.4 Note: "BMX Plus!" counts the covers as pages.] He was also known as "Primetime".

Racing career

Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated.

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*In the NBL "B" Pro/Super Class/"A" pro (depending on the era); in the ABA "A" pro.
**In the NBL "A" Pro/All Pros/Pro Class/"AA" Pro/"Elite Men"; in the ABA "AA" pro.

Career factory and major bike shop sponsors

Note: This listing only denotes the racer's primary sponsors. At any given time a racer could have numerous co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX Press coverage and sponsor's advertisements at the time in question. When possible exact dates are given.

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Amateur

*World of Wheels (bike shop): 1980
*Mongoose (BMX Products) (co-factory): 1980
*Bassett: Early 1981-November 1981
*Hutch Hi-Performance BMX/Products: November 27, 1981-Mid 1986. Richard Hutchins, the owner of Hutch Hi-Performance, first saw Steve (after Steve's father Jim Veltman pointed him out) at an 1981 ABA National in Ohio. He won his class. ["Bicycle and Dirt" March 1983 Vol.1 No.7 pg.42] Mr. Hutchins next saw him at the 1981 ABA Grand National pre-race. He showed enough talent to give him a uniform to wear at the Grand Nationals proper the next two days. After Steve placed fourth in 12 Expert, ["Super BMX" March 1982 Vol.9 No.3 pg.54 (results)] he gave him a formal and full sponsorship immediately afterword. ["Super BMX" May 1983 Vol.10 No.5 pg.56] Veltman's first race for Hutch was the ABA Winter Shootout Triple pointer in Jersey City, New Jersey on December 13, 1981. ["BMX Plus!" April 1982 Vol.5 No.4 pg.89] Veltman took a year hiatus from the National BMX racing circuit starting in mid 1986 (sometime after the Murray World Cup) due to burn out laking the will to win and craving the desire to do other things. He returned in mid 1987 after that desire to complete returned ["Go" July 1991 Vol.2 Iss.9 pg.22]

*McDonald's: Mid 1987-Late October 1988. McDonald's, like it's competitor Hardee's, fielded a BMX team but the McDonald's team lasted two years compared to the one the Hardee's team lasted. McDonald's shut down its BMX effort in October 1988."American BMXer" December 1988 Vol.10 No.11 pg.61]

*U.S. Boss Racing Products: Late October 1988-December 1989. Veltman would turn pro with this sponsor.

Professional

*U.S. Boss Racing Products: Late October 1988-December 1989. Shortly after McDonald's discontinued its BMX effort, Veltman joined U.S. Boss. The ABA Fall Nationals on October 29 in Orlando, Florida was the first race with his new sponsor.

*L&S ("L"ucia & "S"on) Racing: January 1990-April 1991. L&S was started by the same person who previously owned U.S. Boss Racing Products, Carlo Lucia. ["Freestylin'/BMX Action" December 1989 Vol.1 Iss.2 pg.17]

*Vans (Van Doran Rubber Company): April 1991-March 1992. Veltman started a brief retirement to concentrate on school. ["American BMXer" January/February 1993 Vo.15 No.1 pg.36 (photo caption)]

*ODI (Ornate Design, Inc*): November 26, 1992-November 29 1992. He showed up at the 1992 ABA Grandnationals in an ODI jersey. It was his first race since his approximately eight month hiatus to concentrate on school. ["American BMXer" January/February 1993 Vo.15 No.1 pg.50 (photo caption)] This sponsorship lasted the duration of the 1992 ABA Grandnationals.
*U.S. Boss Racing Products: November 29, 1992-December 1995. Veltman during the 1995 season went into a brief retirement. He returned to the racing circuit at the beginning of 1996. ["Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1996 Vol.3 Iss.2 No.9 pg.11]

*Torker: January 1996-January 1998

*Next: Late August 1998-Late November 1999
*Magna: Late November 1999-2001
*ODI: 2003 This company started out making Christmas ornaments but switched to making bicycle grips and later grips for power tools as well as BMX and skateboarding accessories. ["BMX Plus!" November 1986 Vol.9 No.11 pg.15]

*Answer Products: 2003
*GT (Gary Turner) Bicycles: 2004

Career bicycle motocross titles

Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in "italics". "Defunct" refers to the fact of that sanctioning body in question no longer existing at the start of the racer's career or at that stage of his/her career. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles. Series and one off Championships are also listed in block.

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Amateur

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*NoneNational Bicycle League (NBL)
*NoneAmerican Bicycle Association (ABA)
*"1980 Texas State Champion"
*"1981 Texas District 3 (TX-3) No.1"
*"1982 12 Expert North Central Gold Cup Champion"
*1982 13 Expert Grandnational Champion
*"1982 National No.1 Amateur"
*"1982 National No.1 Cruiser"
*"1982 13 Expert Jag World Champion" (ABA sanctioned)
*"1983 14 Expert and 13-13 Cruiser International Superbowl of BMX Champion". ["Bicycles and Dirt" April 1984 Vol.2 No.7 pg.20] United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
*1985 16 Cruiser Grandnational ChampionInternational Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)

*"1982 12 Expert World Champion"

*"1982 13 & Under Cruiser World Champion"

*"1989 18 to 24 Cruiser World Champion".

Other Titles

*"1981 12 Expert Jag World Champion" (USCF sanctioned)

Professional

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*NoneNational Bicycle League (NBL)
*1991 20" Pro Grandnational ChampionAmerican Bicycle Association (ABA)
*"1990 Pro U.S Gold Cup West Champion"
*1990 Pro Super Cup Champion
*"1993 National No.1 Pro". He won a black 1993 Ford Ranger ["American BMXer" December 1994 Vol.16 Iss.11 pg.71]

United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
*NoneInternational Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
*NonePro Series Championships

Notable accolades

*He was the first ABA racer, amateur or professional, to take two ABA No.1 national titles in the same year. 1982 in Amateur 20" and Amateur Cruiser Class.

*He displayed something of an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age (13 years old at the time) by manufacturing and marketing "Rad Kaps", dice cubes converted into bicycle tire valve caps which sold briskly. ["BMX Plus!" May 1984 Vol.7 No.5 pg.71 Mini interview.]

*He also displayed innovation as the inventor of the Posi-Stop brake cable guide. The Posi-Stop was a combination seat clamp and caliper brake cable guide that supposed to improve the performance of such brakes. ["Go" July 1991 Vol.2 Iss.9 pg.11] It was later manufactured and sold by Oddessey under the "Pozi-Stop" (note adjusted spelling) name. ["Go" October 1991 Vol.2 Iss.12 pg.21 (Manufacturer's advertisement)]

*He became part of the venerable Wheaties advertising campaign on August 14, 1983 by being featured on the box of their cereal product, joining a long line of sports legends such as Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Babe Didrikson, Jackie Robinson, Wilt Chamberlain and Bruce Jenner. ["BMX Plus!" August 1983 Vol.6 No.7* pg.78] [ [http://www.ababmx.com/index.php?page=halloffame1/ 2006 ABA Hall of fame nomination.] ]
*Named the fourteenth of the 25 Hottest amateurs in BMX racing in a 1984 survey conducted by "BMX Plus!" for the opinions of four prominent figures in BMX: Two racers, Brent Patterson and Mike Poulson; and two team officials: Dr. Gary Scofield of GT, Howard Wharthon of Diamond Back. ["BMX Plus!" November 1984 Vol.7 No.11 pg.48]

*Named one of "BMX Action's" "Terrible Ten" of top amateurs and future pros for 1988 ["BMX Action" October 1988 Vol.13 No.10 pg.22]

*Name by the ABA's "BMXer" magazine as the 1993 Golden Crank "Pro of the Year" Award. [ [http://www.gork-graphics.com/PopularityAwards.htm Gork-graphics.com site] ]

*Named 1994 "Racer of the Year" by "BMX Plus!". ["BMX Plus!" August 1994 Vol.17 No.8 pg.38] No voter break down given.

*He set and held the record for most pro wins in a season in the ABA at 14 in 1993 ["BMX Plus!" August 1994 Vol.17 No.8 pg.38] until John Purse broke it in 1998.

*In 1996 he set and held the World Bunny Hop record at 46 inches overtaking fellow racer's Brian Lopes record. ["BMX Plus!" July 1996 Vol.19 No.7 pg.40] The Bunny Hop is basically a high jump on a bicycle. Like in an Track and Field High Jump a take off ramp is not used and elevation is accomplished purely by muscle power and momentum. A jump is attempted either with either a rolling launch or at a near stand still. The front end of the bicycle is pulled up as one jumps up on the pedals. When the body is fully erect as if standing the handle bars of the pulled up front end is at waste level. At this juncture the rider pulls up on the bar further as his momentum is still going up. A moment later the rider pushes forward on the bars and brings his legs up to the point that his thighs are parallel to the ground. If done properly the rear wheel of the bicycle should come up with his legs and he should end up in a fully tucked position as if going over a speed jump, but in mid air; in Veltman's case 46" inches in mid air. The whole exercise only last about a second and a half.

*Due to a change of ownership of "BMX Plus!" in 1983, no May issue was published that year.

ignificant injuries

*Was laid up with mononucleosis for nearly two months after the 1988 ABA Grand Nationals. The 1989 ABA Winter Nationals held on February 18th and 19th in Chandler, Arizona was his first race back. ["BMX Action" June 1989 Vol.14 No.6 pg.20]

*Broke Collar Bone at the ABA Mid America Nationals in Lincoln, Nebraska on March 1, 1992 (day 2) ["BMX Plus!" July 1992 Vol.15 No.7 pg.8] Laid up two months. This was the first significant BMX related injury he had ever had. Prior to this incident, he had never broken a bone racing. ["American BMXer" December 1994 Vol.16 Iss.11 pg.32]

*Was laid up for three months with severe back problems beginning in with his inury at the Silverdollar Nationals in Reno, Nevada on January 8 or 9, 1994. He tore tendons and tissue in his lower spine. ["American BMXer" December 1994 Vol.16 Iss.11 pg.32] His first race back was the ABA U.S. Nationals in Clovis, California on March 11, 1994. ["American BMXer" December 1994 Vol.16 Iss.11 pg.32]

*He separated his right wrist at the ABA Empire National in Kingston, New York on August 20, 1994. He crashed leading the first pro main on day 1, "endoing" (his front wheel hitting the front side of the jump incorrectly) on a set of triple moguls. He was laid up until just before the ABA Gold Cup East race in Blue Springs, Missouri on September 25, 1994. ["American BMXer" November 1994 Vol.16 Iss.10 pg.10] ["American BMXer" October 1994 Vol.16 Iss.9 pg.42] However, he would suffer another injury immediately.

*He suffered a snapped interior crucia ligament with possible cartilage damage in his knee during a practice session two days before the ABA Gold Cup East race in Blue Springs, Missouri on September 23, 1994. He had to have surgery with a donor ligament to replace his snapped one. ["American BMXer" November 1994 Vol.16 Iss.10 pg.10] In total he was out with injuries for six consecutive months until the week of March 9, 1995 and returned to national competition for the ABA Winternationals in Scottsdale, Arizona on March 18, 1995. ["BMX Plus!" July 1995 Vol.18 No.7 pg.32]

Racing habits and traits

Miscellaneous

Post BMX career

Steve Veltman is currently a Personal Trainer in the San Diego, California area. He still occasionally races BMX in ABA Veteran Pro class. He recently came in third place on Friday, November 24, 2006 during the ABA Grand National. [ [http://www.daleholmes.com/ Daleholmes.com article.] ]

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

*"Hutch's #1 Hero" "ABA Action" March 1982 Vol.6 No.3 pg.16
*"Steve Veltman: "V" is for Victory" "Bicycle and Dirt" March 1983 Vol.1 No.7 pg.41
*"Hutch's Steve Veltman: Interview with a National Champion"Super BMX" May 1983 Vol.10 No.5 pg.56
*"Fast Talk: Steve Veltman" "BMX Plus!" May 1984 Vol.7 No.5 pg.71 Mini interview.
*"New Kids on the Block" "Go" September 1990 Vol.1 Iss.11 pg.52 A joint interview article with fellow rookie pros Kenny May and Matt Hadan.
*"Young Guns!!!" "BMX Plus!" October 1990 Vol.13 No.10 pg.64 Joint interview with fellow rookie pros Eric Carter, Tim Hall, Kenny May, and Matt Hadan.
*"Steve Veltman and the Art of Rolling" "Go" July 1991 Vol.2 Iss.9 pg.19 How to article on speed jumping.
*"Vans' Grand Slam! Taking a stand on BMX!" "BMX Plus!" April 1992 Vol.15 No.4 pg.35 Interviews with Steve Veltman and his teammates Terry Tenette, Pete Loncarevich and Racer/Team manager Everette Rosecrans.
*"totally mental: Steve Veltman: 1993 aba no.1 pro" "American BMXer" December 1994 Vol.16 Iss.11 pg.32

*"Steve Veltman" "Snap BMX Magazine" May/June 1997 Vol.4 No.3 Iss.16 pg.30

BMX magazine covers

"Bicycle Motocross News:"
*None"Minicycle/BMX Action" & "Super BMX:"
*None"Bicycle Motocross Action" & "Go:"
*November 1990 Vol.2 Iss.1 ahead of Billy Griggs, Traves Chipres and Mike King. In insert John Paul Rogers (Go)."BMX Plus!:"
*August 1990 Vol.13 No.8 behind Greg Hill & Brian Lopes
*October 1991 Vol.14 No.10 trailing Gary Ellis, Todd Corbitt & Pete Loncarevich.
*December 1993 Vol.16 No.12 behind Danny Nelson (51). In insert freestyler Dave Mirra.
*March 1994 Vol.17 No.3 Fourth from right on the starting gate with fellow pros (5) Brian Lopes (first from right), Mike King, Eric Carter (25), Pete Loncarevich (partly obscured on Veltman's right), & and unidentified. In top insert Haro Monocoque BMX racing bicycle. "Total BMX:"
*March 1983. In insert Brian Patterson."Bicycles and Dirt:"
*March 1983 Vol.1 No.7 Inset: Gary Ellis and an unidentified racer.

"Snap BMX Magazine" & "Transworld BMX:"

"Moto Mag:"
*None"NBA World" & "NBmxA World" (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):
*None"Bicycles Today" & "BMX Today" (The official NBL publication under two names):

"ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer" (The official ABA publication under three names):
*"ABA Action" November 1981 Vol.5 No.10
*"ABA Action" April 1983 Vol.6 No.3 standing with Brent Patterson, Robert Fehd, Debbie Kalsow and Greg Hill
*"American BMXer" December 1984 Vol.7 No.11
*"American BMXer" December 1994 Vol.16 Iss.11"USBA Racer" (The official USBA membership publication:):"

End Notes

External links

* [http://www.ababmx.com/ The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Website.]
* [http://www.nbl.org/ The National Bicycle League (NBL) Website.]
* [http://users.pandora.be/jjrbmx/hutch/HUTCHteam.html JJR BMX website dedicated to the Hutch Hi-Performance BMX bicycle company from 1980 to 1992]