Winning the Toyota Celebrity race the Long Beach Grand Prix is an amazing accomplishment. Imagine being able to say you beat George Lucas, Emily Procter, Martina Navratilova and other stars racing cars. Dave had a great time in the car and an amazing time hanging out with the celebrity drivers who were all down to earth cool people.

For Dave it’s now back to the BMX bike where others are back in the director’s seat, behind the camera or on the microphone.

Dave will be back next year with a whole new group of celebs. He will have to drive in the Pro class though which means you’re starting 30 seconds after the celebs take off.

Let’s see who he has to chase in 2008.

For now here are some more photos.

Right now I’m sitting at the airport trying to get home so thought I give a quick update about Sinapore PIG comp. Rob Wise had to leave because of famile issues (hope everything is ok) so I got teamed up with Dave Dillewaard on Team Aussie. We were going good at the start then team Captain Jack (Brian hunt & Rob Darden) throw a barspin in on the 9ft ramp. Also got out on an opposite whip and a double bar spin. Such a fun comp. Morgan Wade and Gary Young won in the finals beating Mackay and Nyquist.

Thanks again to Jay Miron for having us, you’re the man.

Ryan

Mirra: We now know that he won the celebrity car race. He will be heading back to empty Greenville. You can also catch Dave in New Jersey this weekend with MirraCo. rider Mike Spinner.

Spinner: Has headed back to his third home Woodward east. I also heard that he three whipped down a 3 stair. I really can’t keep up with him, and in the same breath I hope he doesn’t slow down. You can also see Spinner in New Jersey with Dave. LOL

Nigel: Is just starting to slowly ride again after a sprained ankle. Also keep your eyes open for Nigel’s new signature shirt from Animal, FEEL MEE!

Guettler: Should just be getting back to Greenville from Singapore where he just spent the last two weeks. There’s also rumors that a dog may be entering the Guettler house hold.

Rytell, Wise, Laird, and Myself: Will be in New Mexico on Thursday to kick off Allan Cooke’s Local Exposure Tour. We will be in Arizona and Southern California as well. So stay tuned for the updates from the road.

Gator

Ryan Guettler will be traveling to Utah, New Mexico and Texas next week for some autograph signings at Vans stores. If you want to get your favorite Ryan Guettler photo signed and you live near any of the following shops, make sure you go over there to meet the BMX Plus! Dirt Jumper of the Year.

-4/26- 6pm New Vans Store @ University Mall- Orem, UT Ph: 801-226-2009

-4/27- 6pm New Vans Store @ Coronado Center- Albuquerque, NM Ph: 505-872-5629

-4/28- 2:30pm Vans Store @ Lakeline Mall- Cedar Park, TX ph: 512-219-0153

-4/28- 12:30pm New Vans Store @ Collin Creek Mall- Plano, TX Ph: 972-422-5127

Mirraco riders Rob Wise, Dave Rytell and Mike Laird will be traveling with Allan Cooke’s Local Exposure tour next week. Laird was a last minute addition as he replaces an injured Josh Harrington on the crew. TM Gator will be on board too.

Dates - venues:

4/20 Albuquerque, NM - Los Altos Skate Park

4/21 Mesa, AZ - Reed Park Wheels Court

4/22 Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation - The Fort Bike Park

4/23 - 4/26 Days off for pros

4/27 Escondido, CA - Escondido Sports Center

4/28 Perris, CA - The Compound

4/29 San Diego, CA Mission Valley Skate Park

Pros go to parks, shop around for unknown talent, ride with the locals, etc. At the end of each stop, the pros award a winner.

The LET finally heads out West. This time around, the crew is bigger, the stops are wilder and the RV’s are more plentiful. You should know the deal here. Pros go to parks, shop around for unknown talent, ride with the locals, etc. At the end of each stop, the pros award a winner, then crown a winner at the end of the tour, who gets to go on the following tour and also wins sponsorships and the praise of his peers. They also make a great video documenting each tour.

Pro Riders confirmed for this year: Allan Cooke, Dave Rytell, Rob Wise, Mike Laird, Ryan “Biz” Jordan, Heath Pinter, Cory Bohan, Chase Hawk, Dominic Travado, Dave Dillewaard, Alistair Whitton, Colin Mackay, Adam Banton, Mike Aitken, Ryan Nyquist and special guest Leif Valin. Also on tour is our resident tattoo artist Brian Lee and musician Jayk Announcing at each stop is Catfish and Micah Kranz. Chad Shackelford and Will Stroud will shoot all the action for the DVD and Brian Purdy of Strict Nine Films will bring his flavor to the DVD, which will be shot on all HD equipment!

I’m on the flight home from the long beach pro/celebrity grand prix and I am so stoked I won it this year. The race ended after 8 laps due to a couple of big accidents on the track. I finished with an 8 second lead on Martina Navratilova who finished in 2nd and Josh Morrow in 3rd place. Not only was the race exciting, but meeting and getting to know all the other celebs was a priceless experience.

I mean think about it, hangin out with George Lucas, Martina, Bucky Lasek, John Salley (the best damn sport show), Emily Procter (CSI Miami), Kelly Hu, Aisha Tyler, Kathryn Morris, Robin Quivers (Howard Stern show), and Kendra Wilkinson (the girls next door), Scott Kelley and nascar truck champion Mike Skinner. All in all everyone was super cool and very personable.

Friday morning was a practice session followed by qualifying that determined what position you started in. After the practice session Bucky and I had the fastest laps out of everyone. (Bucky-1:46.603, Dave 1:46.903). Bucky raced pro this year so that means he starts 30 seconds back and technically we were not racing each other. Next, qualifying is a 30 minute session and the driver with the fastest lap gets pole position and wins $15,000 to donate to the charity of his or her choice. I won the pole with only .75 of a second ahead of Martina. Martina is fast and consistent, so I knew the race would be a good one.

Race day is here. I wake up super early trying to picture what’s going to happen? How the race will end up? I get so nervous, but not like the X-Games nervous, more excited like an anxiety attack. Anyway, the race starts with two pace laps and when you see the green flag, it’s on. We come around turn 11 and see the green flag and I get a great start. Martina misses the start and Josh Morrow takes over 2nd which helps me because now they’re fighting over 2nd and I’m out front gaining as much space as I can. Each lap I was gaining close to a second.

They called the race after George Lucas and Anna Marie collided in turn one and I was annouced the winner of the 2007 Long Beach Grand Prix pro/celebrity race. Pretty sick. Check out the photos.

See ya,

dm

Mirraco’s Ryan Guettler was presented the BMX Plus! Dirt Jumper Of The Year award. The readers of BMX Plus! could send in their votes of best Dirt Jumper of the year (Guettler this time), best Freestyler of the year (Mirra from 1997-2005) and Racer of the Year.
Congrats to Ryan for yet another award.

Results:

2006 Dirt Jumper of the year:

1. Ryan Guettler

2. Corey Nastazio

3. Anthony Napolitan

2006 Freestyler of the year:

1. Ryan Nyquist

2. Mat Hoffman

3. Dave Mirra

Polesitter Dave Mirra took the lead at the green flag and with a little help from George Lucas and Annamarie Dean! held on to win the 31st Annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Mirra, the professional BMX rider who has notched 14 medals at the X Games, led tennis great Martina Navratilova and actor Joshua Morrow with one lap remaining when Lucas and Dean collided going into Turn One, with both cars ending up in the tire barriers.

The debris field and car damage resulted in a yellow, then red, flag and the race ultimately ended because of time constraints at 8 official laps. Neither Lucas nor Dean was injured in the collision. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series star Mike Skinner was close to making it a real battle before the Lucas/Dean collision. Starting 20 seconds behind the celebrities with fellow pros Bucky Lasek and Scott Kelley, Skinner had roared into fourth place afrer only five laps, and was right on Morrow’s bumper when the race was halted. Tustin Toyota general manager RJ Romero finished fifth overall and fourth in the celebrity ranks.

The official results of the 31st Annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race: (c - celebrity, p - pro)

1. Dave Mirra (c)

2. Martina Navarilova (c) +7.402 seconds

3. Joshua Morrow (c) +17.097

4. Mike Skinner (p) +29.346

5. RJ Romero (c) +41.543

6. Bucky Lasek (p) +44.087

7. Scott Kelley (p) +46.613

8. Emily Procter (c) +51.431

9. Kelly Hu (c) +51.638

10.John Salley (c) +58.201

11.Aisha Tyler (c) +58.746

12.Jerry Westlund (c) +59.713

13.Kathryn Morris (c) +1:10.845

14.Robin Quivers (c) +1:22.300

15.Annamarie Dean (c) -1 lap

16.Geoge Lucas (c) +0.519

17.Kendra Willkinson (c) - 4 laps

If you do want a huge fold out poster of Dave Mirra and can’t wait for the mailman to send it to you, find a bookstore that sells RIDEBMX magazine. The June issue has a huge Dave Mirra poster in it. The poster costs $ 3.99 (and you get the magazine for free).

Thanks to DC for hooking this up. On the poster Dave is riding a white Blend with purple parts, a bike he rode for a little while earlier this year. He has now changed to a grey Blend frame with burgundy colored components.

By Jean-Marie Baertsch:

I just came back from the BMX Tradition Prague Trip, we left mayhem wherever we went to. 96 hours of party and riding bikes, I’ve never felt so alive and dead in one time. I was able to ride a bit of dirt and the great bowl of the Mystic Skatepark. I’m going to continue my physiotherapy but everythings cool if I don’t do bunnyhops or no-handers, so riding some Vert and Dirt should be ok for the next three weeks until I’m completely recovered, hell yeah.

JMB