Cyclist infobox
ridername = Terry Tenette
image_size =
image_caption =
fullname = Terry Tenette
nickname = "Mr. T"
dateofbirth = birth date and age |1968|8|10
height = 1.83m (6'0" Imperial)
weight = ~90.72kg (~200lbs. Imperial)
country = USA
currentteam = Psykopath
discipline = Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
role = Racer
ridertype = Off Road
protourrank =
europetourrank =
amateuryears = 1979
1980-1983
1984
1985
1985-1986
1986-1987
1987
amateurteams = Jack's Cyclery
Woodside Bicycle Shop
Boss Racing Frames
CW Racing
U.S. Boss Racing Products
GT Racing
MCS Bicycles Specialties
proyears = 1988
1988
1988
1988-1989
1989-1990
1991-1994
1994-1995
1995-1996
1996-1997
2001
2002
2003
2004
2006
proteams = MCS Bicycles Specialties
MCS Bicycles/Eagle Snacks
Peddle Power (bicycle shop)
Vans
Vans/MCS Bicycles
Vans
Cyclecraft
Ross
X-treme
Atlas Bike Company/Ox
NorCal
Munger/Ox
Maxim USA
Psykopath
majorwins =
updated = July 15, 2008
Terry Tenette (b. August 10, 1968 in Palo Alto, California U.S.) is a professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1989-1998.
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.
Racing career
Note: All first in Pro Class are on the national level unless otherwise noted.----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 ["BMX Plus!" June 1989 Vol.12 No.6 pg.36]
Sanctioning Body:
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. ["Super BMX & Freestyle" March 1988 Vol.15 No.3 pg.15] He won USD$800, ["BMX Plus!" March 1988 Vol.11 No.3 pg.63] or the equivalent of USD$1,448.59 in 2007 ( [http://www.aier.org/research/col.php 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, ["BMX Plus!" July 1988 Vol.11 No.7 pg.30] 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:200lbs.[ [http://www.maxim-usa.com/teammaxim/tenette.html Very brief 2003 Maxium USA professional profile of Tenette.] ] ]*In the NBL "B"/Superclass/"A" pro depending on the era; in the ABA "A" pro.**In the NBL "A"/"Elite Men" pro; 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 ever changing 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.----
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 paraphernalia. ["Super BMX & Freestyle" November 1987 Vol.14 No.11 pg.8] 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 substance. Terry Tenette stated that he was being made a scapegoat for five other racers. Fellow Senior pro Kevin Hull was sent home from the team on suspicion and apparently on guilt by association alone since he and Tenette often were off together. Hull demanded and received a polygraph test. He passed and was allowed to rejoin the GT team in time for the IBMXF World Championships in Orlando, Florida held on the weekend of August 8. ["BMX Action" December 1987 Vol.12 No.12 pg.8 "We're Not Gonna Take It"] The various factory team sponsors were taking a vigorous zero tolerance 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 Illustrated" ["Sports Illustrated" December 8, 1986 Vol.65 No.25 pg.36] ["Super BMX & Freestyle" August 1987 Vol.14 No.8 pg.5] and rumors and accusations of anabolic steroid use by top pro racer Pete Loncarevich ["BMX Action" December 1987 Vol.12 No.12 pg.18 "The Steroid Controversy"] which were never substantiated. Auburn BMX racer Danny Millwee would also be fired for marijuana use in late 1988. ["BMX Plus!" February 1989 Vol.12 No.2 pg.7] 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." ["BMX Plus!" November 1987 Vol.10 No.11 pg.14] --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!'" ["BMX Action" August 1988 Vol.13 No.8 pg.42] --Terry Tenette "BMX Action" August 1988.
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. ["BMX Action" August 1988 Vol.13 No.8 pg.40] Also during this time when his time was free he worked at a hospital counseling teenagers with drug and alcohol problems. ["BMX Plus!" June 1989 Vol.12 No.6 pg.8]
*MCS (Moto Cross Specialties) Bicycle Specialties: ["BMX Plus!" September 1988 Vol.11 No.9 pg.28] Mid August 1987-August 1988. Tenette was added to the MCS racing team two weeks after he was fired from GT. ["BMX Action" December 1987 Vol.12 No.12 pg.8 "We're Not Gonna Take It"] 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. ["BMX Action" February 1989 Vol.14 No.2 pg.12&13] Lawrence Rybko, the owner of MCS said they "...couldn't come to terms." for a new contract. ["BMX Plus!" February 1989 Vol.12 No.2 pg.7]
*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. He was without a sponsor for a few months after he left Vans. ["BMX Plus!" April 1995 Vol.18 No.4 pg.4]
*Cyclecraft: December 1994-mid 1995
*Ross: 1995-1996
*X-treme: 1996-1997
*Atlas Bike Company/Ox: 2001
*NorCal: 2002
*Munger/OX: 2003
*Maxim USA: 2004 Tennette was also the Regional Sales and Promotions Representative for Maxim Sports Nutrition at this time.*Psykopath: 2006-Present
Career bicycle motocross titles
Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial, 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.----
Amateur
National Bicycle Association (NBA)
National Bicycle League (NBL)
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
*"1984 California District 15 (Cal-15) No.1"
*"1986 17 & Over Expert and 17-21 Cruiser Grandnational Champion.
*"1986 17 & Over Expert National No.1". This was for his age class only. The overall National No.1 Amateur for 1986 was Eric Carter.
*"1986 17-21 Cruiser National No.1". This was for his age class only. The overall National No.1 Cruiser for 1986 was Matt Hadan. United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
*NoneInternational Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
*"1986 17 Expert Murray World Cup V Champion.
Professional
National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*NoneNational Bicycle League (NBL)
*"1990, 1991, 1992 National No.1 Pro".
American Bicycle Association (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 (USBA)
*NoneInternational Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
*NonePro 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. ["BMX Action" August 1987 Vol.12 No.8 pg.38]
*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. ["BMX Plus!" June 1989 Vol.12 No.6 pg.34] He won Honda NX125 street legal motocross motocycle.
*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 priorly in the NBL Pro Cruiser class in 1981,'82 & '83 and Cheri Elliott 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 Purse 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-peat". ["BMX Plus!" December 1997 Vol.20 No.12 pg.46] 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, Oklahoma. 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.
ignificant injuries
Peccadilloes
Post BMX career
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):
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 Loncarevich, Steve Veltman and Racer/Team manager Everette Rosecrans.
*"#1 PRO cruiser terry tenette" "American BMXer" November 1994 Vol.16 Iss.10 pg.42
Miscellaneous& Trivia
Like fellow BMX racer Pete Loncarevich, Mr. Tenette had an heavy interest in body building, and was often pictured displaying his physique in BMX publications. ["BMX Plus!" January 1991 Vol.14 No.1 pg.26 illustration] ["BMX Plus!" November 1991 Vol.14 No.11 pg.8 illustration]
End Notes
Still an egomaniac and somewhat of a bully.
External links
* [http://www.ababmx.com/ The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Website.]
* [http://www.nbl.org/ The National Bicycle League (NBL) Website.]
* [http://www.maxim-usa.com/teammaxim/tenette.html Very brief 2003 Maxium USA professional profile of Tenette.]
