Robert MacPherson (BMX racer)

Cyclist infobox
ridername = Robert MacPherson


fullname = Robert D. MacPherson
nickname = "MacFearsome", "Big Mac"
dateofbirth = birth date and age |1972|2|9
height =
weight =
country = USA
currentteam = Retired
discipline = Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
role = Racer
ridertype = Off Road
protourrank =
europetourrank =
amateuryears = 1982
1983
1983-1985
1985-1986
1986-1994
1994-1995
amateurteams = Valencia Schwinn
Zap Clothing
Vans
CW Racing
Retired for eight years
Mongoose
proyears = 1995-1998
1998-2001
2001-2002
2002
proteams = Mongoose
Diamondback
Too Fitness/Diamonback
Free Agent/O'Neal
majorwins =
updated = September 29, 2008

Robert D. MacPherson (b. February 9, 1971 from Norwalk, California USA) was a professional American "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1995-2001. His nickname was "MacFearsome", ["Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1997 Vol.4 Iss.2 No.15 pg.101] an obvious play on his surname, as was "Big Mac".

Racing career milestones

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

----Started Racing: In 1976 when he was four. He crashed on his first lap around the track in practice. He didn't attempt to race again until he was nine years old in 1981. He did not qualify. In his third race he got fourth place. He had a successful child amateur career after that then left the sport in late 1986 at 15 years old. After a nine and one half year retirement he resumed racing in 1994. His first race back was the ABA Fall Nationals in Burbank, California on October 21-23, 1994.

Sanctioning Body: ()

First race result: Did not qualify in 1981.

First win (local):

First sponsor:

First national win:

Turned Professional: November 1995, moments after his victory in becoming National No.1 Amatuer at the ABA Grandnationals. ["Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1996 Vol.3 Iss.2 No.9 pg.21 (sidebar: "am title race:")] He was 23 years old.

First Professional race result: Eighth place (last) at the National Bicycle League (NBL) Christmas Classic in December 1995 (Day 1). ["BMX Plus!" April 1996 Vol.19 No.4 pg.11] ["Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1996 Vol.3 Iss.2 No.9 pg.80 (results)]

First Professional win:

First Junior Men Pro* race result:

First Junior Men Pro win:

First Senior Men Pro** race result:

First Senior Men Pro win:

Retired: Originally after the 1986 ABA Grandnationals. He was bored with BMX and took up school football. He resumed racing in 1994 after an eight-year layoff at 23 years old. He missed the travel and comrade. ["Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1997 Vol.4 Iss.2 No.15 pg.102] He retired again in December 2002 to spend more time with his daughter. [ [http://www.bmxpros.com/fanclub02.htm BMXpros.com] ] .

Height and weight at height of his career (1995-2001): Ht:" Wt:lbs.

*In the NBL Junior Pro is "B" Pro/Superclass/"A" Pro depending on the era; in the ABA it is "A" Pro.
**In the NBL Senior Pro is "A" or Elite Pro; in the ABA it is "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 used.

----

Amateur

*Valencia Schwinn: 1982
*Zap Clothing: 1983
*Vans: 1983-February 1985
*CW Racing:February 1985-November 1986. He retired after the 1986 ABA Grandnationals
*"retired for 8 years (December 1986-Late 1994)"
*Mongoose: May 1995-December 1998 He turned pro with this sponsor.

Professional

*Mongoose: May 1995-December 1998
*Diamond Back: December 1998-2001 The 1998 NBL Christmas Classic was his first race for Diamondback. ["Snap BMX Magazine" May 1999 Vol.6 Iss.3 No.31 pg.78]
*To Fitness/Diamondback: 2001-2002
*Free Agent/O'Neal: 2002

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.

----

Amateur

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*National Bicycle League (NBL)
*"1981 10 Expert JAG World Champion" (NBL sanctioned)American Bicycle Association (ABA)
*"1983 California District 9 (CAL-9) No.1"
*1985 14 Expert Grandnational Champion
*"1985 14 Expert National No.1" (NAG)
*"Retired for eight years"
*"1995 21-25 Cruiser World Champion"
*1995 19 & Over Expert and 21-25 Cruiser Grandnational Champion
*"1995 National No.1" United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
*"1984 13 Expert 7-Up World Championships Champion"*

"*"The 7-Up World Championship race was the direct descendant of the Jag BMX World Championship races held from 1978-1983. Renny Roker, the promoter of the JAG BMX World Championship gave the rights to the WC to the USBA in 1984 in return for the cable television rights.

Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
*"1984 13 Expert and 13 & Under Cruiser World Champion"Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
*NoneUnited States Cycling Federation (USCF)
*"1981 JAG 10 Expert World Champion"Independent Series and Invitationals
*1984 13 Expert Larry Wilcox/Pepsi West Coast BMX Challenge Series Champion.

*See note in professional section

Professional

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*None (defunct)National Bicycle League (NBL)

American Bicycle Association (ABA)
*"1996 National No.1 Pro". Prize won: A customized Jeep.
*"1996 "AA" Pro World Cup Champion"United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*

Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*
*None (FIAC did not have a strictly professional division during its existence) (defunct).

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*

*Note: Beginning in 1991 the IBMXF and FIAC had been holding joint World Championship events as a transitional phase in merging which began in earnest in 1993. Beginning with the 1996 season the IBMXF and FIAC completed the merger and both ceased to exist as independent entities being integrated into the UCI. Beginning with the 1997 World Championships held in Brighton, England the UCI would officially hold and sanction BMX World Championships and with it inherited all precedents, records, streaks, etc. from both the IBMXF and FIAC.

Pro Series Championships

Notable accolades

* [http://www.bmxtreme.com/articles/top90.htm BMXtreme article Named 5th of the Top 90 BMXers of the 90's]

BMX product lines

*1997 Mongoose "MacFearsome" Signature Series race bicycle.:Product Evaluation::"BMX Plus!" February 1998 Vol.21 No.2 pg.71 Note: this bicycle was jointly evaluated with the GT Speed Series Team bicycle.
*2001 Diamondback Robert MacPherson RM20 frame:Product Evaluation::"Snap BMX Magazine" December 2000 Vol.7 Iss.12 No.50 pg.118

ignificant injuries

*Injured knee at the 1995 NBL Christmas Classic. ["BMX Plus!" April 1996 Vol.19 No.4 pg.11]
*Damaged a rotator cuff in his shoulder at the ABA Lone Star Nationals in Humble, Texas on March 23, 1997 (Day 2) in the first main. He mananged to race the next two mains and finish third over all. He eventually went into surgery. ["Snap BMX Magazine" July/August 1997 Vol.4 Iss.4 No.17 pg.13]

Racing habits and traits

Miscellaneous and trivia

Post BMX career

*After his retirement in 2002 he went back to shool earn a degree in Physical Education. He was hired as a Physical Education Instructor at Val Verde USD in 2004. When he mentioned that he was a former professional BMX racer, They asked him to set up an alternative BMX related PE course. He currently teaching that subject. [ [http://www.bmxonline.com/bmx/features/article/0,,1626564,00.html bmxonline.com article on Robert Macpherson teaching BMX as a course curriculm.] ] teaching BMX PE to troubled kids.

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

*"Robert McPherson" "Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1997 Vol.4 Iss.2 No.15 pg.100
*"At Home with Robert MacPherson" "BMX Plus!" May 1997, Vol.20 No.5 pg.88
*"Robert McPherson" "Snap BMX Magazine" August 1999 Vol.6 Iss.6 No.34 back of poster in centerfold

BMX magazine covers

Note: (defunct) denotes that the magazine was out of business before the career of the racer started.

----"Bicycle Motocross News:"
*None"Minicycle/BMX Action" & "Super BMX:"

"Bicycle Motocross Action" & "Go:"

"BMX Plus!:"
*February 1998 Vol.21 No.2 with Billy Griggs and T.J. Lavin in insert. "Total BMX"

"Bicycles and Dirt:"

"Ride BMX Magazine:"

"Snap BMX Magazine" & "Transworld BMX:"

"BMX World"

"ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer" (the official membership publication of the ABA under three different names):

"Bicycles Today" & "BMX Today" (the official membership publication of the NBL under two different names):

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://www.bmxonline.com/bmx/features/article/0,,1626564,00.html bmxonline.com article.]