Jeff Kosmala

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Jeff Kosmala

---

image_size = 290
image_caption = On the Redline Team circa 1982
fullname = Jeffrey Kosmala
nickname = "Kos"
dateofbirth = birth date and age |1961|9|16
height = 1.85 m (6'1" Imperial)
weight = 85.3-95.23kg (188-210lbs. Imperial)
country = USA
currentteam = Retired
discipline = Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
role = Racer
ridertype = Off Road
protourrank =
europetourrank =
amateuryears = 1978-1977
amateurteams = Mongoose
proyears = 1977-1982
1982-1983
1984
proteams = Mongoose
Redline Engineering
O'Neal
majorwins =
updated = June 25, 2008

Jeffrey Kosmala (b. September 16, 1961 from Van Nuys, California USA) was a professional American "Old School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from (1978-1981)

Racing career

Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated.----Started Racing: 1973

Sanctioning Body: ()

First race result:

First win (local): First recorded win records reveal was in 14 & over Novice on September 19, 1975 at the Van Nuys Youth Center. ["Bicycle Motocross News" October 1975 Vol.2 No.9 pg.22]

First sponsor:

First national win: In 15 Expert at the National Bicycle Association (NBA) Supernationals in Trabuco Canyon, California on April 3, 1977. ["Bicycle Motocross News" April 1977 Vol.4 No.4 pg.8]

Turned Professional:

First Professional race result:

First Professional win:

First Junior Men Pro* race result: Not Applicable

First Junior Men Pro win: Not Applicable.

First Senior Men Pro** race result:

First Senior Men Pro win:

Retired: Effectively 1983 shortly after he was dropped by Redline Engineering.

Height & weight at height of his career (1978-1981): Ht:6'1" Wt:188-210lbs.

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

*Mongoose (BMX Products): July 1977 ["Bicycle Motocross News" August 1977 Vol.3 No.7 pg.6] -March 1982 Kosmala turned pro with this sponsor.

Professional

*Mongoose: July 1977-March 1982 According to Kosmala Mongoose wasn't going to pay him for his name on the Kos Kruiser which he was owed, it cost mongoose a lot more than Jeff was asking for. ["BMX Plus!" April 1983 Vol.6 No.4 pg.25]
*Redline Engineering: Early April 1982-Early May 1983 His first race for Redline was the NBL Detroit, Michigan National on April 17 1982. He won Pro Cruiser. ["BMX Plus!" July 1982 Vol.5 No.7 pg.20]
*O'Neal: January 1984- Kosmala got back into the BMX world by becoming a sales representative for O'Neal, a Motorcycle Motocross apperal company which was trying to break into the BMX market. ["BMX Plus!" June 1984 Vol.7 No.6 pg.10] Kosmala would occasionally race in O'Neal livery much like John George did for Mongoose after his retirement from competitive racing.

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.----

Amateur

National Bicycle Association (NBA)

National Bicycle League (NBL)
*"1980 JAG 15-29 Cruiser World Champion."*American Bicycle Association (ABA)
*1980 Cruiser Grandnational Champion
*"1980 Cruiser National No.1"*

*Note: At this time the ABA Cruiser title was a Pro/Am tile. Racers who were Professionals in the 20" class could race the amateurs in Cruiser classand win the title, but only trophies, not cash rewards.
Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*
*NoneInternational Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
*NoneUnion Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
*None

*See note in professional section

Professional

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*"1980 Pro Cruiser National No.1"
*"1981 Pro 20" & and Pro Cruiser Western States Champion".National Bicycle League (NBL)
*NoneAmerican Bicycle Association (ABA)
*None (See amateur section)United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
*NoneInternational Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
*NoneFédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*
*None (FIAC did not have a strictly professional division during its existence) (defunct).Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
*None*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

*He won the first ABA sanctioned jumping contest in at the ABA Fall nationals in 1982. This jumping contest predated the King of Dirt (KOD) contest of the late 1980s and the emphasis was distance jumping and not aerial stunts maneuvers and height. He beat second place finisher Ronnie Anderson by one inch.

BMX Product Lines

* [http://www.skullskates.com/bike_museum/images_lrg/KOS/kos_lrg.gif1979 Mongoose "Kos Kruiser"] :Product Evaluation:::"Kos Kruiser Test" "BMX Plus!" December 1980 Vol.3 No.12 pg.70 (1980 Model).::"Jeff Kosmala and the Kos Kruiser" "Bicycle Motocross Action" February 1981 Vol.6 No.2 pg.60

ignificant injuries

*Broke thumb at the NBA United States Grand Prix (U.S.G.P) in Las Vegas, Nevada He had his cast shaped like a "C" in order to grip the handle bars ["Bicycle Motocross Action" February 1981 Vol.6 No.2 pg]
*Broke his wrist at the 1983 NBL WOS Memphsis double header in Memphis, Tennessee. ["BMX Action" July 1983 Vol.8 No.7 pg.20]

Peccadilloes

Post BMX career

*As of 2007 he was a Honda car salesman in Las Vegas, Nevada. [ [http://www.navada.net/univofbmx/univofbmx/f5_2007_aba_reunion.htm Redline 30th aniversery reunion photos.] ]

BMX magazine covers

Note: (defunct) denotes that the magazine was out of business before the career of the racer started. (retired) indicates that the magazine came into existence after the racer's caeer ended.----"Bicycle Motocross News:"
*None"Minicycle/BMX Action" & "Super BMX:"

"Bicycle Motocross Action" & "Go:"
*"BMX Action" October 1982 Vol.7 No.10 (27) in top right insert. In center left insert Andy Patterson; in bottom right insert Jeff Ruminer (8) ahead of Bobby Woods."BMX Plus!:"
*June 1980 Vol. No.6"Action Now:"

"Total BMX:"

"Bicycles and Dirt:"
*January 1983 Vol.1 No.5

"Snap BMX Magazine" & "Transworld BMX:"
*None (retired)"Ride BMX Magazine:"
*None (retired)"BMX World"
*None (retired)"NBA World, NBmx World" (the official BMX publication of the NBA):

"Bicycles Today & "BMX Today""' (the official BMX publication of the NBL):

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

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

*"The Thrill Of Victory, The Agony of...Victory" "BMX Action" January 1983 Vol.8 No.1 pg.42
*"Jeff Kosmala: Superstar" "Bicycles and Dirt" January 1983 Vol.1 No.5 pg 27.

Miscellaneous and Trivia

His pants motto* was "Just Be Kos" ["BMX Action" May 1983 Vol.8 No.5 pg. 66 & 98]

[http://www.navada.net/univofbmx/univofbmx/imagesc/2007/Reunion_2007_Jeff_Kosmalla_i.jpgA small image of what Mr. Kosmala looks like today.]

*Riders often put slogans on the seat of their pants instead of their surname as a small physiological ploy against their competitors behind them to read.

End Notes

External links

* [http://www.ababmx.com/ The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Website.]
* [http://www.nbl.org/ The National Bicycle League (NBL) Website.]