2025 INDUCTEE JAMES LINNEMAN
James Linneman’s BMX journey is a story of passion, perseverance, and progression — from a young racer in the mid-1980s to a national-caliber competitor and lifelong trail builder whose love for the sport never faded.
James began racing BMX in 1985, quickly advancing to the Intermediate class that same year. By 1986, his competitive drive took him across six states, earning his Expert ranking. After a brief break, he returned to racing in 1990, entering his first national event in Rockford and riding for Jericho that season.
Following another short hiatus, James came back strong in 1995, balancing his renewed racing career with a deep commitment to his local BMX community. That year, he and close friends Ian Sutton, Shido Lee, Dave Freese, and Russ Nowotney began building and maintaining the legendary trails at Tierra Park — a Lincoln BMX landmark for years. In 2000, the crew built a new set of trails in Wilderness Park, further cementing their legacy as builders and riders dedicated to growing the scene.
James’ racing achievements in the mid to late 1990s were nothing short of impressive. He made his first Expert main at the 1996 Mile High Nationals, captured the District #1 Cruiser plate that same year, and in 1997 earned his first national win at the Mid-America Nationals in the 16x class. That victory led to a sponsorship from Bikes 4 the Likes of Us out of Kansas City.
The wins continued: James placed 5th at the 1997 ABA World Cup in Nanaimo, British Columbia, captured dual District #1 plates for both Cruiser and 20″, and finished the year ranked NAG 10 on 20″ and NAG 8 in Cruiser. In 1998, he joined Revolution Bike Co., placed 3rd at the ABA World Cup in Rockford, won back-to-back Gold Cup titles (’98 and ’99), and earned another District #1 plate for 20″. His 2nd-place finish at the 1998 ABA Grands capped off the season with a NAG 3 ranking.
The momentum carried into 1999 and 2000. James won the Race of Champions in the 19–27 Expert class in ’99 and finished NAG 7 despite a crash in the Grands quarter mains. By early 2000, he had already racked up six national wins and was leading NAG points. At Rockford, while holding the NAG 1 plate in 19–27 Expert, he turned pro — winning Friday’s race and finishing 3rd on Saturday. That same year, he won the Raytown Nationals, placed 2nd the following day, and even podiumed in Pro Open. At the 2000 ABA Grands, he capped off his amateur-to-pro journey with a 4th place finish in Pro Cruiser.
James continued to compete and podium through 2001 before shifting his focus to trail riding and mountain biking. Today, he still rides BMX dirt jumps and enjoys the full-suspension trails at Trestle Bike Park in Winter Park, Colorado — joking that the extra suspension helps “save the joints.”
Through decades of racing, building, and mentoring, James Linneman has exemplified the true spirit of BMX — a lifelong passion for riding, community, and progression on and off the track.
