Note: Professional first are on the National level unless otherwise indicated. Included under the title of "National" are
American Bicycle Association (ABA) Gold Cup Qualifiers.
Retired: In February 1989. He was 24 years old. He retired after his contract with Diamondback expired. He was basically burned out of the sport and felt it was time to do other things: The 1988 ABA Grandnational in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for Eddy King represented a changing of the guard. It was the same race in which his younger brother
Mike King won the 1988 ABA National No.1 pro title. Eddy himself came in sixth place in Pro Open, winning US$210 (US$367.99 in 2007). Eddy King's last race as a Senior Pro was the ABA Winternationals on February 19, 1989. He came in eighth place last in "AA" pro. He would race on at least two more occasions post retirement. He raced in the ABA Springnationals in
Bakersfield, California on March 20 & 21, 1993 in the new Veteran Pro class with fellow retired pros including
Tommy Brackens,
Perry Kramer and Rod Beckering. He came in fourth on Saturday and fifth on Sunday. His old teammate
Harry Leary won both days. He also raced Veteran Pro at the ABA Fall Nationals in
Burbank, California on October 22, 1994, coming in sixth with
Brian Patterson winning the event.
*In the NBL "B" Pro/Super Class/"A" Pro/Junior Elite Men (depending on the era); in the ABA "A" Pro.
**In the NBL "A" Pro/All Pro/Elite Men; 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 co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX press coverage and sponsor's advertising at the time in question. When possible exact dates are given.
Amateur •
S & W Bike Shop: January 1975-Early 1976 •
The Bike shop of El Cajon: Early 1976-March 1977 •
The Bike shop of El Cajon/D.G. Performance Specialties (The initials stood for
Dan Hangsleben,
Gary Harlow): March 1977-May 1977 Support team with "The Bike Shop of El Cajon" being his main sponsor. • '''Wheels N' Things
/R & R
(Rick Ankron & Rick Varner) Racing:''' May 1977-June 1978 • '''Wheels N' Things
/Torker Engineering:''' June 1978-Fall 1978 •
Torker Engineering: Fall 1978-September 1980 Originally King was co-sponsored by Torker. Then in the Fall of 1978 King became full factory Torker at the US Nationals. •
Diamond Back (Centurion): September 1980-February 1989. As with his very first sponsor, S & W Bike Shop, King was recruited by Diamondback. •
1976 10-11 Expert California State Champion • 1977 12 Expert Champion in
RC Cola/Two Wheeler's Race of Champions Invitational :The RC Cola/Two Wheeler's Race of Champions was a seven race NBA series sponsored by RC Cola and Two Wheelers. Racers raced six regional qualifying races in California and Arizona. Only racers who made at least the semi-finals or mains (if the class was too small for a semi final) were invited to race the Championship event held on May 15, 1977 in
Gardena, California at Ascot Park. •
1977 12 Expert District Championships Champion. •
1978 13 Expert California State Champion •
1978 14 Expert National No.1 • 1979 15 Expert Grandnational Champion
National Bicycle League (NBL) • 1981 16 & Over Expert Grandnational Champion • 1982 17 Expert Grandnational Champion • 1982 17 Expert National No.3
Bicycle Motocross Association of San Diego (BMXA) • 1976 No.3
International Bicycle Motocross (iBMX) • 1976 11 boys Grandnational Champion
United Bicycle Racers (UBR) American Bicycle Association (ABA) •
1982 17 Expert Northeastern Gold Cup Champion United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA) • None
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF) • None
Independent race series and invitationals: *The California Cup was a non sanctioned series of three qualifying races held at three tracks (for a total of nine separate races) in three different regions of Northern California. Then the finals were held. The series was sponsored and promoted by
BX-Weekly Magazine, a BMX newspaper and Rick Ankron & Rick Varner (R&R) Racing Products. The finals were held at the famous
Corona Raceway on September 5, 1976. Side note:
Brian Patterson came in second in 11 Boys behind Eddy King.
Professional National Bicycle Association (NBA) • None
National Bicycle League (NBL) • None
United Bicycle Racers (UBR) American Bicycle Association (ABA) • None
United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA) • None
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF) • 1987 Second Place Silver Medal World Champion.
Pro Series Championships Notable accolades • Named one of the "Terrible Ten",
BMX Action's pick of fastest amateur racers in the world in 1983 • Named Pro Rookie of the Year for 1983 by
BMX Action magazine. • Eddy King is a 1989 Inductee to the ABA BMX Hall of Fame.
BMX Product Lines • 1979 Torker "Eddy King" complete bicycle.
Product evaluations: Significant injuries • Received a broken right foot at the 1987 ABA Gilley's Nationals in
Pasadena, Texas on March 7, when someone ran over it after going down in a collision. • Suffered a hand injury at the First Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Gravity Powered Vehicle (GPV) and Ramp Jam in
Palm Springs, California in June 1987. He was laid up until the ABA National in
Ogden, Utah.
Miscellaneous In an interview in the August 1987 issue of
BMX Action Eddy King admitted that himself and allegedly
Harry Leary along with four other people considered using anabolic steroids to race since BMX tracks at that time was focused on the power racer more than the racer that relied more on finesse and jumping ability. He also stated that he knew of a couple of racers that actually used them: "''Right now, pro racing is all power. I know of a couple of pros who are taking steroids and about half a dozen have looked at it, including myself and Harry. The doctors told us, 'No way. Don't do it.' Maybe the association will have to crack down on it like in other sports. Or change the tracks
." ---BMX Action'' August 1987 Ironically, the tracks did change from an emphasis in power to those of skill and finesse in the mid-1990s. During this time comparatively small framed pro racers like
Alan and
Brian Foster and in the early 21st century Mario Soto and
Donny Robinson racers that relied on finesse to make up for a lack of power started to do well. This coupled with drug testing instituted by the ABA in the late 1990s and later by the NBL, USA Cycling and the UCI, allegations of steroid use against BMX racers-either out of jealousy or real knowledge-fell. ==Post BMX career==