Tripes was born in
San Diego, California and began riding bicycles during the era that spawned
BMX racing. However, when the AMA discovered his real age, he was banned from competition until his 16th birthday. The race is considered to be the first true stadium
Supercross race in America. Tripes was then contracted to ride for the
Honda factory racing team in the
1973 250cc national championship. After only one year with the Honda team, Tripes joined the
Husqvarna team where he struggled to compete on a motorcycle that lagged behind the performance of the Japanese motorcycles. Tripes signed a contract to race for the
Bultaco racing team in 1975 but, was discouraged by the results and decided to take a year off to enjoy life. In the first four years of his professional motocross career, Tripes had already ridden for five different factory racing teams. Tripes decided to get serious about his physical training and nutrition in 1978. During an era of American motocross that was dominated by
Bob Hannah, Tripes was one of the few riders who was able to compete evenly with Hannah. Hannah’s only other real defeat in the 1978 Trans-AMA Series came in the Missouri round where he engaged in an opening moto battle with Tripes, exchanging the lead numerous times until the final laps when Hannah’s front brake cable adjuster came loose, allowing Tripes to take the victory. At the age of 23, Tripes won his final national win defeating Hannah at the 250 outdoor national held in Buchanan, Michigan, on July 1, 1979. He ended the season ranked third behind Hannah and
Kent Howerton. He returned to race for the Yamaha team in 1980 and ended the year ranked eighth in AMA 250 Motocross and 10th in AMA Supercross. He retired at the end of the year at the age of 24. In his six-year professional motocross career, Tripes won a total of 11 National Championship races. The AMA honored Tripes in 2001 by inducting him into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. After retirement from racing, Tripes became a pioneer in safety gear design in the
paintball industry and currently develops ammunition for
Tippmann Pneumatics. He also ran a successful gourmet mushroom business that sells to grocery chains. ==References==