Professional BMX Rider, originally uploaded by Eric Takes Pictures.

(This is Part 3 of a 4 part interview.  To read Part 1 please click here.)

I am here with Pro BMXer and X-Games Gold Medalist Scotty Cranmer at SC Action Sports.  Scotty’s extreme sports shop is located at 2449 Route 9 North in Howell, NJ. Just behind the store is Central Jersey BMX, one of the top NBL, BMX race tracks in the USA.  Scotty bought this store and the race track from the previous owner and he opened up for business on April 1. 2008.   

Scotty, when did you do your first professional event?

My first professional contest was when I was 15 years old and my friend’s family told me about Metro Jam in Toronto.  They were like, “hey you should enter Pro”.  I didn’t even want to go.  I didn’t care for contests.  I just wanted to ride.  That was it.  I enjoyed watching the pros.  I didn’t want to ride with them.  I didn’t feel like I needed to.  The pros were all in their twenties. The sport was evolving so that there were other kids coming up who were my age.  I was one of the first.  I kind of set the bar for the younger kids.  So I showed up at the contest and I didn’t want to be there.  My friend said, “just do it for fun” and I said, “alright I’ll try it”. 

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 We went through qualifying and I was scared as heck.  My stomach was in knots the whole time.  Just being up on the deck I was scared.  I didn’t even want to practice.  So I barely even rode the course.  I ended up qualifying for first in the finals. So, I got to the finals and it was a pretty big deal.  My dad could not believe it.  Everyone was going crazy. 

I had big shoes to fill that weekend. I got on the course and I was all excited and the guys were warming up to me and I felt good.  However,  I was doing some tricks and I got a  flat tire.  I tried to fix it and there was not enough time.  So I ended up getting ninth in that contest and that was way better than I expected to do and it just went from there. 

I also met my team manager there from Felt, the company that I ride for.  His name is Alan Foster.  He was a pro racer when I was growing up so I always looked up to that guy.  He came up to me and approached me about Felt.  I was a little kid.  My whole concern was just to go to sleep and wake up the next day and ride my bike.  Felt was a fresh new company and they wanted me to represent them.  It was crazy I didn’t really comprehend it.  He was talking to my dad and I was all nervous.  I was riding for Eastern Bikes at the time.  They were awesome.  They helped me out with frames. They did some awesome trips.  Felt offered me a salary.  So we went with them and it has been absolutely amazing.  These guys have their stuff together.  They have an amazing design team.  Everyone there is just awesome.  The quality is great.  I could not be happier with them and here we are five years later.  It’s been a blast. 

(This is Part 3 of a 4 part interview with Scotty Cranmer.  In Part4 of the interview, Scotty will talk  about his future and where he is going.)

(If you are looking for a bike, you may want to stop by Scotty’s shop, SC Action Sports, in Howell, NJ on Route 9 North.  They carry a wide variety of name brand bicycles, skateboards, accessories, clothing and much more!)