Dennis McCoy- San Jose Dew Tour Greg Weatherall © Lat34

Dennis Does It All

For over 30 years Dennis McCoy has been all over the BMX scene. Few others have stamped their name as deeply into the history books as McCoy. From BMX racing to Flatland to Street, Park and Dirt, this boy has been everywhere. Then in 1999 he and his wife Paridy formed McCoy Productions to help organize some of the biggest events in action sports including the Gravity Games, Vans Triple Crown, and now the Dew Tour. We caught up with him before BMX Park practice in San Jose to find out how Dennis does it all.

Lat34: Let’s start with a simple one: Why BMX?
DM: It’s about as basic an answer as you’ll get: because it’s fun. That’s what it really comes down to. It’s a super enjoyable activity, and it doesn’t seem to ever get old. There’s always some kind of new trick to invent, or an old one that you’ve lost that you want to relearn.

Lat34: How did you get into BMX?
DM: Well, in the 70s it was the thing to do: to jump curbs and ride wheelies up the sidewalk. And then in 1980, a friend of mine’s dad took me to my first BMX race. So, I was into BMX racing for the early part of the 80s. But, to me it was more interesting to do things off the jumps than trying to win the race. So, I tried both, but the freestyle side of the sport was way more interesting to me. 

Lat34: As a kid, did you have other careers in mind besides sports?
DM: When I was in high school I thought I’d be an engineer. I was really into math and science. At that time there wasn’t a career in being a professional Freestyle BMX rider. So, I didn’t set a goal… I was really good at riding a bike before I thought about becoming a professional.

So, when Bob Haro was coming through Kansas City and saw me riding he decided he wanted to sponsor me. They were starting up a contest series and he flew me out to one of the early AFA events. And suddenly I realized that this could maybe lead to something. I guess at that point it became a goal. I just always loved riding my bike and it all just kind of fell into place.

Lat34: What do you think of BMX Supercross being a big part of the San Jose event?
DM: It was here last year too. Yeah, it’s cool. Like I said, I started in BMX racing, and apart from the start hill on this course, it’s real similar to some of the tracks I would have ridden back then. But, then there was a phase where tracks really toned down. They became real tame because they were trying to work for the novice classes as well as the pro class.

Lat34: What’s been your biggest strength as a BMXer? 
DM: Versatility. I’ve always ridden everything. Nowadays I compete in Vert and Park, but I first got noticed for my Flatland ability. And then I’ve won a Dirt Title before. So, I’ve been at the top of each discipline at some point. I can borrow certain aspects of Flatland in my Park run, or from Vert in my Park run.

Lat34: What about weaknesses? 
DM: That’s a tough one. I guess I’m not real enthusiastic about practicing the weekend of a contest. There’s a lot of things on my mind, partially because I’m involved in running [the Dew Tour]. And I don’t want to get hurt at the last minute. I have a tendency to pull back and be a little tentative in practice, so when it comes time to put your final run together you wish that maybe you tried a little more in practice because you’re finding out right then if it’s going to work or not.

Lat34: So, do you think you spread yourself a little thin? 
DM: Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it because of the fact that I do more than one discipline. You know, being in Vert and Park. And I used to be in Flatland, Vert, Park and Dirt. You sometimes envy the people who focus on one thing at a given contest.

Lat34: You’ve got your hands full with competing in Park and Vert, and being involved in organizing the Dew Tour as well. How did you get involved in the back end of things at the Dew Tour? 
DM: I worked with Wade Martin [General Manager of the Dew Action Sports Tour] for years. I used to be an athlete rep for the X Games. So, I was one of the main voices for making improvements for the athletes back then. I met Wade through some of the ESPN events, prior to us forming McCoy Productions and running the Gravity Games back in ‘99. And so, I think [Wade] saw me as someone who had the riders’ best interests in mind.