Manuelito Is King!
This the best BMX story I’ve ever read on the Internet yet I have NO idea what it means…
Help Me Out People
Even though I witnessed these events with my own eyes, it has been nearly twenty-five years since it happened, and I find myself questioning the very fabric of reality. The legend is so incredible as to be almost unbelievable (no one believes me). There is only one other person I personally know who claims to have seen these events as well (He seems drunk every time I see him). There were thousands of people in attendance at the event in question, but I have not seen most of them for years, and never actually discussed it with most of them before.
The Day The Earth Stood Still
1985 USBA Route 66 Nationals
If you raced BMX in 1985, you might remember Larson Manuelito. He won the #1 amatuer title in the USBA for that year, riding for Bicycle Harbor out of AZ. Manuelito was from the Four Corners region of New Mexico, and he was one of the best BMX racers ever. That year, in ’85, the 66 nationals were held in Albuquerque, NM. It was the weekend of the Fourth of July, and it was hot, – over 100*.
The gate dropped on a rack of 14X’s, and Manuelito had the Holeshot. Coming up on the first jump, which was a Drop-off type jump, Manuelito pulled up the front end, to pedal down the backside, then his front wheel just kept on rolling without him! Amazingly, he did not crash. Incredibly, he kept on pedaling around the first 90 degree turn, in the lead still, headed for a set of knarly offset moonwalkers. Unbelievably, with skill I have not seen displayed before, or since, he completed the entire track, including jumping the moonwalkers, and a HUGE step-up that was there. He negotiated 3 turns and several smaller jumps too, all while leading a national race.
Manuelito looped-out on the last roller near the finish line, but ran easily the few feet for the win. Clearly this story is hard to believe, over the years I have found it hard to believe myself. I know only one other racer from Albuquerque who can corroborate this tale, there are others out there! Famous Racers in attendance that day include: Jaydee Finney, John Purse, Toby Henderson, Many others.
I would say the term “manual”, meaning to ride on the back tire, is short for MANUELITO! Yeah!!
Anyone out there remember this?
I found this on Squidoo… What the…???
Popularity: 77% [?]
February 10th, 2009 at 7:22 am
“manuelito”, huh?
great story.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:59 am
this is a real dude, Ive never heard of this story before, or the genesis of the “manual” name for a coaster wheelie. whateves, he lives in New Mexico on some Navajo reservation or little community, some one should pick up the phone and call him.
February 10th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
instead of calling it a manual (example :manual transmission) must we now use a mexican dialect and say “mannnwellll” ?
February 15th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I wrote this lens on squidoo to spread the story and see if anyone else could back it up. Larson Manuelito is indeed a real person. He won the USBA #1 amatuer title in 1985 beating out some real top dogs of the sport. He was on the Raleigh Factory team in the early 80′s, but he was riding for Bicycle Harbor at this National. The race was held at an old drive-in movie – the screen was still up when the race was held. Maybe that will jog some memories. Toby Henderson fell off the side of the gate somehow, down the side of the huge starting hill, I remember that too. Manuelito is a native american, and one serious bad a** on a bike. (That’s me in the middle of the picture on my D.B. Formula One, and my old Elf and some trophies. I wasn’t too shabby myself.)
February 15th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I have just updated the squidoo lens with some additional evidence. Thanks for spreading the word.
August 16th, 2010 at 4:28 am
Yes, I remember he used to compete in BMX. Larson happens to be a former classmate of mine and we graduated together in 1988.