Dave Mirra has also achieved fame in mainstream culture. He has served as host of MTV's Real World/Road Rules: The Inferno and appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, Good Morning America, and The Today Show, among others. He has also been featured in publications such as ESPN The Magazine, TV Guide, and Rolling Stone. He has his own video game series, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX, and has appeared in advertisements, on trading cards, and as an action figure. He sponsors an annual charity golf tournament whose proceeds go to the American Cancer Society and Camp Woodward, an action sports camp for kids.
Mirra's career as a BMX rider began when he was only four years old, following in the track of his older brother Tom. He entered his first competition at the age of ten and won. In 1987, he earned a sponsorship from Haro Bikes, but after an extremely poor showing in the 1987 AFA Masters tournament, he was dropped. By then, however, Mirra's interests had switched from flat riding to ramp and vert riding. With such groups as the Cardboard Lords and the Plywood Hoods, Mirra appeared in a dozen videos during this time, helping popularize freestyle BMX. In 1992, Dave Mirra turned pro and, in 1993, defeated BMX star Mat Hoffman in what was Hoffman's first loss in three years. However, later that year, Mirra was hit and nearly killed by a drunk driver. Many believed his career was over, but in 1994 Mirra was riding, and winning medals, once more. At the first X Games, he took the silver medal in biking.
After that, Mirra went on to dominate the X Games for the decade, setting a record by winning eight gold medals by 2000. By 2005, he had eighteen X Games medals, thirteen of them gold. He has been BMX world champion ten times. In 2007, he founded his own bike company, MirraCo, and still heads its team.
Dave Mirra's Career Highlights
1987: First sponsorship from Haro Bikes.
1992: Turns pro.
1994: Medals at first X Games, beginning a 12-year run of dominance.
2001: Begins Dave Mirra Charity Golf Tournament.
2001-2003: Voted NORA Cup Ramp Rider of the Year three years running.
2004: Hosts Real World/Road Rules: The Inferno.
2007: Founds MirraCo.
