Harry Leary

Harry Clarence Leary Jr. (born February 22, 1959, in Lynwood, California U.S. ) was a professional bicycle motocross (BMX) racer.

Started Racing: July 30, 1974 age 15.

First race bicycle: Schwinn Sting-Ray

First race result: First place, 14 & Over Open.

First local win: See above.

Sanctioning body: National Bicycle Association (NBA).

Home sanctioning body district(s): National Bicycle Association (NBA) District "X" (Orange/Los Angeles County);

First National win:

First sponsor: Coates Schwinn Bike Shop 1974–1975.

Hence early professionals like Stu Thomsen turning "pro" in 1975 at 16 years old racing for small amounts of money at track events when offered even before the NBA, regarded as the first true national BMX sanctioning body, had a professional division.

Note: In the early days of professional racing, 1976 and prior, many tracks offered small purse prize money to the older racers of an event, even before the official sanctioning bodies offered prize money in formal divisions themselves.

The NBA was the first sanctioning body to establish one, beginning in 1977.

For the sake of consistency and standardization noted professional first are for the first pro races for prize money offered by official BMX sanctioning bodies and not independent track events.

Professional first are also on the national level unless otherwise indicated.

Turned Pro*: 1977 Age 18.

He was one of the first eight official professionals.

Leary credited Bob Hadley for getting the pro class started.

His prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1985.

Nicknamed "Scary Harry Leary", and later "Turbo", the former for his aggressive racing style, the latter was a moniker coined by Bicycle Motocross Action magazine when he "Turboed" himself into finishing National No. 2 in both the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and the National Bicycle League (NBL) in 1981 after being relatively far back in the national standings during that year.

BMX Action Bike October/November 1982 Iss.4 pg.33

First Pro race result*: Third.

First Pro win*:

He went as far as to attend a sports medicine clinic for stress management in July 1984.

He met many stars of the more established sports at the facility.

The stresses that come with the burden of fame was and is a widespread if little discussed aspect in the career of a top amateur or professional athlete.

Perhaps despite his attendance of the clinic, Harry Leary could never really get the psychological aspect of the sport, similar to Tommy Brackens but even more so.

In addition, while Tommy had a problem with attitude but remained physically healthy for the vast majority of his career, Harry had both mental attitude and physical injury to contend with.

His physical misfortunes often happened when he was on a streak of doing well, cutting promising seasons off, perhaps a No. 1 season.

He never won a major title as a top amateur or professional, his biggest win being the $5000 first place award at the 1982 Murray World Cup.

He officially retired from BMX Senior pro ("AA" in the ABA and "A" (Elite Men) in the NBL) racing in 1989, and for the previous three years he was largely inactive and served as Diamond Back's factory team manager.

He came out of "retirement" in the early 1990s to race in the ABA's Veteran Pro class and is still racing at 64 years of age.

One of the most respected racers in BMX history, his career was not as laden with titles as many of his contemporaries.

His career was plagued by many injuries, in particular his knees which cut many promising seasons off and required surgery.

Also, he had trouble dealing with the fame, as limited to the BMX world as it was, that his career brought.

He won a measure of redemption when he won back to back ABA Veteran Pro No. 1's in 1993 & 1994 against many of his 1980s peers.

He later raced well into his 40s in The Veterans Pro class (which is similar in concept to golf's Champions Tour).

In October 2007 he reclassified as an amateur and 30 years of professional racing came to an end.

He currently races in the 56 & Over Expert Class.

He raced as recently the ABA So.

Cal. Nationals on February 16, 2008, in 36 & Over Expert Class coming 7th place in an eight-man main in that 20" division but first place in the 24" 46-50 Cruiser Class.