Kyle Bennett

  
  


Kyle Bennett

Date of Birth: September 25, 1979
Height: 6'0"/1.8m
Weight: 170 lbs./77 kg./12.0 st.
Place of Birth: Conroe, Texas
Hometown: Conroe, Texas
Residence: Conroe, Texas
Teams: OPRP/Standard Bykes (2000); Nirve Sports (2000-2003); Free Agent (2003-2012); GHP Racing (Jan. - June 2012); ORP (June - Oct. 2012)

Kyle passed away in a tragic car accident on Oct. 14, 2012, in Conroe, Texas.

Olympic Experience/UCI World Championships Results

  • 1st place, Men's Elite Race — 2002 UCI BMX World Championships, Sao Paolo, Brazil
  • 1st place, Men's Elite Race — 2003 UCI BMX World Championships, Perth, Australia
  • 1st place, Men's Elite Race — 2007 UCI BMX World Championships, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  • 11th place — 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China
  • 46th place — 2011 UCI BMX World Championships, Copenhagen, Denmark

National Championships

  • 2008 USA Cycling Elite National BMX Champion, Desoto, Texas

Career Highlights

  • 1st place - 2010 Spring Nationals, Morristown, Tennessee
  • 1st place - 2010 Silver Dollar Nationals, Reno, Nevada
  • 1st place – 2007 NBL Grand Nationals, Louisville, Kentucky
  • 1st place – 2007 Ridge Meadows International, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada
  • 1st place – 2007 Lake Mead National #2, Boulder City, Nevada
  • 1st place – 2008 Coyote National, Goodyear, Arizona
  • 1st place – 2007 Easter Classic, Orlando, Florida
  • 1st place – 2007 Golden State National, California
  • 2nd place - 2010 Super Nationals, Woodward, Pennsylvania
  • 2nd place - 2010 Sooner Nationals, Guthrie, Oklahoma
  • 3rd place – 2005 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup, San Jose, California

Points of Interest

  • After suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2006, which required reconstructive surgery, Kyle returned to the playing field less than a year later and captured a world championship in 2007.

Personal

The wild possibility for something going wrong in a very short amount of time is what makes BMX racing thrilling. Which is why Kyle Bennett spent nearly a lifetime fine-tuning his racing style and the result was a signature approach so flowing and smooth that his rivals just shake their heads and say, "That's why we called him 'Butter'." Their sharp, jerky movements contrast sharply to Kyle's, who gave the illusion that he barely skimmed the track, touching down only to accelerate. He was so good that it was no surprise when he won an automatic spot on the first U.S. BMX Olympic team, in advance of the sport's debut at the 2008 Olympics.

Unfortunately, the three-time world BMX champion sustained a crash that dislocated his shoulder in the quarterfinal round. Still, he went on to the semifinals but fell short of the medal round when he finished sixth.

Kyle began competing in the sport of BMX racing when his grandfather took him to the Armadillo Downs BMX Track in Conroe for his first race at the age of seven. Fourteen years later, Kyle turned pro and in 2002, captured a silver medal at the X Games – then the sport’s biggest stage.
 
Kyle’s successful career was also inspired by his stepfather, former BMX pro John Purse. Technically, the two form the only father-son combination to win world championships. In addition to Kyle’s three titles, John captured a rainbow jersey in 1997. They both also held National Bicycle League number-one rankings, Kyle in 2002, 2004 and 2007 and John in 1995 and 1996. In fact, when John was an up-and- coming pro and Kyle was just an amateur, the two even competed on the same team, riding for S&S Racing in 1991.
 
In January of 2008, Kyle became a proud father to his first daughter, Kylie. When he was not racing, he rode for fun in skate parks and on trails, fished, played tennis and enjoyed Italian food and country music.

Kyle Bennett was tragically killed in an auto accident in his hometown of Conroe, Texas, on Oct. 14, 2012.