Video -- Glendale, Ariz. skatepark scene

May, 22, 2012
May 22
06:42
PM ET
By Brian Tunney

Bobby Kanode recently sent over a new Glendale edit featuring the likes of Eric Bahlman, Joey Motta, Travis Cordova, Jesse Tellez, Cory Wiergowski, Nick Bullen, Dean Watson, AJ Krueger, Jake Cohoe, Jose Martinez and Brett Cohoe. Normally, we use this space to inundate you with technical information about the scope of the tricks, camera used and the lousy attitude of filmer on said day of filming, but today, we're just going to say that Bobby came through with a great edit of a scene that has fun at the park and progresses at the same time. According to Kanode, "I think this will be the last Glendale edit I ever make, seeing as I just moved from Glendale to Tempe. It was my home park for five years, and now it's an hour away!"

Catching up with Scotty Cranmer

May, 22, 2012
May 22
05:54
PM ET
By Brian Tunney

Last year at X Games 17, Jackson, N.J. BMX Park rider Scotty Cranmer was on my very short list of favorites to win BMX Park, which he had done in the past (in 2006 and 2009). Scotty came up just short at XG17, grabbing the bronze medal, and followed that up grabbing the year-end Dew Cup for 2011. But it's a new year now, and Scotty seems poised to return to the top of the X Games podium.

In the above video, Cranmer runs through some recent developments in his life, including the addition of a new backyard mini ramp to his home. If you've ever seen Scotty ride a contest, then you know that he pedals wide open at whatever obstacles are in his way. And he seems to have taken the same approach to his mini ramp, allowing for enough flat to get at least one crank in between transitions.

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The Brandan "Punjab" Pundai interview

May, 21, 2012
May 21
02:29
PM ET
By Nick Ferreira
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Keith TerraBrandan "Punjab" Pundai leads Marky T. through a berm in Pa.

I don't think that it would be reaching to say Brandan "Punjab" Pundai is a Northeast trail riding legend. He was a local at Pittsburgh's PUSH trails and finds his way on most trail rider's favorites list. Just at home doing supermans over huge jumps as he was casually flowing through trails, Punjab helped define what we think of when we now think of trail riding.

During his time as a pro rider, he was part of Standard Byke Company when they were arguably on top of the BMX world. Punjab eventually found himself on Fly Bikes, when they brought their program to the States. He was ready to make some big changes to his life but instead of finding himself enrolling in medical school, he found himself in jail. In 2009, he was arrested for growing marijuana in his Pittsburgh apartment. He spent time in jail and rehab programs, eventually transitioning into the halfway house where he is currently living. I recently caught up with him over the phone where we discussed PUSH, his arrest, and his future plans.

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Ben Wallace wins Red Bull Empire of Dirt

May, 20, 2012
May 20
02:59
PM ET
By Brian Tunney
Red BullThe awkward moment for Ryan Nyquist amid post-Empire of Dirt celebrations.

Miraculously, the rain held out at the Red Bull Empire of Dirt at Alexandra Palace in London, England this weekend, and Mongoose UK rider Ben Wallace walked away in first place, followed by Haro's Ryan Nyquist in second place, DK's Drew Bezanson in third place and S&M's Mike "Hucker" Clark in fourth place. TJ Ellis won the "Best Trick" award, with a backflip transfer between two lines.

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New DVDs on the horizon

May, 19, 2012
May 19
05:36
PM ET
By Brian Tunney

I have the bare bones Netflix subscription, allowing one DVD at a time through the mail. Most of the time, it feels like a waste of money, and that's my own fault. This year alone, it's taken me two months to watch two Netflix DVDs, the first about Fractal Geometry, and the second a documentary on the Red Hot Chili Peppers entitled "Funky Monks." They were both worth watching once I got them into the DVD player -- I just have a strange aversion to watching DVDs at home that aren't of the BMX persuasion. I can't explain why.

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Ben Wallace qualifies first at Empire of Dirt

May, 19, 2012
May 19
04:15
PM ET
By Brian Tunney
Red BullTJ Ellis, curved wallride through the 2012 Red Bull Empire of Dirt course.

Mongoose UK rider Ben Wallace qualified in the top spot at the 2012 Red Bull Empire of Dirt contest in London, England earlier today, followed by dirt veteran Ryan Nyquist in second place and Mike "Hucker" Clark in third place. Rounding out the top five qualifiers was DK's Drew Bezanson in fourth place and Redline's Brandon Dosch in fifth.

The Empire of Dirt course, which takes the riders nearly a minute to complete from start to finish, proved difficult for some of the top names in the sport. And of the 36 invited riders, names that did not qualify into the finals included Corey Nastazio, Ryan Guettler, Geoff Slattery and Anthony Napolitan, among others. The top 16 riders, listed below, will move to Sunday's finals, provided the rain holds out.

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Red Bull's Empire of Dirt returns to UK

May, 18, 2012
May 18
05:44
PM ET
By Brian Tunney

In the summer of 2007, I traveled to London, England to attend a new event brainstormed by United pro Kye Forte and Red Bull -- the Red Bull Empire of Dirt. The event, held on the side of a hill near the Forte compound in Newton Abbot, Devon, UK, was the first of its kind, a slope-style downhill dirt contest, with less emphasis placed on tricks and more emphasis on simply making it through the monstrous dirt jumps, curved wallrides and various other structures that littered the hillside.

Unfortunately, as competition day arrived, so did the rain. I vividly remember standing on the hillside in the rain, with my pants rolled up to my knees to avoid the mud that was quickly enveloping the course. Back at the host hotel, an emergency rider meeting was called. And for the safety of the riders, the event was canceled. There we were, stuck in Devon, England, without a contest.

Red Bull made the best of a bad situation, and took us all bowling before sending us home.

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Sergio Layos and his Fly Bikes Trueno

May, 17, 2012
May 17
05:39
PM ET

I met up with Sergio Layos in Madrid, Spain on a recent trip to Europe. Sergio was unfortunately injured at the time, but he was nice enough to show us his latest setup. His improved 2012 Fly Bikes Trueno frame is build up with a redesign of his signature bars as well as some newly released and prototype parts from Fly Bikes. Sergio also jus received an invite to ride BMX Park at X Games Los Angeles in just a couple of weeks, so be on the lookout for Sergio to be shredding some concrete near The Staples Center very soon.

Jeremiah Smith -- Pro BMX rider, bowler

May, 17, 2012
May 17
02:18
PM ET
Cody YorkJeremiah Smith at Woodward Camp.

X Games BMX Park and Street competitor Jeremiah Smith has two X Games medals, and is slated to ride in both Park and Street at X Games Los Angeles next month. He also works in a bowling alley so that he can bowl for free. While it may seem odd to learn that a pro with a signature frame from Failure and the skills to attack street courses across the world has a part-time job, it makes perfect sense for Jeremiah, who bowls, on the average, 210 per game. Just after returning from his second trip to China for X Games Asia, we caught up with Jeremiah to run through life at Woodward, bike setups and his search for Roy Munson-esque bowling scores.

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Face Time with GT's Mike Day

May, 16, 2012
May 16
05:54
PM ET

Four years ago, GT Bicycles' Mike Day was on top of the world. Aside from early success on the Supercross circuit, Day was lining up to be an integral part of the first ever U.S. Olympic BMX team. He took home a silver medal in Beijing, becoming the second American ever to win the medal. And then, Mike Day's roller coaster ride of injuries began. Since shooting this at the Chula Vista Supercross race in March, Mike has gone on to make it into every Supercross SuperFinal this year, and also managed to make it into the Semis at every race he's hit, always getting tied up and eliminated from the Final. Mike is currently ranked fourth in the USA Cycling rankings and is shooting to put his Team U.S.A. Olympic jersey back on for this summer.

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