this was almost just two years after he began racing. the cause of this was probably because at 17 stu thomsen was one of the oldest racers in bmx at the time. during this era bmx racing was still regarded exclusively as a kid's sport and at best a training ground and stepping stone to racing standard motorcycle motocross when they reached adulthood. of course as part of the first generation stu thomsen would remain one of the oldest riders throughout his career. these persistent rumors—at times aided by his own statements—would regularly crop up as people wondered what is the outer age limit of a competitive racer in this new sport.