Debra Lynn Kalsow was an American amateur "Old School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1981–1985.
Racing career milestones
Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated. Started racing: At age 11 in 1979. She persuaded her reluctant father to let her race like her brother Dennis "Digger" Kalsow. Sanctioning body: First race result: First win : Home sanctioning Body district:National Bicycle Association District "A" 1979–1981; American Bicycle Association Arizona-1 1979–1985. First sponsor: East Langsing Cycle Shop 1979. First National race result: Third place at a National Bicycle League in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 4, 1979. First national win: Turned Professional: No Professional Career Retired: 1985 Height & weight at height of her career: Ht:" Wt:lbs
Note: This listing only denotes the racer's primary sponsors. At any given time a racer could have numerous ever changing co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX press coverage and sponsor's advertisements at the time in question. When possible exact dates are given.
Amateur
East Langsing Cycle Shop: 1979-1980
JAG BMX: 1980-September 6, 1981
CW Racing: September 6, 1981 – 1985. The owner of CW Racing's Roger Warsham offered Debbie a sponsorship after the end of the ABA 1981 Fall Nationals in Devonshire Downs, California.
Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in italics. "Defunct" refers to the fact of that sanctioning body in question no longer existing at the start of the racer's career or at that stage of his/her career. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles.
**The 7-Up World Championship race was the direct descendant of the Jag BMX World Championship races held from 1978–1983. Renny Roker, the promoter of the JAG BMX World Championship gave the rights to the WC to the USBA in 1984 in return for the cable television rights. Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme
None
International Bicycle Motocross Federation
None
Professional
No professional Career.
Notable accolades
Was the first National No.1 Girl class title holder for the ABA.
Significant injuries
Broke her arm during practice at the ABA Summer Nationals in Elkhart, Indiana on August 14, 1983. She was laid up for approximately two weeks. She then had the cast formed around the handlebars of her bicycle in a grip fashion so she could pull up on them. Unlike other forms of bicycle racing, BMX racing involves pulling up on the handlebars to generate torque in aiding the legs in accelerating the bicycle out of the starting gate, lifting the front wheel over moguls and wheelieing out of turns. Appropriately accelerating out of turns is called "Pulling", a slang term created by Pro racer Ronnie Anderson.
Debbi's father Denny Kalsow was an ABA track operator of the Chandler Jaycees track in Chandler, Arizona, the ABA's home track. until 1984 when he transferred the track's sanction to the United States Bicycle Motocross Association.
Debbi's brother Dennis "Digger" Kalsow was a respected racer in his own right.
Debbi was one of the female racers who advocated and lobbied the ABA for the girls to have their own separate points ranking and National No.1 plate.
BMX press magazine interviews and articles
"CW'S #1 Girl" ABA ActionApril 1983 Vol.6 No.4 pg.18
"Debbi Kalsow" Bicycles and DirtJuly 1983 Vol.1 No.10 pg.54
BMX magazine covers
Note: Only magazines that were in publication at the time of the racer's career are listed unless specifically noted. Bicycle Motocross News:
None
Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
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Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
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BMX Plus!:
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Total BMX: Bicycles and Dirt: NBA World & NBmxA World : Bicycles Today & BMX Today : ABA Action, American BMX'er, BMXer :
