Dave Mirra

BMX stunt riding had another high profile venue with the advent of the Summer X Games in 1996. These games, aired on ESPN, featured a number of extreme sports. At the 1996 games, Mirra won gold in street (doing stunts on an urban-like street course) and silver in vert (on the ramp). In 1997, he won golds in both street and vert. In 1998, he won three gold medals in vert, street, and vert doubles. That year, Mirra was named X-Games Male Athlete of the Year.

Mirra continued to do well in 1999. That year, he won gold in street at Summer X Games, first in vert at B3, gold in vert at Gravity Games, and the BS Series Year End title in vert. He was voted Freestyler of the Year by BMX Plus Magazine. That year, he also signed an endorsement deal with Acclaim Entertainment, to develop video games based on him. His Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX was a leading seller in 2000.

Mirra would sign a number of endorsement deals in this time period. In 2001, he signed three-year endorsement deal with DC Shoes, and developed a signature line of shoes. In addition, he also had deals with Haro Bicycles, Fox Racing, Slim Jim, and Arnett Opticals. Mirra also appeared in television commercials for Burger King and AT&T. In 2000, Mirra appeared on an episode of The Jersey on the Disney Channel. By 2001, he was making $1 million a year. But Mirra did not forget his past. He sponsored scholarships to Woodward Camp where action sports are taught to kids.

In 2000, Mirra won gold in Japan X Games in vert, won gold in vert at the Gravity Games, and won gold in street and silver in vert at the X Games, but he sat out the Gravity Games in 2001 because of injuries. Mirra would do this as his situation warranted. He rebounded in 2002, placing first in park (stunts done on a skatepark or skatepark-like course) and second in vert at Gravity Games, and second in vert at the EXPN Invitational.

Mirra plans on riding as long as he can. He told Mokhshin Abidin of New Straits Times, "I don't call it training because it is something which I love doing, riding and gym work, I never really think about it. I just want to ride every day."