Swinkster passed today.

bturner26x
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bturner26x 5/18/2018 7:08am
5/18/2018 7:08am
That’s definitely a shocker & bummer. I’m a 90’s Moto kid so Swink was a guy I watched & liked. I met him & got his autograph at the 94 or 95 Atlanta Supercross if I recall correctly. I’ve been following him on Facebook the past couple of years & enjoyed his Moto & politcal rants. He was a funny guy & didn’t hold anything back. Godspeed brotha!
Preston412
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Preston412 5/18/2018 7:40am
5/18/2018 7:40am
Brian was one hell of a rider and I had the opportunity to train, ride and just hang out with him in 1987, 88 and 89. We did a lot of riding, traveling and hell raising together during that time and he challenged me to go faster, jump bigger and just believe in yourself. If I can find the photo album my mom kept of all my racing, I will post some pictures of Brian, she took plenty of pictures. LOL

RIP my friend, I wish I could have done more for you, see you on the other side.
dboivin
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dboivin 5/18/2018 9:41am
5/18/2018 9:41am
Preston412 wrote:
Brian was one hell of a rider and I had the opportunity to train, ride and just hang out with him in 1987, 88 and 89...
Brian was one hell of a rider and I had the opportunity to train, ride and just hang out with him in 1987, 88 and 89. We did a lot of riding, traveling and hell raising together during that time and he challenged me to go faster, jump bigger and just believe in yourself. If I can find the photo album my mom kept of all my racing, I will post some pictures of Brian, she took plenty of pictures. LOL

RIP my friend, I wish I could have done more for you, see you on the other side.
yeah Gene made a good facebook post last night with some of the same sentiment.

The Shop

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burn1986
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burn1986 5/18/2018 11:16am
5/18/2018 11:16am
Its odd that there nothing mentioned on the homepage of any mx sites.
DC
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DC 5/18/2018 11:29am
5/18/2018 11:29am
Burn, we were waiting for confirmation from the family, just as we did with Jim Hale and Tony Miller... What a week.

DC
Racer X
mxracer106 5/18/2018 12:47pm
5/18/2018 12:47pm
So very sad to read about Brian's passing....I hope he is at peace, and my prayers go out to his family. Coming from northern Indiana, I was fortunate to witness a few times up at Redbud, a kid with #257 on a KX-80 ride the wheels off of it like I had never seen before!! I have not had the pleasure to witness Bubba or RC ride minis back in the day....but I would put Brian up against any of them back then. Godspeed #257

FroDiddy
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FroDiddy 5/18/2018 12:54pm
5/18/2018 12:54pm
Las Vegas SX 1995. Brian's heat race speed was unreal! He displayed a pace that hadn't been seen at all that year, not even from MC. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to put it together in the main, but it's a ride I'll never forget.

Godspeed, Swinkster.
Jamal#440
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Jamal#440 5/18/2018 1:15pm
5/18/2018 1:15pm
Thats my buddy Mike (on the YZ) next to Swink at the starting line, MIke grabbed a crappy numbered pin out the bucket and Swink picked #2 and switched pins with him. I remember Brian doing those insane doubles at Baja on his KX Big-wheel that 250 A guys weren't doing..I was at Mustangs when he broke his femur again (with the rod still in it from the first break) OUCH, he was a real champion in every sense. If I'm not mistaken Swink was the last Michigan Mafia champion RIP.
racer495a
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racer495a 5/18/2018 1:32pm
5/18/2018 1:32pm
Hate to be that guy but how did he die? Alcohol poisoning? Kidney failure?
gt80rider
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gt80rider 5/18/2018 1:49pm
5/18/2018 1:49pm
In the past week my brother died, out of the blue, of a heart attack. He was in great health, and only 42 years old.

Enjoy life guys, tomorrow is not a promise...
therealMrMx
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therealMrMx 5/18/2018 1:50pm
5/18/2018 1:50pm
racer495a wrote:
Hate to be that guy but how did he die? Alcohol poisoning? Kidney failure?
Yes looks like it We will know in a few days . Kid never got over his dads death
PTshox
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PTshox 5/18/2018 1:55pm
5/18/2018 1:55pm
I have a memory of him I can still see in my head….

I was watching Brian during a practice session at the San Jose Supercross on a Friday. He was on a RM250. I think it was 93? 94? Anyways…very few people were around. It was a mid afternoon practice session. Brian is trying a different jump combo near the triple that was there. I don’t remember the exact combo he was trying but he ended up landing between the second and third jump of the triple from way up high. The gap between the two jumps he landed in was about a bike length long. Steep ramps on either side of his front and back wheel. He came down from 15 to 20 feet in the air and the bike just stuck. Stopped in an instant in the channel between the jumps. He clearly slammed his man hood into the tank with great force. He rolled the bike off the track into the infield and just collapsed on the ground holding the jewels. I can still see that landing… Ouch!!
Kyle_McNab
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Kyle_McNab 5/18/2018 2:05pm
5/18/2018 2:05pm
He was before my time but he seemed like a legend in the 90s rip. I lost my father in 2016 I can only imagine his pain.
wpark89
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wpark89 5/18/2018 2:24pm
5/18/2018 2:24pm
Shot this as Swink came off the track from finishing 3rd in the first moto at Hangtown in 96...
munsch121
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munsch121 5/18/2018 3:50pm
5/18/2018 3:50pm
Brian Swink defined the term "one bad motherfucker" on a dirt bike. Could ride anything and could jump anything.....godspeed
munsch121
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munsch121 5/18/2018 3:54pm
5/18/2018 3:54pm
gt80rider wrote:
In the past week my brother died, out of the blue, of a heart attack. He was in great health, and only 42 years old. Enjoy...
In the past week my brother died, out of the blue, of a heart attack. He was in great health, and only 42 years old.

Enjoy life guys, tomorrow is not a promise...
My heart goes out to you.....and you are exactly right, live your life the way you want every single day....
daemon616
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daemon616 5/18/2018 3:55pm
5/18/2018 3:55pm Edited Date/Time 5/18/2018 4:04pm
I had a bad feeling after hearing him on pulpmx. Very sad. So much love and respect for him.

http://bit.ly/1KA0BAR

Pit Row

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Phantom 661
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Phantom 661 5/18/2018 5:47pm
5/18/2018 5:47pm
gt80rider wrote:
In the past week my brother died, out of the blue, of a heart attack. He was in great health, and only 42 years old. Enjoy...
In the past week my brother died, out of the blue, of a heart attack. He was in great health, and only 42 years old.

Enjoy life guys, tomorrow is not a promise...
I'm sorry to hear that about your brother. Yes, life is a vapor! My condolences to both your family and the Swink family and friends.
Ramrod
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Ramrod 5/18/2018 6:56pm
5/18/2018 6:56pm
I found this from 1992 I got from Brian at the Pontiac SX, he was dominant and flawless that weekend.
Flip109
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Flip109 5/18/2018 9:10pm
5/18/2018 9:10pm
gt80rider wrote:
In the past week my brother died, out of the blue, of a heart attack. He was in great health, and only 42 years old. Enjoy...
In the past week my brother died, out of the blue, of a heart attack. He was in great health, and only 42 years old.

Enjoy life guys, tomorrow is not a promise...
Very true man. So sorry to hear. Sad
superfan316 5/18/2018 9:53pm
5/18/2018 9:53pm
brocster wrote:
RIP Swinkster!

Often wonder why so many ex pros fall off after their career’s are over??? Sucks, whatever the case...
I listened to an old podcast on pulp w/ him last night. It was a show called "Kenny's corner" w/ Kenny Watson. Swink said he couldn't handle never winning on the big bike. He felt like he failed and turned to booze. Said he was drinking a 5th a day. It was sad. It seemed very genuine. It's gotta be tough. You're the man from a young age. Everyone wants a piece of you. I'm sure when you're young you think it's never going to end. Then one day it's over. All the people who you thought were your friends stop calling. Sadly the show goes on.
689
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689 5/18/2018 9:57pm
5/18/2018 9:57pm
This is an awesome race with a decent amount of Swink in it. The rhythm section just after he passes Emig he is making it look way to easy doubling into the corner.

https://youtu.be/lT-tujP-om8
brettmx
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brettmx 5/18/2018 10:06pm
5/18/2018 10:06pm
daemon616 wrote:
I had a bad feeling after hearing him on pulpmx. Very sad. So much love and respect for him.

http://bit.ly/1KA0BAR
That was very hard to listen to.
milliebays
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milliebays 5/18/2018 10:40pm
5/18/2018 10:40pm Edited Date/Time 5/18/2018 10:43pm
689 wrote:
This is an awesome race with a decent amount of Swink in it. The rhythm section just after he passes Emig he is making it look...
This is an awesome race with a decent amount of Swink in it. The rhythm section just after he passes Emig he is making it look way to easy doubling into the corner.

https://youtu.be/lT-tujP-om8
edit
GPrider
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GPrider 5/19/2018 4:43am
5/19/2018 4:43am
brettmx wrote:
That was very hard to listen to.
wow, so sad
Walter White
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Walter White 5/19/2018 4:58am
5/19/2018 4:58am
three9zero wrote:
Wow, that is horrible news, I looked up to him as a young racer from D-14. RIP Swinkster # 257 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/05/17/262362/s1200_12717304_1760266004201852_2478552546304629722_n.jpg[/img]
Wow, that is horrible news, I looked up to him as a young racer from D-14. RIP Swinkster # 257

Is that at Baja Acres?
FIREfish148
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FIREfish148 5/19/2018 5:08am
5/19/2018 5:08am
Safe travels Swink
motomike137
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motomike137 5/19/2018 5:14am
5/19/2018 5:14am
three9zero wrote:
Wow, that is horrible news, I looked up to him as a young racer from D-14. RIP Swinkster # 257 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/05/17/262362/s1200_12717304_1760266004201852_2478552546304629722_n.jpg[/img]
Wow, that is horrible news, I looked up to him as a young racer from D-14. RIP Swinkster # 257

Walter White wrote:
Is that at Baja Acres?
Yes that is Baja. Brian was so fast around that place it was amazing. My brother and I were reminiscing last night about how he would just destroy the sand berms. You could always spot him out there, just look for the giant plume of sand flying up in a corner.
Walter White
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Walter White 5/19/2018 5:28am
5/19/2018 5:28am
three9zero wrote:
Wow, that is horrible news, I looked up to him as a young racer from D-14. RIP Swinkster # 257 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/05/17/262362/s1200_12717304_1760266004201852_2478552546304629722_n.jpg[/img]
Wow, that is horrible news, I looked up to him as a young racer from D-14. RIP Swinkster # 257

Walter White wrote:
Is that at Baja Acres?
motomike137 wrote:
Yes that is Baja. Brian was so fast around that place it was amazing. My brother and I were reminiscing last night about how he would...
Yes that is Baja. Brian was so fast around that place it was amazing. My brother and I were reminiscing last night about how he would just destroy the sand berms. You could always spot him out there, just look for the giant plume of sand flying up in a corner.
Man I wish I could have witnessed that!

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