Let's put together a list of the "well known" nicknames of the top racers. I will edit this post to add the ones that come from the comments. Initials + their race number doesn't count. I also want to add a list of the most noteable riders that never established a nickname for themselves. I will start with just the few I can think of off the top of my head but this is very much a group project!
Jason Anderson - El Hombre
Blake Baggett - El Chupacabra
David Bailey - Little Professor
Gary Bailey - The Professor
Justin Barcia - BamBam
Mark Barnett - Bomber
Mike Bell - Too Tall
Damon Bradshaw - The Beast from the East
Scott Burnworth - Burner
Ricky Carmichael - GOAT
Danny Chandler - Magoo
Mike Craig - Sting Ray
Roger De Coster - The Man
Haiden Deegan - Danger Boy
John Dowd - Junkyard Dog
Ryan Dungey - The Diesel
Jeff Emig - Fro
Tyler Evans - One Punch
Tim Ferry - Red Dog
Broc Glover - Golden Boy
Bob Hannah - Hurricane Hannah
Donny Hansen - Holeshot
Jeffrey Herlings - The Bullet
Jim Holley - Hollywood
Ryan Hughes - Ryno
Ricky Johnson - The Bad Boy
Mike Kiedrowski - MX Kied
Brad Lackey - Bad Brad
Grant Langston - Zulu Warrior
Mike LaRocco - The Rock
Ron Lechien - The Dogger
Ezra Lusk - Yogi
Alex Martin - Troll
Jeff Matiasevich - Chicken
Andrew Mcfarlane - Sharky
Davi Millsaps - The Duke
Jeremy McGrath - Showtime, The King
Phil Nicoletti - Filthy
Mitchell Oldenburg - Freckle
Johnny O'Mara - O'show
Zack Osborne - Wacko
Travis Pastrana - Wonder Boy
Ross Pederson - Rollerball
Aaron Plessinger - The Cowboy
Christophe Pourcel - The Crafty Frenchman
Alex Ray - Sketchy
Chad Reed - Skippy
Jo Shimoda - Sushi, Wasabi
Andrew Short - Smiley Face Assassin
Jeff Stanton - Six-Time
Rex Staten - Rocket
James Stewart - Bubba, FMOP (Fastest Man on the Planet)
Malcolm Stewart - Mookie
Ivan Tedesco - Hot Sauce
Mike Treadwell - Iron Mike
Eli Tomac - Beast Mode
David Vuillemin - The Cobra
Jeff Ward - Flying Freckle
Jimmy Weinert - Jammin'
Most established riders without a 'real' nickname:
Ryan Villopoto
Cooper Webb
Chad Reed
Jett Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence
Marvin Musquin (No, the leopard seal is not a real nickname)
Davi Millsaps
Trey Canard
Chase Sexton
Adam Cianciarulo
A few alternatives:
El Homebray (thanks RC)
DumDum
Donger or Diaper Boy
Additional comments:
The Cowboy is a ridiculous contrived name
Beast Mode sounds strange. It's not a nick name, it's an adjective to describe Eli's riding at certain times e.g: 'he went Beast Mode'.
Other names:
RJ - Bad Boy
Emig - Fro
Bradshaw - The Beast from the East
DeCoster - The Man
Webb - Burger Boy
DV - The Cobra
Herlings - The Bullet
Hannah - The Hurricane
Lechien - Dogger
Stanton - Six Time
Mcadoo - Whackers
Sexton - Changers (pron: rhymes with Clangers)
Reed - Um
Zack Osborne - Wacko
Nicoletti - Filthy
Chad Reed - Skippy
Davi Millsaps - The Duke
Mike Treadwell - Iron Mike
Mike Kiedrowski - MX Kied
Jeremy McGrath - Showtime
Johnny O'Mara - O'show
Brad Lackey - Bad Brad
Danny Chandler - Magoo
Gary Bailey - The Professor
Jeff Ward - Flying Freckle
Mark Barnett - Bomber
David Bailey - Little Professor
Ross Pederson - Rollerball
Jimmy Weinert - Jammin
John Dowd - Junkyard Dog
Ryan Hughes - Ryno
Tyler Evans - One Punch
Mike Bell - Too Tall
Jo Shimoda - Sushi/Wasabi
Donny Hansen - Holeshot
Broc Glover - Golden Boy
"Rocket" Rex Staten
Tim Ferry - Red Dog
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I thought Chad was the thunder from down under
Jim Holley - Hollywood
Mike Craig - Sting Ray
Scott Burnworth - Burner
Michael Byrne - Byrner (not sure if a play on names counts, does Shorty count for Andrew Short?)
Andrew Mcfarlane - Sharky
Didn't we call Broc Hepler Iceman for a bit?
Grant Langston - Zulu warrior?
Can we lump both Musquin and Pourcel under "the crafty frenchman"?
Dirty Dog - from his time in Dirty Jerzz with RRP
Andrew Short - Smiley face assassin
Alex Ray - Sketchy
John "wellen" Dowd was from the early '90's.
Jett Lawrence - the Rocket Man. *credit Leigh Diffey
Hahaha thats a great nickname for a dude named Dowd! 🤪
Speaking of Dowd… I always like the Junkyard Dawg for him too, don’t think that one is listed above! 😎 👍❗️
(***EDIT: my reading comprehension let me down here! Maverick already noted JYD! 😝)
Pourcel is the only one "crafty frenchman".
Some french riders:
Bayle : JMB
Musquin: Marv'attack
Pichon : Rocket
Tortelli : Dyno
Roncada : Ronron
Sorby: Zooby
Demaria: Téfli
Maschio: Mickey
Boniface: Bonyfast
Thain : Hot Rod
Aubert : Johnny Au'
I can't remember any concerning Ferrandis... Same for Vialle (Tom).
Mike Healey- The Gunner
John Desoto - The Flyin Hawaiian
Billy "Sugarbear" Grossi
I thought AC went as Baby Jesus for a while. Until he had the growth spurt?
Phil Lawrence - Factory Phil
Pit Row
Chase Box a chocolates Sexton!
Cause you never know what you’re gonna get.
Guy Cooper - Air Time
Larry Ward - Big Bird
Stephane Roncada - RonRon
Ernesto Fonseca - The Fonz
Chase "settings" sexton
Darrell Shultz - Shu
Doug Henry never went by anything other than, right?
I remember Cooper Webb being known as "Mini Coop", but in his younger days.
Was Tyler Bowers known as "The Bear", or something like that?
Doug's nickname was "Underdog" in the early '90's when he rode on the DGY team.
Chase went with TAFKAP montra for a name.... 🤨
I think I remember Ralph trying to stick Millsaps with "The Magic Man" during his run in 2013
I thought the standard nickname for everyone was in the format: "AA##." You know, like JS7, ET3, DW15, RC4, etc...? Creativity is forbidden.
That’s fucked.
I love it.
Long live King Tuck!
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