Phil Santillan
 

    Somewhere in California, during the mid-80's, a bunch of kids on modified 20" Schwinn Stingray bicycles went out to a vacant lot and created a brand new sport of their very own. Phil was one of those kids. Word got out and there was no stopping it now. A new sport created by kids for kids was born. Bicycle Motocross was the name it was given. Phil quickly shortened that name to BMX.

    Phil tore it up on the local set, winning several races and tournaments. He was always looking for ways to improve his riding, whether it was by reading the BMX classic BMXer's Bible by Bob "Oz" Osbourn, or by using his skills to manufacture his own custom-made bikes dubbed Rad Ridez.

    Phil turned pro by age 13, one of the youngest ever in the sport of BMX. The only other person to do that was Greg Hill, one of the three best BMXers ever to live. Phil was on track to become the youngest rider ever to win the ABA BMX National Number 1 title. That is, until tragedy struck.

    Cheri Elliott was the first professional female BMXer to race and beat the boys. She won three consecutive ABA Number 1 Girls titles, and decided to take a turn against the much-hyped Phil in the Trophy Dashes. During the race, Elliott's chain came loose on the turn 3 jump and caught on Phil's foot. Phil's dreams of becoming a National Number 1 were shattered, along with 3 vertebrae, 4 bones, and his pinky toe. To this day, Elliott claims that it was an accident.

    After a heroic Dennis Byrd style recovery, Phil was able to walk, run & frolic once more, but he was doomed to never ride a BMX again. Phil focused his energy into music, where he became master of the drums, keyboard, and saxamophone. Enter Erik.