Name: Jason Ward Carnes
Nickname: Back Jack, Vanilla Thunder, Horny Toad...the list goes on
B-Day / Age: 4 August, 1971 - 35 1/2 y.o.
Residence: Austin, Texas
Sponsors: Redline, Sun Ringle, Tioga, Cytomax, THE, Tangent, Cti2, S&M, Shimano
Accomplishments: My biggest accomplishment is that I have managed to avoid the 9 to 5 jobby-job. Redline has enabled me to live a nice life on my little BMX. I scooped up a few of the old ABA vet titles along the way.

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Favorites:
- Food: 3 way tie: Italian, salmon, and steak
- Drink: Fast Twitch
- Rider: Brutal Billy
- Track: NBL Boulder and Nellis / ABA Rockford (just needs some lips on the jumps)
- Website: I like all the BMX sites...gotta get my daily fix of drama on the threads
- Music Artist: I like a lot of different music...no favorites right now
- Ice cream: Vanilla

You have been with Redline for a long time now.. how are things with them?: It couldn't be better! ABA Phoenix will be my 7 year anniversary with Redline. We just got a new rig last week so hopefully I can stay healthy enough to last another 7!

What would be a normal day for you?: I don't really have a normal day. If there are a few weekends off in a row and I'm at home (which is rare) I live it like a pro...up at 8 for brekky and some e-mail, followed by a long shower to wake up the aging muscles. Then BOOM...time for some Fast Twitch by Cytosport! I pump up the stereo for a while and wait for the twitchy to kick in. By 10:00 I'm either at the gym impressing the ladies with my bicep curls or in the street sprinting. After the A.M. session I hit the Muscle Milk and run a few errands. I'm back home by 2:00 for some pasta and TV time with Dr. Phil. Around 4:00 I starting amping back up for the P.M. session (usually some trail-bossing or a road ride). I finish that up around 6:00 and hit a little more of that Muscle Milk. I cap the evening off with some stretching, dinner, Myspace, and maybe some ice cream.

When the season's going strong, this would be a typical week:
Monday: Recover from back-to-back wins on the weekend...usually drive 8-10 hrs and do an hour on the road bike.
Tuesday: Find a gym and get buff (usually no problem, I know where they're at all over the country). I try to finish my driving to the location of the next national and get another light road ride in.
Wednesday: Depending on where I am, I bang out a few sprints, trail-boss, or a track session. Afterwards I get the RL truck and trailer cleaned up and looking good for the weekend.
Thursday: Set up the pit area and clean all the dust off from the previous weekend, dial in my BMX and do a light ride.
Fri - Sun: Get in a few wins, keep the pits dialed, support my all-star cast of teammates, help current and potential RL customers, pick up trash from the ungrateful squatters that hang out in the RL tent, and try to find Bubba for the kids that are constantly looking for him...the champ's got some fans for sure!

Everytime I talk to you at one of the races you have been on the road for months at a time... are you ever home?: I'm home 3-4 months a year but it's scattered with a week here, two weeks there and so on. Most of my time at home is Nov thru Jan.

How did you get started in BMX?: I was into freestyle but a racer kid moved in next door and took me along to Cowtown BMX in Ft. Worth. I was in it to win it from then on.

Who do/did you look up to?: When I first started racing I used to study all the BMX magazines and I was in awe of the pros and looked up to them all. I didn't know the difference between A, B, or AA pro. When I got older I was lucky enough to have one of the biggest name pros from Texas, Todd Slavik on my team. He designed the original Free Agent Limo frame back then and had sick nose-dive, motocross style while the rest of the pros were still landing back wheel first. As I started racing pro myself in 1990 I didn't really 'look up' to pros as much anymore, but I developed a deep respect for the guys in the class for the work and sacrifice it takes to make a living at BMX.

You just won two World titles in Brazil in July, then won your 5 ABA Vet Title in a row, how did those races go?: Man, the Worlds was a good trip! I went down to Rio with the Wildman Todd Lyons and a few English blokes. I sunbaked in my speedo for 4 days, then banged out the wins in Sao Paulo. I didn't know what to expect with that vacation leading up to the race. Maybe I need to chill a little more often! The ABA title was even more rewarding with the knee surgeries I had last year. The grands was a crazy race the way it all played out. Somehow the cards all fell my way.

Sounds like you have been taking a new girl out for ice cream every day when you are on the road... any tips for your fans out there with the ladies?: That's a negative...I'm not sure where you get the gossip. Besides, you already told me...skip the ice cream! You should be giving out the tips you big player you!

You have had some fun with your BMX career while at the same time still being professional.. what is the funniest memory of your BMX career?: I don't think I can narrow it down to one! I've got years of crazy memories stored up. Many are from the trips out of the country. Somehow, Wildman is always involved in the funniest stuff. Here's a quick one...A big group of us went down to Colombia a few summers ago for the annual Mario Soto tribute race that German Medina (trainer of the stars) puts together. After the race weekend Wildman, Keith Mulligan (editor of Ride magazine) and I went to a beach town called Cartagena' for some chill time. Well, Wildman met a local girl and I think he fell in love. She hung out with us every day and TL paid for everything...her bikini, sneakers, food...everything. She spoke NO english but somehow they communicated. She didn't have a phone either so when he wanted to call her, the phone would ring at the neighbors house and they'd run over and get her. At the end of every day Todd would send her home with dinner for her mom...a burger one night, pizza the next, and maybe some tacos the next. I don't know if he ever even kissed her but I think she had a spell on him! You had to be there to really get the laugh! Those invite races abroad were always super laid-back and there was plenty of tourist/party time. There aren't too many of them anymore but I still get around a bit. I've raced in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Belgium, Germany, France, Canada, and of course, all over this fantastic country of ours.

Siblings: One older brother, two younger half-brothers (none ever raced BMX)

Teams you have raced for: Texas Chain Gang, Sweathogs, Poorboy (first "real" sponsor), Revolution Bike Shop, Torker, and Redline

Any last words/thanks: Thanks to Redline and the rest of my fine sponsors, my teammates, the fans, the ladies, all my bros who put me up throughout the year, and jb.com for caring enough to ask me some questions. See you on Myspace.

Name Game:

Eric Rupe: Legend, Icon, O.G., straight-shooter, fountain of knowledge and wisdom

Todd Parry: Something to prove but no one can figure out what it is

Kiyomi Waller: NBL Champ...saw him at Sheep Hills the other day. He's not scared of the big dubs!

Mike Gul: AMPED on BMX

Bill Madden: flatties in his forties

Dave Bittner: Fast, hunky dude with a great tan

Chris Ham: New dad (# 2). Congrats!!

Ryan Birk: Sun Ringle one man show! Dad to be. Congrats!!

Gork: Marketing wizard. Keeps the circus on the road.

Darrin Mitchell: Ladies man!

Nate Berkheimer: Buns of steel! Another fast, hunky dude with a bag of tricks. I'm looking to take his lady to Funky Town!

Bubba Harris: It's all been said already...unbelievable talent and drive! Lives up to the hype!! Hook me up with some Nike squat shoes yo!

Joey Bradford: Tireless promoter...not scared to get right to business either!