Bob Pereyra
| Bob Pereyra | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 8, 1963 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Other names |
The Pirhana Man The Godfather of Street Luge |
| Occupation | Professional Street Luge Racer, Action Camera Man, Street Luge Stunt Man |
| Spouse(s) | Caroline Staats (m. 1982–96) |
| Children | Megan Carolina (b. 1984) |
Bob Pereyra (born January 8, 1963) in Santa Monica, California is one of the most recognized Street Luge Racers Worldwide. He is the pioneer of the extreme sport of Street Luge and is one of the fastest Street Luge Racers in the world. Pereyra was the winner of six medals in the extreme X Game championships.
Early life
Pereyra was born in Santa Monica, California, Bob began racing at a young age, designing cars as child with no formal training and restoring cars by the age of 15. At this same time he learned machinist skills that landed him his first machine and restoration job with Lotus West Sports Cars. Simultaneously, he was involved in the early years of skate boarding, developing his skills with the internationally recognized skateboarders.
His motor sport career began at age 15 as a cart racer. He would later be hired by the Garvin Brown Formula Atlantic Racing Team, as a crew member for Danny Sullivan/Michael Andretti. That experience led Bob to a 2-year position as a Race Driving Instructor assistant at the CBR Racing Schools.
Frustrated with auto racing, Bob reentered racing again as a competitor, this time as a sanctioned motorcycle road racer. Bob left motorcycle racing forever following the tragic death of his brother in a street cycle accident. Bob has been involved with Street Luge for over twenty years as a pilot, designer, builder and sanctioning and safety activist. Bob is president and founder of RAIL, the Road Racers Association for International Luge. RAIL was retained by ESPN to act as the Sanctioning and administrating organization for the Street Luge events during the 1995 and 1996 ESPN X Games.
Bob has successfully transitioned to Street Luge by applying his professional driving skills to develop his racing technique. Bob won the first Dual Street Luge competition at the inaugural 1995 ESPN Extreme Games, earning him the title of Extreme Games Champion. Bob later won the Silver medal in the 1998 X Games, a Gold in the Planet X World Extremes In Australia, and again X Games champion in 2000. Bob is also one of only two participants to have competed in all seven X Games Competitions. Drawing on his background, Bob designed the LCG GroundWerks Chassis; this 1985 design continues to be the most sought after, and copied piece of Street Luge Racing Equipment to date.
X- Games
The first racer to win the Dual Street Luge competition at the inaugural 1995 ESPN Extreme Games.
Silver medal winner in the 1998 X Games
Gold and bronze medal winner in 2001 X Games
Gold and Bronze medal winner in the 2001 Planet X World Extremes in Australia
Bob Pereyra is one of only two participants to have competed in all seven X Games Competitions.
Film & Video Production Services
Technical Advisor
Stunt Coordinating
Street Luge Stunts
Unique Action P.O.V. Footage
Various Camera Mounts
Custom Fabrication and Rigging
Street Luge Racing Consultant
Film and television appearances
48 Hrs
ABC 1995–2001 X-Games
ESPN Extreme 101 (profiles)
Wave Entertainment Extreme 101 documentary
PM Magazine
USA Today
Discovery Channel - The Adventurers
Sports center (ESPN)
Prime Ticket Sports - Press Box
MTV Sport
Stuntmasters
Belgian Television
FNN Sport News
L.A. TV Stations 2,4,7,5 & 9
Channel 17, San Diego California
Channel 56, Orange County California
French TV-1 ll Ne Faut Pas Rever
Inside Edition
Japan Network
News - Video Voice
99 Guinness Prime Time
Red Bull record attempt (81.28 mph)
HD Theater Discovery (The Secret Club Of Speed)
News print, Magazines & Publications
Sports Illustrated 1995 Center Fold
People (European Edition)
Poweredge Center Fold
View (U.S.)
Transworld (International)
Valley Magazine (L.A.)
VSD (France)
No Way (France)
Outside/Outsiders
Esquire
Gentlemans¹ Quarterly/GQ
Star
Thrasher - Cover Photo
Allsport Worldwide
The London Face
Zoot Capri - Cover Photo
Popular Mechanics - 1996 Center fold
Playboy
Books and Guides
Street Luge Racing published by Capstone Press
Street Luge Regulation Guide
Street Luge sports cards memorabilia
Print USA Today 3 articles
L.A. Times (national wire feature)
Christian Science Monitor 3 articles
Ventura, CA Chronicle
Daily News (L.A.) - 5 articles
Acorn (LA)
Providence Daily Journal cover
Asahi Shim bun - Tokyo cover
Narragansett RI Gazet
Personal life
Pereyra married Carolyn Staats in 1983. They had a daughter, Megan. The couple divorced in 1992.
Injuries
Bob broke his ankles three times. Two cracked heels. Fractured tail bone. Four contusions. Dislocated elbow. Two fingers ground to the bone. Bob has dislocated his shoulders eight times. Three surgeries on shoulder.
References
- http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1873166,00.html
- http://bleacherreport.com/articles/161236-x-games-history-1995-1997-the-ear...
- http://espn.go.com/extreme/xgames/xalmanac_summer.html
- http://www.life.com/image/1334534
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iq4U1dXWEg