ICYMI: Jackson Stauffer's A Bike Ahead

He may be quiet along the fenceline, cool, calm, and collected in staging, but when Minnesota’s Jackson Stauffer hits the track, he’s louder than ever. Racing out of Cannon Falls, MN, Stauffer, like many others, began BMX racing as a family outing that turned into a constant obsession. Allegedly hopping the fence at Faribault BMX to get his first experience on track, a four-year-old Jackson Stauffer started his eight-year journey to the National No.1 Cruiser Title.

From every interaction we’ve had with Jackson Stauffer, it’s clear to see his obsession with BMX. From race lines to point battles, the now 13-year-old holds his bike and his family close to him, and they hold him right back. Son of Jake and Kali Stauffer, the title-winning family took their love of the BMX community on the road for the next years of Jackson’s BMX career. Weekend after weekend, mile after mile, the Stauffers embraced everything that came with the BMX lifestyle. Long drives, late nights, countless laps, and friendships that stretched far beyond the Minnesota state line became a way of life.

Surrounded by Minnesota speed and obsession, Jackson stayed right alongside his older peers from the Minnesota race scene. Never afraid to line up with riders who were bigger, faster, or had more experience, Stauffer constantly pushed himself to learn. Joining Black Widow BMX in 2018, the road to National Warrior truly began as Stauffer and his family grew closer to the team and began spider-webbing their connections across the US. What started as teammates quickly turned into lifelong friends, and with every National stop, every State Final, and every Gold Cup race, the Stauffers became more and more ingrained in the BMX community.

That spider web sprawled towards the Factory Answer BMX squad, where Stauffer found his current BMX Family. Joining the legendary brand, Stauffer didn’t just join a new team; he joined a legacy of fast and fierce racers who are no novices when it comes to hoisting Silver Cups. Wearing the iconic colors brought another level of pride and expectation, but Stauffer fit right in from day one.

“Jackson and his family joined the team in early 2025 and instantly connected with the rest of the team. He has been nothing but top-tier on and off the track and a great role model since he first put the Answer jersey over his head. We love having Jackson, Jake, Kali, and the rest of their family a part of the Answer family, and it's all possible thanks to Glen Knapper's amazing TM skills.” - Blake Sawyer

With experience and full faith in Stauffer’s abilities, the time came for the 12 Cruiser main event at the 2025 USA BMX Grand Nationals.

By the time Tulsa rolled around, Stauffer had put together the type of season that kept him in the conversation all year long. Consistent finishes and big weekends had positioned him for an opportunity, but Grand Nationals are never easy. The pressure was real, the math was complicated, and every transfer and every lap mattered. The National No.1 title was within reach, but only if things went exactly right.

With Luke Peeper sitting on the Cruiser hot seat, the nerve-racking voice boomed over the PA. Trenton Paxman and Jackson Stauffer, “With a win and only win,” could claim the lead for themselves.

Out of the gate, Stauffer did what he had done so many times throughout the season, his consistent and confident start out of gate one, put his elbow in front, then his body until he entered the first turn clear of the competition and in the lead. A bike ahead out of turn one, the fenceline fans and his parents in the stands knew it was his lap. Down the second straight and into the final turn, there was no looking back. Crossing the line and throwing a fist in the air at the end of the winner’s circle, Stauffer was at the top of the points, but the battle was far from over and out of his control.

3,167 was the total, and after his celebrations for winning his lap, the Stauffer family and Jackson himself sat at the end of the winner’s circle watching and waiting for the next contenders. Everyone around them knew the numbers. Phones were out, calculators were running, and every lap that rolled onto the track carried another piece of the National No.1 puzzle.

13 Cruiser, not it. 17-20 Cruiser, not it. 51-55 Cruiser, NOT IT.

From seventh in the points leading into Grands to climbing the National No.1 stage and claiming his title. Stauffer may be a young man of few words, but his team, family, and support system spoke for him as they ran down the Expo ramp to support and celebrate their newest National No.1 Cruiser. The tears, the hugs, and the smiles said everything that needed to be said. Eight years after first finding BMX, the quiet kid from Minnesota stood on top of the sport with a black plate in his hands.

Since that brisk night in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Stauffer has worn the NAT No.1 plate well. Strapping on clips as he aged up into 13 Cruiser and 13 Expert. The black plate with a skinny digit hasn’t changed his love for the sport; it’s fueled it. The expectations are bigger, the competition is tougher, and the target on his back is larger than ever, but Jackson continues to approach the sport with the same calm demeanor that got him there in the first place.

Continuing to be a role model for kids around the track, just like he does at home for his own siblings, Jackson Stauffer is a perfect example of what a first visit to the BMX track can turn into. Whether it's signing a number plate for a younger rider, hanging around the Answer pit, or simply sharing laughs with friends after racing is over, Stauffer understands that BMX is more than trophies and points. It's the people, the places, and the memories made along the way.

Far from done with his BMX journey, we look forward to seeing what type of rider, friend, and man he will become. If his first 13 years are any indication, he will be one to enjoy for many years to come. Quiet off the track, loud on it, Jackson Stauffer has already proven that sometimes the biggest statements are made with actions, not words.

SEE HIS COVER AND THE REST OF THE MAY/JUN ISSUE OF PULL BMX