Name: “Monster” Mike Schultz Birthdate: 8/27/1981 Hometown: Pillager, MN Disciplines: Snocross and motocross Sponsored by: FOX Years competing: 18 Mike’s Story: Racing motocross since 1997 and snocross since 1998, Mike was in the midst of a promising professional snocross career when he suffered a devastating accident. While competing in a qualifying race in the Pro Super Stock class of the 2008 AMSOIL Championship Snocross event, Mike’s snowmobile drifted sideways as he jumped over a mogul. When he came out of the jump he landed on his left leg, his knee “virtually exploding.” After undergoing multiple emergency surgeries in the hospital, doctors decided that amputating his left leg above the knee was the only way to save Mike’s life. But Mike was never the kind of guy to sit around feeling sorry for himself. So Mike strapped on his prosthetic leg and started pushing it to its limits. He did what he could to make it work for his favorite activities--snocross, motocross, skiing, etc.-- but was ultimately disappointed with how his "everyday" prosthetic was unable to keep up. At that point, Mike took what was to him the logical next step: he designed and machined his own prosthetic knee/leg. And even though Mike didn't have any formal engineering training, but was more the kind of guy who enjoyed "putzing around in the shop," it worked. Mike's sports leg allowed him to live his life the way he wanted to live it, doing the things he enjoyed. Since his accident in 2008, Mike has made history by being the only person to win Winter and Summer X Game gold medals in two different sports in the same year; he's started a company called Biodapt, Inc. that manufactures and sells his sports leg to other amputees; and his Versa Foot prosthetic was named as one of 2013's most innovative inventions by Popular Science magazine. More than 100 wounded warriors, extreme athletes and other amputees use Mike's prosthetic equipment to return to the active lifestyles they love. Honors: ● Holds 6 X Games Gold medals ● Recipient, Ten Outstanding Young Americans Award presented by the United States Junior Chamber/Jaycees ● “Versa Foot” named Best of What’s New in 2013 by Popular Science Magazine ● “Versa Foot” named one of the Top Inventions of 2013 by Popular Science Magazine ● Inducted into the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame, recipient Roger McCarville Male Athlete of the Year Award Race career highlights: ● 2014 – ESPN Winter X Games Adaptive Snocross Gold medal ● 2013 – ESPN Summer X Adaptive Super-X Gold medal ● 2013 – ESPN Winter X Games Adaptive Snocross Gold medal ● 2012 – ESPN Adaptive X Games Boardercross 5th place ● 2011 - ESPN Winter X Games Adaptive Snocross Gold medal ● 2010 - ESPN Summer X Games Adaptive Super-X Gold medal ● 2010 - ESPN Winter X Games Adaptive Snocross Gold medal ● 2009 - ESPN Summer X Games Adaptive Super-X Silver medal ● 2009-2012 - Extremity Games Adaptive Motocross Gold & Silver medals ● 2009 - ISOC “True Grit Award” ● 2002-2008 - Competed in 6 ESPN Winter X-Games ● 2005-2008 - 5 National WPSA Pro podiums & Top 10 Season finishes in Pro 440 & Open ● 2008 - FIM World Championship, 6th pace ● 2006 – Icelandic Championship Race, 1st place ● 2006/2007 - Most Improved Pro (WPSA) ● 2002 – WSA MN Regional Racer of the Year For more information or to schedule an interview with Mike, please contact: Amy Hooker, [email protected], 910-707-0462 or Dan S. Robbins, [email protected], 831-728-7698 .