X Games legend, Red Bull GRC and FIA World Rallycross competitor Dave Mirra has passed away with what police believe was an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The majority of Mirra’s career saw him compete as a professional BMX rider, taking an impressive 24 X Games medals, including 14 gold medals, which included a run of taking home a medal from 1995 through to 2009. This was a record that stood until 2013 when Bob Burnquist surpassed it.

In 2008 Mirra joined Vermont Sports Car to take part in Rally America and secured ‘Rookie of the Year’, he also competed in a rally car at X Games and took an impressive bronze medal on his first attempt.

A six year relationship with Subaru saw Mirra have his fair share of ups and downs, and in 2013 saw him secure his best GRC finish as he took fourth place in Atlanta, what he did next surprised many in the paddock as he parted ways with the manufacturer in a mutual agreement. This opened the door for him to step in to the Prodrive Mini Countryman that Liam Doran had taken two medals at X Games Munich in.

Mirra made an impressive debut in his home race at Charlotte in the Mini, posting the fastest lap in practice and qualifying second, unfortunately a penalty would see him relegated to the last chance qualifier which ended in contact. Bad luck would follow him in Las Vegas when his engine failed after setting the fastest lap in practice.

More recently Mirra took part in the Germany round of the 2015 World Rallycross Championship alongside fellow X Games gold medal winner Danny Way in two JRM Racing Mini’s (that had been purchased from Prodrive), unfortunately for the American’s they finished down in seventeenth and nineteenth.

Away from competing Mirra also starred in his own video games, Dave Mirra Freestlye BMX and also appeared in Colin McRae: Dirt 2.

Thoughts go out to his wife Lauren, his two children and his friends from everyone at theCheckeredFlag.co.uk