The Lives They Lived 2023

For a generation of motocross fans Antonín Baborovský  was one of those mysterious men who lived behind the Iron Curtain, allowed out only to race in international competitions. Like other fast, tough competitors who hailed from his home country of Czechoslovakia, East Germany and of course the Soviet Union, everywhere Baborovsky went during his professional career he was guarded by Communist government-appointed “minders” and “handlers” that kept them from bad-mouthing their system, or even defecting to the west. That skullduggery only added to the intrigue of riders like Jaroslav Falta, Gennady Moiseev, Vladimir Kavinov, and this man, Antonin Baborovsky. 

A very diverse competitor, Baborovsky could ride pretty much every class, but he always had to do it on a CZ motorcycle. That was fine in the early seventies, when the national brand was still on par with the rest of the European brands, but then the cold war began to grind down the economy of Czechoslovakia, and as a result the CZ brand began to suffer and fade. But Baborovsky still had his flashes of brilliance, finishing third in the 1975 FIM 125cc World Championships, and then capping that season with a stunning 1-1 finish on his 500cc motorcycle to lead the Czechs to an unlikely Motocross of Nations win. That same glorious day he beat Belgium's Roger DeCoster, Harry Everts and Gaston Rahier, Finland’s Heikki Mikkola, Germany’s Adolf Weil and Willi Bauer, Sweden’s Ake Jonsson, Bengt Aberg and Hakan Andersson, the Russian Moiseev, and the Americans Brad Lackey, Jim Pomeroy, Kent Howerton, and Tony DiStefano. 

Not long after that special race Baborovsky’s racing career would end due to a repeated dislocation of his shoulder. He would still remain active in Czech motocross, especially in vintage and reunion-style events, until he passed away just before Christmas. He was 72 years old. 

Tatum Sik loved motorcycles almost as much as she loves horses. She was a regular on the WMX circuit in the early ‘00s, won a medal in the X Games, and then retired to focus on ranching. On July 1 she was involved in a fatal automobile accident. Her mother Holly Millard-Sik wrote, “She was my world, my best friend and my daughter, Tatum Nicole Sik. Words cannot describe the heartbreak and loss of this amazing soul. I love you till we see again… Tatum was blessed to be loved by so many.” Indeed, Tatum Sik was charismatic, funny, warm—check out this video interview from 2010 of Tatum talking about her life and her moto career.

Roland Hinz was a trail and desert rider who had a background in finance as a banker, as well as in publishing, albeit in Hollywood gossip and teenage fandom. He met Bill Golden, founder of Daisy/Hi-Torque Publications, at a publishing convention and told him of his love of motorcycle-riding, as well as the fact that was a fan of Bill's magazines, including Dirt Bike (first published in 1971) and Motocross Action (’73). However, despite the success of those ground-breaking magazines, Hi-Torque was soon in financial trouble, so Golden hired Hinz in 1980 as a financial consultant to try and help out. According to our publisher Scott Wallenberg, who worked at Hi-Torque during those years, “Roland had an immediate impact on the company bottom line and he realized that if he could own it, there was definitely a thriving business future. It was a long hard road to get ownership and restore profitability but he pulled it off and started Dirt Wheels, ATV Action, Minicycle Action, acquired BMX Plus! and then launched Mountain Bike Action, Road Bike Action and Electric Bike Action. 

"Roland Hinz was hands-on,” added Wallenberg. “He picked every cover and approved the cover lines and stories. He was not afraid to take chances but he never sacrificed his integrity or religious beliefs in order to make a buck. I witnessed him pass up on thousands of dollars in ads that were in his mind not up to his standards. He would say if he couldn’t show a magazine ad to his pastor or a librarian with comfort, he wouldn’t print it. He also was responsible for an amazing run and the list of journalists and industry personnel who cut their teeth at Hi-Torque that is just mind-boggling."

One of those is Jody Weisel, who has been the editor of Motocross Action since Hinz took over the company. Jody wrote of Roland, “He was great boss—a mentor and a really funny guy. The door to his office was always open…. Roland was a devout Christian, but accepted that the staff had religious beliefs of their own. Best of all, when the vast majority of competing motorcycle magazines folded their print issues, Roland kept right on printing magazines because he believed in them, while expanding the social media arm of his magazines.” Roland Hinz passed away this past summer at the age of 84 after battling heart disease for several years.

They called Troy Assemany "Troy Clean" because as a rig operation and team transport driver he kept everything super-dialed. He was a young racer himself back to the day, competing at Loretta Lynn’s as a promising intermediate in the mid-nineties, and then returned some twenty years later to compete in the Vet classes. During the years in between he became a heavy equipment operator with Operating Engineers 324 as well as a transport driver working in the sport he loved, often driving for teams, as well as privateers like his close friend Gared “Stankdog” Steinke. Our own Jason Weigandt called Troy, “One of the great characters at all the big amateur races throughout the country. I remember Troy as the long-time truck driver for the Riders Unlimited/Rocky Mountain KTM team, but the fun thing was that he always brought his own bike in the rig and raced himself! He'd qualifying for Loretta's every year, and he'd stick out because he's usually ride some fire-breathing big bore two-stroke in the Vet classes. Troy would show up at pro races, as well, and was always a fun guy to talk to.”

On his social media (@assemany196) Troy described himself as “heavy equipment operator... passionate about mx… transport driver for pro SX… STANKDOGS MECHANIC… married to the best wife ever.” His wife was named April.

Earlier this summer Assemany was participating in an amateur race in Michigan when he went down hard. Sadly, Troy Clean did not survive his injuries.

Multi-time AMA Arenacross Champion Josh Demuth passed away on April 6. Nicknamed “The Sheriff” for his enforcer-like presence on the racetrack, Demuth was a racer through and through, overcoming many difficult injuries in his career, but always coming back strong. His smile and his kindness were well known, starkly contrasting with the aggressiveness. While Demuth had a decent professional career in SX/MX, with plenty of top-10 finishes, it wasn’t until he moved over to the AMA Arenacross Championships that he really found his calling as a racer. He became one of that series’ all-time greats. Josh's professional racing days ended primarily in 2012. He still rode often, and at one point suffered a huge crash that cost him his lower leg. No matter, Josh still stayed around the sport, riding and working at Grapevine Powersports dealership in Texas.

It was the result of another riding accident, this time involving his other leg—a femur break—that Demuth developed complications due to blood clotting. He died a couple days later at the age of 40.

His work family at Shogun Motorsports posted, “Josh was loved by our entire organization. His work ethic, commitment to his sport and team was second to none. Josh suffered many injuries in his career but they never dulled his spirit. Peace and love to the Demuth family.”

Right after Christmas we received a note on Facebook from our longtime friend Jeff Chambers, a charter member of Kawasaki Team Green in 1982 as one of the original technicians. Jeff is practically an institution in southeastern motocross, and one of the nicest and most passionate moto people you will ever meet. He wanted to tell us about three members of that southeastern motocross family that passed this year. Here’s what Chambers told us about these three lost friends…

Godspeed, Sal Romano, Chad Anderson and Darrel Lynn.

Danny Paladino was originally from Antioch, California. He raced professionally in the early 1990s and earned a handful of top twenty finishes in AMA Pro Motocross and Supercross. He enjoyed more success after his own racing days ended when he became the original manager of the MDK Motorsports team in 2006 and stayed there for several seasons. Afterwards he moved to Tennessee and got back into racing as a vet rider. In 2014 he finished tenth in the always-competitive Senior +40 class. Most recently he worked with Samson Equipment Company in Nashville. His sudden passing in September led to an outpouring of sympathy and condolences from his friends all over the motocross industry, and a huge ride day was held in his honor at Argyll MX in California, with another to come for his Tennessee moto family in the spring.

Harvey Treadwell was a New England motocross legend, not from his results on the racetrack but rather from the way he treated others. It was Treadwell’s son Mike who was the racer, and Harvey was that dad that drove his kid to the races every weekend, worked on his motorcycles, cheered for him, then got him back home in time for school every Monday. According to Paul Buckley, himself an NESC icon, “Harvey was one of a kind, tough as they come but kinder than you can imagine. He could fix just about anything and would always lend anyone a hand. Mike got Harvey to take him to the races and every weekend Harvey would pack up Mike's 85 and make the trip from Mexico, Maine to wherever the race was that Sunday—Waterboro, Southwick, Loudon, it didn't matter, Harvey made the trip and always arrived with a smile and his quick wit. He'd help out anyone who needed a hand… From everyone at The Wick 338, the NESC and me at Buckley Photos our sincerest condolences to the Treadwell family, I'm so sorry he's gone but so very glad you guys had him as a husband—he is survived by his wife of more than 60 years Joleen--dad, grandfather and most of all a friend.”

Joey Casey hailed from Georgia and found his niche within motocross, the sport he loved, via his hilarious newspaper, Practice Track, which he founded along with his friend Kevin Kelly. Joey and Kevin were big figures around the scene in Georgia as announcers, with Kevin’s family also running some of the most popular races and events in the state. Casey and Kelley eventually branched out with Practice Track, which was completely irreverent and off-the-wall compared to traditional motocross publications. It was a labor of love for Joey, who would show up to races everywhere, somehow, and hand out his newspaper for free. Joey, who was as off-the-wall as his newspaper, especially found himself fitting in with privateer racers and also within the growing world of Freestyle Motocross. He started announcing those early FMX events, as well. Practice Track probably never gained the traction it should have, but it launched something very, very significant as a side project: In the early 2000s, before internet radio was even a thing, the Practice Track boys launched an internet radio show. They dubbed it The Dead Motocrossers Society, or DMXS. It would become the forerunner to today’s avalanche of podcasts and video. When it started, it was just Joey and Kevin talking to guests and talking about the races. DMXS Radio is still around today, hosted by Kelley and David Izer, who was another friend from Georgia who joined in soon after the show’s founding. About a decade ago, Casey, who was always counter culture, moved away from the sport altogether. No more DMXS, no more Practice Track, no more announcing. Then, on June, 26, 2023, he took his own life. Joey Casey was 49 years old.

If you had ever met him, Lyon Herron probably was one of the coolest people you’ve ever met. He was from Malibu, California, and he was a rider, a surfer, artist, photographer, a warrior…  Herron was diagnosed with a rare and brutal form of cancer called Gardner Syndrome. From the time he was just seven years old he battled against this beast, sharing his brave struggle with a growing universe of friends and followers on social media. He and his mother Barbie fought back against his cancer in every way he could, searching all over the world for a cure, be it chemotherapy, faith-healing, stem cells, immunotherapy, anything. But whatever they tried, the cancerous tumors kept coming back, and spreading. Regardless, Lyon soldiered on, telling his story as a motivational speaker to so many others, and getting the most out of whatever life he might have left. In doing so became a huge inspiration for many in both surf, moto, media and more. His friends at Fasthouse even made a special line of gear in his honor, with a message they did not hold back, so neither will we:

On December 6, the now-31-year-old Lyon Herron posted this message to his nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram (@lyon_herron):

Kawasaki factory rider Adam Cianciarulo was one of Lyon’s close friends. Upon his passing Adam posted, “Life is a series of moments, moments that pass us by because we are usually anticipating the next one. That wasn’t Lyon. Despite the pain and suffering he had to endure while he was here, he knew, more than anyone, how special this experience was. You felt that when you were around him, and it was contagious. I will think of him often, and strive to be engaged and grateful for each moment, as he was. Until we meet again, my friend!" 

Andy Calisewski was most passionate about two sports: volleyball and motocross. In the case of the former, he was a member of the New England Volleyball Region Association for a remarkable 67 years. He was a player in adult leagues, a coach, an official. The NEVRA wrote of Calisewski, “Andy was a wealth of volleyball knowledge and one of the things that gave him great joy was the ability to share this wealth of knowledge with hundreds maybe thousands of NERVA members from coaches to players, from 10-year-olds to 70-year-olds.”

Casilewski had just as profound an impact in New England on motocross. After serving with distinction in the U.S. Army he became an early participant in the fledgling scrambles scene of the 1960s, squaring off with the likes of legends like Joe Bulger, Dick Bettencourt, Bob Hicks, Barry Higgins, and more. As the sport grew, Caliseweski founded the NESC (New England Sports Committee) for motocross racing and helped shape the careers of the next generations of New England legends, which included Jimmy Ellis, Jo Jo Keller, Jim Meenan, John Dowd, Doug Henry, Keith Johnson, Pat Barton, Mike Treadwell, and more. The NESC had become a national powerhouse.

When he died at the age of 87 this summer there was an outpouring of messages of condolences and memories for Andy Calisewski from both moto and volleyball that were similar in their love and respect for the man. He had a profound effect on both friends and strangers throughout his life in both of those worlds.

Back in 1976, Jack Holbert and his brother Robert “Carroll” Holbert decided to build a motocross track on their family farm in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, which is right above the Mason-Dixon Line and Morgantown, West Virginia. The local motocross promoters happened to be my parents, Dave and Rita Coombs, and they would work together to build what would become known as High Point Raceway—one of the most prestigious motocross racing facilities in the nation. This past summer, on Father’s Day weekend, High Point Raceway celebrated its 45th running of the AMA Pro Motocross National. 

Jack Holbert was a racer himself back in his younger days. For years, Jack and his two sons, Dave and Steve, traveled the off-road and motocross racing circuits with his brother Carroll and his three sons, Robert, Mike, and Tommy. All five boys raced motorcycles and/or ATVs. When they weren’t at the races or working on the track Jack and his brother Carroll also ran the Mt. Morris Tire Shop—a retread tire company that continues to operate to this day next to the track.

Jack always enjoyed his time at the racetrack, and more than anything took great pride in working the heavy equipment necessary to prep the course. On any Sunday, Jack, Carroll, and Dave could be seen running dozers, tractors, and water trucks around the racecourse—stopping here and there to smoke a cigar. Both his friend Big Dave and his brother Carroll preceded Jack in death. He passed in September after a long illness; a memorial service was held for him right next to the starting gate of High Point Raceway.

Robbie Knievel probably had the most famous last name in the history of daredevils, with the possible exception of Houdini. Robbie was one of the sons of Evel Knievel, the iconic late 20th century motorcycle distance jumper and bona fide bad ass. Unlike his brother Kelly, Robbie chose to go into the same business as his father, only things were different by the time he started his own jumping career at the ripe old age of eight years old. He debuted in Madison Square Garden in New York City, arguably the most famous arena in the world at that time.

As Robbie’s own career began building momentum, his father was slowing down, plagued by financial issues, failing health, and a changing audience. Distance-jumping was no longer something that popped up on mainstream shows like the old ABC Wide World of Sports, or at least not if it didn’t involve Travis Pastrana. Freestyle motocross and events like the X Games, the Gravity Games and the Dew Acton Sports Tour had taken over this niche part of motorcycling. Robbie could ride, but he couldn’t do much else other than just launching his Honda CR500 at various speedways, state fairs, casinos, and the occasional TV special, like the time he tried to jump the Snake River Canyon that his father had so infamously misfired off of, though it wasn’t in the same spot nor nearly the same distance. Knievel enjoyed trying to repeat some of his father’s more legendary jumps, but it just didn’t land with audiences the same way.

Robbie Knievel stunt on a Honda CR500

At times Robbie Knievel struggled with alcohol and addiction issues, as well as the occasional brush with the law. He still managed to make 350 jumps in his career, the last of which came in 2011 at Coachella, California, where he successfully flew across a tractor trailer trucks that measured 150 feet. Evel Knievel died in 2007 of pulmonary disease; Robbie Knievel died last January due to pancreatic cancer. He was 60 years old.

Ronnie Rall was a top Midwest dirt-track racer in the ’60s and ’70s and ended up having a Motorcycle Hall of Fame career. A resident of Sandusky, Ohio, Rall was a jack-of-all-trades on motorcycles, back in a time when you almost had to be in order to compete on the national level. Back then the AMA Grand National Championship Series comprised of flat track, short track, TT, and road racing. Having started as an off-road and scrambles rider, Rall found that he had great bike control whenever he tried track-track racing.

“At that time scrambles wasn’t yet like motocross,” Rall said to one biographer. “The tracks were a lot like TT courses, so I got the bike sideways a lot before I ever turned a wheel on a dirt oval. But once I raced flat track, I found I really liked it.”

Rall, who was also a full-time farmer for much of his life, did not start professional racing until he was 21, and he only raced the full GNC series once, finishing third overall in the 1964 season. He also won one of the bigger races in dirt track history, the ’69 season opener inside the Houston Astrodome, which was featured on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. His versatility as well as his roots in northwestern Ohio put him in the perfect spot to return to another form of racing in 1970 when Rall entered yet another pivotal event, Edison Dye’s Inter-Am Motocross Series in Xenia, Ohio, aboard a Spanish-made Ossa dirt bike. (Sign of Those Times: Rall rode for the Ossa South bike shop, which featured the Confederate battle flag on its short-sleeved race jerseys.) Rall, winner of five AMA Nationals in the GNC series, was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001. He passed away in January at the age of 84.

Jeff Alessi grew up in the spotlight of amateur motocross, albeit in the perpetual role of wingman to his older brother Mike, always #801 to his brother’s trademark #800. Their parents Tony and Kim knew from the day each were born that they would be going racing, and from the early-‘90s to the mid-‘00s everything seemed to be going their way. Mike was a superb racer, and he had the countless youth and amateur titles to show for it. Jeff was also very talented, but he was also unlucky, as a series of injuries and mishaps derailed his professional career before it really got started. Jeff Alessi may not have won as many races as Mike, but he was charismatic, funny, and sometimes downright ornery, sometimes more of a rascal than a professional racer. As a result, there were times when he butted heads with both his father, brother, and race officials. This was not mean-spirited, but more of a light-hearted approach to dealing with the reality of his situation, which was that his injuries had mounted over the years to the point where he was never going to get anywhere close to where all that hype once hinted. After his last professional race in 2016, Jeff began working with younger riders, mentoring, and teaching them the vast knowledge he had gained during all of those years at the racetracks.

Jeff Alessi died unexpectedly late one night in October, apparently the result of a sudden heart attack, possibly caused by blood clots, according to various reports, though there was nothing official. The family has not really gone into the details of what exactly happened, perhaps still trying to process it all for themselves. The following weekend a memorial lap at Glen Helen Raceway—the track were the boys practically grew up—was led by Tony and Mike, who was wearing #801 in honor of his little brother and loyal teammate, for all 34 years of his short life.  

Fred Fox built an empire by helping others in the motorsports industry get all of the aftermarket parts and accessories they needed, in a quick and reliable way. Fox started his own business in his garage in Janesville, Wisconsin, calling it Parts Unlimited. That was in 1967. Within a few years he had grown the business to the point where he incorporated as the LeMans Corporation. He expanded quickly, first across Wisconsin and then the whole country and Canada. Many brands were added to Fox’s universe. Some became suppliers for Parts Unlimited and also Drag Specialties, which he acquired in 1988, while other industry brands were bought outright, including THOR MX and Moose Racing. By this point Fox was working with his son Jeff, and together they decided to go all-in on the concept, “We Support the Sport,” sponsoring countless top racers, across all disciplines as well. They also got behind the concepts of dealer hospitality, specifically at major racing events like AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, MotoGP, AMA Superbike, and more. According to family friend and moto historian Don Emde, Fred was always a hands-on manager who oversaw every detail to make his organization grow into the industry leader that it is today. He made the decisions to buy the land, designed the facilities for the additional warehouses throughout the United States and Canada, built a national sales rep force, secured leading brands to carry, and invested heavily in promotion of the “We Support the Sport” campaign, which has been active since the 1990s.

“A multi-year personal project culminated in 2009 when LeMans opened the Parts Europe warehouse in Trier, Germany,” added Emde. “An all-new warehouse was built there with state-of-the-art order filling technology that results in dealer order fulfillment speed never seen before in the motorcycle industry. In addition to the Parts Europe warehouse, LeMans Corporation currently has warehouses in Sparks, Nevada; Ballston Spa, New York; Flat Rock, North Carolina; Grapevine, Texas; and Janesville, Wisconsin, plus Calgary and London, Ontario in Canada.”

In 2010, Fred Fox was inducted into the Snowmobile Hall of Fame. In 2002, he was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame, as well as the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2011. He was also the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2007 V-Twin Expo and a Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Sadly, Jeff Fox preceded his father in death, passing away in 2018 due to a heart attack, at just 61 years of age. When he passed due to natural cause in February, Fred Fox was 86 years old.

Simon Mitchell was a passionate and excellent photographer, well known in British motocross circles. Mitchell, who was in his 50s, was shooting a British Motocross Championship race at Foxhill in Swindon when a competitor lost control of his motorcycle. The bike veered off the track and hit both Mitchell and a course marshal. While the course marshal was taken to a nearby emergency room, Mitchell did not survive his injuries. The race was immediately suspended.

A spokesman for the Foxhill track posted a tribute to Simon Mitchell on Facebook.

It read: “The entire team at VMXdN Foxhill is deeply saddened by the passing of Simon Mitchell yesterday afternoon (May 14th) following a freak accident trackside. Simon was a brilliant photographer, a huge motocross enthusiast, and an incredible supporter of VMXdN Foxhill from day one. Simon worked closely with the VMXdN team for many years within our different roles in the MX industry. Over the years, he has captured many memories that will be forever cherished.”

Added his friend and longtime top British racer Rob Andrews, “He was a great guy, excellent photographer, and he lived for motocross. He took many fabulous photos and he auctioned most off to raise money for sick children. It’s such a tragic loss.”

Paul Schlegel spent his entire adult life in the motorcycle business, joining the AMA at the age of 16 and organizing his first event just two years later. He was a motorcycle dealer for a while, an AMA congressman, a prolific rider—he rode more than a million miles and in all 50 states—and also came up with some incredible events, across many different forms of motorcycle racing. Schlegel was in on the ground floor of professional motocross, hosting a round of the 1970 Trans-AMA Series at his Delta, Ohio track. He also was the co-founder of the AMA Supercross at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan, which ran for 1977 to 2005. Paul also hosted flat track races, TTs, enduros, ice racing, poker runs, and of course motocross and supercross. However, Schlegel’s biggest success in the motorcycle business probably came with the creation of the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship program at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Schlegel was the one who first identified the famed country singer’s ranch as a permanent site for a new youth/amateur motocross championship he had helped design. In August of 1981 he suggested to my parents that we stop by there on our way home from the Ponca City NMA Grand Nationals in Oklahoma. We did, and soon the ranch committed to hosting the event beginning in August 1982. It's been there ever since. Schlegel was part of the program for the first decade, then retired to his home in Florida. He was a regular visitor to the Daytona Supercross during Bike Week, but honestly preferred riding to watching. He passed away in April at the age of 84 after battling a long illness.

Ryder Colvin was a 19-year-old resident of Las Vegas who loved riding and dirt bikes. That love took him all over the country to participate in big races, which in turn led Ryder and his parents to decide to move him into a homeschool program beginning with the eighth grade, which he took seriously. As an On Track student, he pursued sports journalism, which led to him being published twice in Racer X Illustrated. And when it was time for his senior year, he returned to public school and graduated from Las Vegas High School, Class of 2022.

One of Ryder’s biggest goals as a young racer was to make it to the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s, which he accomplished in 2021. And when his classes weren’t out on the track, Ryder could step into the announcer’s booth, get on a microphone and call the races like a seasoned pro. And that wasn’t a skill reserved for just motocross; he loved sports in general and could rattle off the stats and accomplishments of players, college or pro, across mainstream sports. More specifically, he loved the Dallas Cowboys and the Boston Celtics, a couple of genuine sports dynasties.

Ryder Colvin’s ultimate goal was to someday become a firefighter, and he had his sights set on soon getting into the fire academy. Tragically, he passed away February 9, 2023, at Mesquite Motocross doing what he loved: riding his dirt bike.

Dick Hamer was born and raised in Freeport, Illinois.  He attended the University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana, graduating in 1971 with a BS degree in Marketing/Business Administration. He then moved to California and began working in the motorcycle trade publication industry. From 1973 to 1985 he served as publisher and sales manager for Motorcycle Dealer News. He then became marketing director for the Motorcycle and Accessory Trade Expos. Dick was also the founder and director of the Pro Rider Benefit Fund, a philanthropic non-profit corporation providing financial assistance to seriously injured professional motorcycle racers.

Besides his passion for motorcycles, Dick was a lover of cactus, and he developed cactus gardens in every house he lived in.  He also enjoyed photography, underwater scuba diving, skiing, and racquetball. He traveled extensively and would ride, ski, and dive with hi buddies in many exotic locations around the world. He also had a love of exotic birds, as well as old-school country & western music, most notably Merle Haggard.

Dick Hamer also contributed regularly to many philanthropic causes, including Hands Across America, Habitat for Humanity, the Cousteau Society, the Audubon Society, the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, the Gary Sinese Foundation, and local rescue missions.

According to his obituary, published upon his passing earlier this year, “Dick had a true zest for life. As condolences have rolled in since his passing, the recurring comments echoed appreciation of his optimism, energy, dedication, and kindness to all who knew him. Dick loved to say he ‘felt the need…the need for speed.’ He is now looking at all pain and discomfort from his review mirror. He was one of the good ones and will be missed by all. Godspeed, Dick.”

Wills Fedrick was a happy-go-lucky kid who had an immense passion for the sport of motocross and supercross. He especially enjoyed being part of event production and set-up, working his way into the role of Paddock Manager for Monster Energy AMA Supercross. It was while in Nashville between races in April that Wills and friends went out on the popular Broadway part of town, on a surprisingly cold night. Upon returning to the paddock, Wills decided to stay inside one of the rigs, warmed by a generator and heater. In the morning he was found unresponsive.

Three days later a moment of silence was held for Wills Fedrick before the start of that afternoon’s Nashville Supercross. According to one post that went up memorializing him, “Wills always had a friendly and smiling face in the pits and worked sun-up to sun-down to make the Supercross FanFest as best as it could be for fans young and old, as well as the riders and their teams. He was an energetic and spirited young man that was well respected and loved by the paddock and has made a lasting impression on the sport of Supercross.”

One of the most prolific filmmakers in the history of motorcycling was Peter Starr. He had a deep love and respect for motorcycling, and the best way for him to share that passion was through his motion picture cameras. Starr was a pioneer across all forms of the medium—film, television, streaming—and he did a yeoman’s role in bringing motorcycle racing to the masses though his work. As a result, he become one of motorcycling’s most influential and beloved ambassadors.

Among Starr’s best-known works was the award-winning documentary Take it to the Limit, which follows some of the world’s greatest motorcycle racers, including Kenny Roberts, Jay Springsteen, Ricky Graham, and Bubba Shobert. He also created a documentary about Honda’s prolific 1983 SX/MX season that featured David Bailey and Johnny O’Mara as they each raced to championships that season, Bailey earning both the AMA Supercross and 250 Pro Motocross titles while O’Mara took the 125 Pro Motocross crown.

According to a release from AMA Pro Racing, “Starr was also an innovating force in motorcycle racing television production, introducing and developing some of the techniques still used today to effectively communicate the speed, grace, and excitement of the sport. He was the first to mount a film camera on a racebike during the 1980 AMA National from Laguna Seca, and later the first to produce live video from a motorcycle during a race at the 1985 DuQuoin Mile.

“Starr created, produced, and/or hosted dozens of other motorcycle related programs over the decades, including the first national motorcycle TV show, ‘The Peter Starr Motorcycle Show,’ which aired on TNN in the early ‘80s. He was also a racer and stunt performer himself, whose work was featured in a number of Hollywood hit movies.”

Peter Starr was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2017. The filmmaker passed on July 3 following a long battle with cancer at the age of 80.

For several generations of Michigan motocrossers, Dick Bigelow had a strong presence. Bigelow was the patriarch of the Bigelow motocross family, charter members of what the sport has long known as the Michigan Mafia. By trade Bigelow was a regional manager for Michigan Bell, overseeing the company’s payphone systems in the area southeast of Detroit until he retired. (According to RedBud’s Amy Ritchie, Dick told his boys he was retired for more years than he worked, and that was a pretty good life.) On weekends Bigelow was at the racetrack, overseeing not only his own four very fast sons in Kreg, Kris, Kirk, and Kip, but all of the other fast Michiganers of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and well into the ‘00s. (That's Dick on the #18 Penton in a photo sent to use by lifelong family friend and fellow Michigan fast guy Steve Ellis.) The Bigelow brothers made big waves in amateur motocross, especially in the pre-Loretta Lynn's seventies, and Kris went on to become a Yamaha and Husqvarna factory rider, finishing fourth overall in the 1981 AMA 250 Pro Motocross Championship. Dick Bigelow himself was also an AMA Congressman for Michigan's District 14 and practically a motocross institution in his own right. He passed away earlier this year at his second home in Daytona Beach; he is survived by his wife Vivian, and all of those fast Bigelow boys.

Wally Levy was born into motocross, specifically Canadian motocross. His father Walter promoted races in British Columbia for many years at Little Rock Raceway. He also had two older brothers, Henry and Bob, who both raced, and his sisters, Betty and Annie, were fixtures at the local races, often doing sign-up and race-scoring. Wally himself began racing at age 15 in 1972, and he soon climbed into the expert divisions. His best season was 1979, when he rode a Kawasaki and finished seventh overall in the final rankings of the Canadian National Motocross Championships. In the years he was actually a Kawasaki factory rider in Canada and finished 11th in 1980 and then tenth overall in 1981.

This was the tail end of Wally’s professional racing career as he and his wife Cheryl expecting their first child, so he began adjusting his focus on working in the powersports industry and providing for his new family. Wally and Cheryl ended up moving to Ontario to live and work at MotoPark for the 1983 and ‘84 seasons, where he taught riding schools and rode Yamahas for the MotoPark team.

In the years that followed Levy stayed in the powersports industry, working with both Parts Canada and Action Accessories as a sales representative, and then eventually becoming a dealership owner. He also worked with Future West for several years on their Arenacross properties in both Canada and the UK.

Before his passing earlier this year, a friend wrote of him, “Wally Levy is one of the genuine leading players in Canadian motocross who made the sport better for the riders who came in later. These days, Wally spends his time with his family and his passion, a successful vintage motorcycle meet called Vintage in the Valley where thousands of visitors feast their eyes on some of the nicest old motorcycles in existence.”

An October day of riding in the Pacific Northwest turned tragic for a father and son. John Franklin, 48 years old, went riding with one of his three children, 18-year-old Brock Franklin. They were riding near some federal land by the Bonneville Power Administration in Mead, Washington, when they were confronted by an armed security guard who said they were trespassing. According to local news reports an argument and then a scuffle broke out, during which the security guard brandished his weapon and fired into the older Franklin’s chest. He would die at the scene. The younger Franklin was also shot twice but survived, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. No charges have been filed.

The Franklins were regular visitors to nearby Airway X Motocross Park. Upon hearing the news, the track posted on social media: “Deeply saddened from the news of the loss of our beloved friend, John Franklin, and the wounding of his son Broc… John leaves behind a wife and three children. John will be forever missed here at the track. It’s already strange to think that we won’t be seeing him, at the track, in the early mornings. John, and his sons, would always be the firsts ones here when they came. Wondering around the track, picking rocks, and helping water. Like hours before we open. Like clockwork. Just chomping at the bit to come ride. They would come in, set up their pit, and be here all day.”

Added Airways X promoter Josh Hitchens, who organized a couple of ride days for the Franklins, “John spent so much time here, it was impossible not to get to know him. We had a good trackside friendship that was a solid blend of talks about life, politics, and trash talking... It was a pure form of friendship that I’m going to deeply miss.

“John easily has the most laps logged out here,” Hitchens continued. “The amount of time they spent here was amazing. He clearly was a solid father, spending hours on end here, watching his sons spin laps while his bike was down for repair. We are completely gutted over this... It’s insane to think that this man lost his life while trying to take his son riding. We can only hope that there is some form of justice, and closure for the Franklin family.”

Dave Allen was just back from Vietnam in 1968 when he first discovered motorcycling. Having spent his tour of duty with the U.S. Army’s 116th Assault Helicopter Company as a crew chief and door gunner, for which he earned a Purple Heart and multiple military citations and medals, he enjoyed the freedom of riding as well as working on engines. When he began racing around southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia he worked his way up quickly to the point where he could get a professional license. There wasn’t a lot of opportunity to make a career out of racing, so Allen went to work in various fields: power plants, the coal mines, service stations, and the U.S. Postal Service as a letter carrier. But he enjoyed motorcycling the most, as well as working on bikes. Allen qualified a couple of outdoor nationals in the early years of AMA Pro Motocross, competing in the ’74 and ‘75 Appalachia Lake (Bruceton Mills, West Virginia) Nationals and the ’76 Appalachian Highlands race (Keysers Ridge, Maryland). It was at the former track that David met his future wife of 47 years, Cathy Scudiere—she was one the scoring girls. When his racing days were over Allen also opened his own Sabraton Cycle Repair shop to work on motorcycles, and later became a safety instructor for the West Virginia Motorcycle Safety Program. He also built himself a prized hot-rodder out of a 1930 Ford 5 window coupe. Dave was a devout Christian and became a born-again believer in 1980. He was active in the church for the rest of his life.

Earlier this year, not long before Dave passed due to the effects of advanced Alzheimer’s, he stopped by the Racer X Office for a visit; he was a good friend of my dad’s and had gone riding and racing with our family countless times. We pulled out a box of photos from the old races and even found some of Dave himself from back in the day, which put a smile on his face. He was one of those guys who loved motocross racing, was an excellent rider, but was born just a little too earlier to have had the chance to make a career of it. No matter, David Allen still lived a great big life, and it was one heck of a ride. 

Twenty years ago, James Marshall was a promising young rider from Pearland, Texas, hoping to make it big as a professional. He was a regular at all of the big amateur events in Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, and of course the Lone Star State. When he turned pro in 2003, he immediately made the grade as a regular main event qualifier in both AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross events. His best finish was a 14th place at the 2005 Indianapolis 125SX race. Marshall appeared ready to take a big step forward in early 2006 but then crashed heavily at the San Diego SX. His injuries left him paralyzed, his whole life changing in an instant. There was a huge outpouring of support from the industry in general and the Texas moto community in particular. Despite the constant struggles with his health “The Outlaw” did what he could to contribute to the sport and the community he loved, holding riding schools and clinics, while also trying to help others who had suffered debilitating injuries. But his own fragile health kept betraying him, often leading to long stays at various hospitals. It was during one such stay earlier this past spring that James Marshall passed away. He was 38 years old.

“What a lightning bolt of a racer, such talent and speed,” wrote longtime Texas motocross man Shand Garcia upon Marshall’s passing. “Even after his career-ending injury he continued to impact local racers with his schools, his positive outlook on life, his grit and never-ending determination. His James Marshall Project was launched to help people facing spinal cord and brain injuries. I always enjoyed his phone calls and his never ending ideas. His mind was solid and always spinning like a wheel with no bearing friction.”

Gary Van Voorhis found his way into the motorcycling world while stationed in Europe with the U.S. Air Force, riding for fun as well as spectating at all different varieties of racing while abroad. Upon his return he took a job with Cycle News as an editor in their Georgia office. At the time, the publication was the weekly bible of motorcycle racing in America, and so Van Voorhis had a front row seat in covering some of the biggest races on the ‘70s and ‘80s, like the Trans-AMA Series, the Daytona 200, the Indy Mile, and more.

Next, Van Voorhis become a producer at MotoWorld which was the weekly TV roundup of American motorcycling, then worked in media communications and operations at Daytona International Speedway in 1989, becoming the facility’s self-described “resident motorcycle expert.” After his retirement several years ago, Larry Lawrence did a Cycle News feature on Gary Van Voorhis’ amazing career and work, which included mentoring young journalists like Larry and myself, Larry asked me for a quote on Gary for the feature (read it here: https://www.cyclenews.com/2017/12/article/archives-gary-vs-life-races/)

“Gary could do it all. He was a role model to me because he shot great photos and wrote excellent race reports, and he was always friendly and accessible to aspiring journalists like me. And later, when he went to work at Daytona International Speedway, he helped me get a credential for the Daytona Supercross on more than one occasion — and that was no easy feat back when I was just getting my newspaper started. He also sent me a lot of his photo contact sheets from the seventies, and not a week goes by when we aren’t digging through his archive, just amazed at what he could capture in four or five rolls of 35mm film.”

Van Voorhis, who spent many of his summers of retirement as a volunteer given tours in various National Parks, was diagnosed with cancer in early 2023. Four months later he passed at the age of 80.

Gallery from one roll of film by Gary Van Voorhis.

Dave Duarte got in on the ground floor with the Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club, literally. Back in 1967 he was one of the 12 founding members of the Northern California club which is probably best known for hosting the Hangtown Motocross Classic, the first of which was held in 1969. He was also a member of the Trail Blazers M/C. He also spent much of his life working in the motorcycle industry. For nearly 20 years he was the West Region Manager of Hi-Point Racing Products (and later Malcolm Smith Racing), as well as Penton Motorcycles West and Penton Motorcycle Products. He ended up attending nine different International Six Days Trial (ISDT)/International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) events in support of the Penton team, and sponsored countless riders over the years, including Erik McKenna, Dave Coupe, and even a young Jeremy McGrath.

In 2021, Duarte was inducted into the Hot Shoe Hall of Fame. He explained that he had grown up on a 40-acre fruit farm and got his first motorcycle in 1953 at the age of 12. It was a little ’47 Cushman Eagle. From there he would graduate to Hodaka Ace 100cc motorcycle and began racing. But first there was a three-year stint as a merchant marine, with many long trips overseas to far-off ports and places around the Pacific Rim. When he finally got back on land for good, Duarte found his first of a series of jobs in the motorcycle industry that would be a big part of the rest of his life.

The Dirt Diggers celebrated Duarte for as one of the Legends & Heroes of Motocross during opening ceremonies at this past summer’s Hangtown Motocross Classic, with an introduction by Broc Glover and Brad Lackey. And then after Dave’s passing, after a long battle with leukemia, a celebration of life was held, with lots of fellow legends and family there to celebrate Dave's journey in this life. Dave Duarte himself summed up his life when he wrote on the Penton Owners Group board (where he was also a member):

“I am blessed for being involved with motorcycles, the racing and all the wonderful people that I worked for and was involved with. Without these contacts I would never have been able to travel to Europe and meet some of the people involved in the motorcycle industry. This was a great experience for me during this lifetime. I wouldn't trade these memories for anything.”

Art Eckman had an incredible journey through the world of broadcast journalism and sports reporting. Born and raised in Salem, Oregon, Eckman graduated from the Edward R. Morrow College of Communication at Washington State University. His first job after graduating found him back in Oregon, on the local news for a local TV station. He then changed his career up with a move to the sports desk, which in turn led to him becoming the voice of Oregon State football and basketball. That in turn opened another door and he became the voice of the San Diego Rockets professional basketball team, just before they moved to Houston. When they did, Eckman went with them. That led to yet another move, this time to Atlanta to cover all of that city’s professional sports franchises as the Director/Anchor for WXIA. He also covered Georgia Tech sports, the Masters Golf Tournament, the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500, the Super Bowl, the World Series, and just about every other major sporting event you can imagine.

It was while he was in Atlanta that Art Eckman found himself in a familiar role, but in an unfamiliar sport—he was approached by local business entrepreneur Lou Seals about being the TV host for the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross races that Seals had been begun producing. Seals also brought former champion David Bailey in to do color commentating. And that was the perfect fit—perfect for Art, perfect for David, perfect for the entire sport of motorcycling. It was the husky, bellicose voice of a true-to-life Ron Burgundy-esque newscaster matched with the deeply insightful and colorful comments of a truly charismatic superstar athlete. As a result, the voices of Art and David are the narrators on the soundtrack of the sport’s nineties boom, the ones you might hear in your head whenever you think of Jeremy McGrath doing a nac-nac, or Jeff Emig racing around in black-and-camo gear, or the all-time classic comment on one rider’s aggressive pass in supercross, “Pass the Vaseline, David Bailey, I’m coming through!”

Art Eckman was 82 years old this past spring when he visited his last Atlanta SX, the first time in years he’d been back at the races, having retired towards the end of the Ricky Carmichael era. He made a brief cameo in the TV booth, said hello to some old friends, and then sat down in the press box to enjoy watching some races. How amazing it would have been to have just sat next to him and listen as he described what he was seeing on the racetrack below, one last time, in that unmistakable voice of authority that will always be on the soundtrack of this sport…

“The card is about to go sideways… It’s get-nervous time, David Bailey!”

The Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Racing family mourned the loss of Chief Trailblazer, Howard Russell. Howard passed away in early December, at the age of 85, after an extended illness resulting from complications of COVID-19. 

Howard was a graduate of Chancey High School and a member of the Trimble Masonic Lodge, Chapter 557 (which became the racing number for Howard’s grandson Kailub Russell, and great-grandson Krue). One of four brothers, Mr. Russell grew up on the family farm in Millfield, raising pigs, chickens, and cows. He wasn’t afraid of hard work and helped whoever asked.

Russell was a lifelong motorcycling enthusiast. He raced off-road locally in the ‘60s and ‘70s, when the Ohio off-road scene was as vibrant as any in the country. He was also a member of the Athens Motorcycle Club. In between events he worked as a heavy equipment operator, first with Ohio Operating Engineers and later with Columbia Gas. He was with each company more than 20 years, which didn’t leave much time to pursue his own racing. However, when his son Jeff Russell came along, Howard helped support him any way he could. Jeff Russell became a factory KTM off-roader and the 1991 AMA National Enduro Champion. Then Howard’s grandson Kailub Russell also became a KTM factory off-roader and an eight-time AMA Grand National Cross Country Overall Champion. Howard and his wife of 65 years Ruth even turned their farm into Sunday Creek Raceway, which has held GNCC rounds since 1990, making it the oldest stop on the current tour. And when Howard wasn’t running his own events with his son, he was Chief Trailblazer for the GNCC Series.

Howard is probably best known for the obstacle named after him, a particularly difficult and nasty section of the Snowshoe GNCC course called “Howard’s Hole.” One year Howard was helping reclaim the land after a particularly wet weekend when he managed to get not one, but two bulldozers stuck in the same swampy, rocky section of the track that he was trying to clean up. Over the years “Howard’s Hole” has become something of a centerpiece for the Snowshoe event, a modern-day equivalent of the Route 93 River Crossing from the Blackwater 100. Now thousands of Snowshoe GNCC fans go there each summer to spectate, party, help the riders through the mud, just like the old “Mud Fleas” did at the Blackwater 100.

Howard was 85 years old when he passed. When they laid him to race near his home he had a toy motorcycle and a toy bulldozer in the casket with him.

Chris Bragg was an invaluable member of the Florida motocross scene. He shared his love of moto with his wife Brandy and their two daughters, Bailey and Kiley, who also rode minicycles. Bragg worked as a salesman for Synergy Equipment, but when he was at the races, he worked to help everyone else there. He even built his own local racing team—Team Bragg Racing—that included Will Judd, Cody Ryan Brice, himself, and his daughter Bailey. Bragg took the role of being a teacher and mentor very seriously.

Sadly, in early December he was riding at Orlando MX Park when he crashed and was hit by another rider. Rushed to a nearby hospital, he did not survive his injuries.

Florida Motocross Series posted on social media, “It is with a heavy heart that we lost a great person, Chris Bragg, at the races yesterday. He will be greatly missed by so many people in the motocross community. Many prayers go up to the Team Bragg family as they mourn the passing of their loved one. Also, prayers going up to the motocross community as a whole. May you rest in peace and ride in paradise, Chris.”

And Chris Alley, team manager and chaplain for HBI Racing, posted: “I was able to meet Chris for the first time last weekend at our @hbiracing getaway and he was an absolutely wonderful person. In meeting him, within moments, he made sure we were going to have fun.”

Rick "Super Hunky" Sieman was the original editor of Dirt Bike Magazine, which first hit newsstands in 1971. Sieman, who hailed from Pennsylvania originally, was a gonzo-style writer and wordsmith who simply loved off-road motorcycling. One of the most influential journalists the sport has ever known, Sieman mixed humor with hard-hitting honesty. During the magazine's ascendency in the 1970s and early '80s Sieman used his bully pulpit and influential column "From the Saddle" to help fight land closures, promote unique events, and also keep motorcycle product manufacturers honest. His editorial staff included Paul Clipper, Ned Owens, Tom “Wolfman” Webb, Vic “Mr. Know It All” Krause, and more. They were like the Beatles of moto magazine editorial.

Rick was also a firm supporter and regular participant in the Barstow-to-Vegas Desert race, along with his friend and attorney Louis McKey, also known as the Phantom Duck of the Desert, and together they were a thorn in the side of the Bureau of Land Management. When the CBS news program “60 Minutes” needed someone from the “use” side of the debate over the idea of shutting down huge swaths of the southwest desert due to an endangered land tortoise, it was Super Hunky who led the charge.

On a personal note, Rick Sieman was a good friend of my dad’s, having met at the races. Dad invited Super Hunky to come back east to Davis, West Virginia, and take part in a race he had come up with called the Blackwater 100, which many called “America’s Toughest Race.” Rick was all-in on the challenge, and he even showed up to race a heavy, over-bored Maico. It was not a wise choice for the swamps and rocks of Canaan Valley, especially after it rained. Super Hunky had a miserable day, but the hilarious article he wrote went a long way towards putting the GNCC Series on the national map. A few years later Dad tried the same tactic to get Rick to come to Tennessee and actually compete in the first the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in 1982. Rick picked the wrong bike and again had a miserable time trying to navigate the deep ruts that formed as a result of heavy rain, describing it as “slot car racing” and calling the track “the best thing anyone ever did for a swamp.” That’s just how Super Hunky rolled. The race survived the criticism, and so did their friendship.

Earlier this year Rick Sieman was nominated for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame but did not make the first cut. He will be on the ballot again this coming year. Super Hunky deserves to be inducted.

Jim “Bubba” Chiasson was the classic scene-stealer. He hailed from Virginia originally, became a decent rider in the Mid-Atlantic area, then went out in the early ‘90s he went out to California and found himself at the epicenter of the burgeoning freestyle motocross movement, and the accompanying riding-video boom. More of an impresario than an athlete, Bubba could play the perfect bad guy—the heavyset, backwoods Deliverance-style authority figure—and became a big part of the Crusty Demons of Dirt empire that Jon Freeman and Dana Nicholson built. Those video appearances, where he usually played the fall guy, soon turned into more appearances, where he often broke up the monotony of all those jumps with his funny skits. His role in the cult classic Frezno Smooth put him even higher up on the action sports map, with some of the best catchphrases in the whole messy film. When the Crusty Demons of Dirt became a live stunt show, primarily in Australia, he went along with them to in the middle of the ring, throwing himself around like a bigger, less-talented Travis Pastrana. And like #199, Bubba was fearless—he even possessed a few world-record jumps and stunts along the way.

Earlier this month Jim Chiasson took ill after one more visit to his second home in Australia for some shows. There had been complications from a longtime heart ailment. When he passed in mid-December, he was just 45 years old.

His partners on the @crustyofficial Instagram feed posted, “We know Crusty Demons would not be a brand without this man’s hard work and love, for not only Crusty Demons but the fans.”

Jared Shepard was preparing for the Police and Fire Christmas Grand Prix Inland Regional when he went down at Lake Elsinore MX Park. The injuries proved fatal. Shepard had served with Apple Valley Fire since 2017. Before that, he worked for the Fort Irwin Fire Department and was a paid-on-call firefighter in Victorville. He was also an avid motocross rider.

Shepard was a big supporter of raising money for those battling cancer. He often helped fellow firefighters by taking monetary donations from passing motorists along Bear Valley Road during “Fill the Boot” fundraisers. In 2019, Shepard joined fellow fighters from Apple Valley and across the nation as they climbed the 1,356 steps of the Columbia Center skyscraper in Seattle, the tallest skyscraper in the western states, in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Three days after his accident a funeral procession was helped along Interstate 15 as Shepard was taken to Victor Valley and the High Desert area. All along the route emergency vehicles came out to show the support in saying farewell. There was also a memorial lap held for Shepard prior to the Fire & Police event he was preparing for. His firefighting equipment and his motorcycle were parked in the paddock next to an Apple Valley fire truck.

The motorcycling communities of Australia and New Zealand lost a legend in 2023 when Tim Gibbes passed away at the age of 90. A true pioneer and early proponent of the sport down under, Gibbes was the first Australian to ever score a point in Grand Prix motocross, when he scored two points for his fifth-place at the 1961 Swedish 500ccc Grand Prix. And before that he was the first Australian to win a gold medal in the International Six Day Trials (now Enduro) in the mid-1950s. Gibbes would become friends with a pair of American pioneers who turned up in Europe, Dave and Bud Ekins. It was through them that Gibbes become one of the motorcycle stunt riders in the 1962 Steve McQueen film The Great Escape. And when he was done traveling around Europe, Gibbes returned home to help build the sport of motorcycle racing there as well.

According to Scott Wilkins of New Zealand, "Tim basically got motocross off the ground in New Zealand after marrying his Kiwi mate's sister (Joan) and moving here. He started an international series and then kept giving his time to motorcycle racing throughout the rest of his life. His passion and commitment were unmatched here. He was a life member of Motorcycling New Zealand and of course in the Motorcycling Hall of Fame. He also got the first NZ ISDE and Motocross of Nations teams together."

More recently, Gibbes founded and organized the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville, which remains the largest annual race of the year. According to his obituary in the New Zealand Herald, “Tim Gibbes will be greatly missed and there is no doubt that, when his Woodville Motocross Grand Prix next runs in January 2024, he will be watching over proceedings.”

Read Tim's obituary.

On Saturday, September 16, Fresno’s Casey Musick was racing at Glen Helen Raceway. In the 250/450 Novice class, he pulled the big holeshot you see here from Debbie Tamietti and Motocross Action, then went on to take the moto win. In the second moto he finished runner-up but with his 1-2 scores he was edged out of the overall by the 2-1 finishes of Casey Cromer. Still, a holeshot and second overall in a big class at Glen Helen is a good day’s race.

The next day Musick returned to race some more, but while out on the track he appeared to have some kind of health issue and a medical emergency, rolling slowly off the side of the track and then falling over. He was rushed to nearby Loma Linda Hospital, where he underwent immediate surgery and several other emergency measures. Sadly, it was too late to save Casey’s life, and he was taken off life support. He would pass the next day. According to his sister-in-law Bobbi Jo Clark, “Casey left our lives on this earth on September 18, 2023, doing what he loved best, racing his dirt bike. His wife, Jessica, and our entire family are rocked to our core and processing this unimaginable grief. Casey and Jessica were in the process of moving when this tragedy occurred, and Jessica is struggling with the prospect of moving forward alone while finding a new home. Casey is also survived by his four children, and two stepsons from his marriage to Jessica. For those of us who knew and loved him, our lives have been left with a hole that may not ever be filled. He was fiercely loyal to his family, lived in the moment, and had a true passion for life and the will to succeed – giving his ALL every time… He was a devoted father who was his kids’ biggest fan, on and off the soccer field. Casey was also fiercely loved by his motocross family.”

A GoFundMe account was set up on the Musick family’s behalf, which you can find here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/casey-musick-ride-on-85

The year 2023 began with the tragic news of the passing of Ken Block. It ends with the passing of another incredibly influential man. Ron Henricksen was the pioneering amateur motocross promoter from Southern California who had a profound effect on moto in general. Big-time minicycle and amateur motocross would not be what it is today without Henricksen, who teamed up with his friend Ted Moorewood to form what was originally called the National Minicycle Association (NMA). Together they founded the first major moto events for kids, including the World Mini Grand Prix and the NMA Grand National Championships in Ponca City, Oklahoma. This was at the very start of modern motocross, when the kids were still racing on brands like Rupp, Steen, Taco, Indian, and other bikes that were closer to lawnmowers than what we started to see in the mid-seventies when the Japanese started producing purpose-built minicycle race bikes. Those massive events were the blueprint for the big races to come, including the Mini O’s, Loretta Lynn’s, Branson, and more. As a matter of fact, the minicycle boom the NMA created was so big that Ron’s son Kurt, himself a top aspiring young racer, landed on the cover of the mainstream publication Sports Illustrated in 1972 (one of only three times in history that a motorcycle appeared on an SI cover; the other two were the actor Steve McQueen and Evel Knievel). 

The NMA’s SoCal hotbed in the seventies turned out an incredible amount of future superstars, including Jeff Ward, Broc Glover, Rick Johnson, Ron Lechien, Brian Myerscough, AJ Whiting, Erik Kehoe, Scott Burnworth, etc. They battled weekly at tracks like Saddleback, Escape Country, Indian Dunes, Carlsbad, Barona Oaks, and more. 

As the landscape of amateur motocross began to change and the years passed, those big early events also changed. First, many of those SoCal tracks began to disappear. Other big events started popping up to compete for the attention of top riders and factory programs. Henricksen continued to run the NMA (though as the National Motorsports Association) well into the 2010s, but soon those marquee events became to fade. (There’s a revival now after Ron passed the baton of Ponca City to Harold Martin of Playground Magazine and the gang at Vurbmoto picked up the reins of the World Mini GP this past spring). 

Ron Henricksen, who was inducted into the prestigious Hot Shoe Hall of Fame in 2021, passed away on Friday, just one day before his 89th birthday. 

One of those fast kids from back in the day, Johner Kight, posted on Facebook, “Rest in Peace my friend and thank you for everything you did! You changed many of our lives..

“Ron was one hell of a guy and he's the reason I know more than half of you here online. Him creating and running NMA for decades showed what a true leader and innovator he always was. He got so many of us young kids competing back in the day where words alone can never express enough thanks. Rest in peace, Ron, you'll never be forgotten.”