Kurt William Caselli (June 30, 1983 – November 15, 2013) was an

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professional off-road

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruisin ...

racer. He was a three-time

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Hare & Hound National Champion and the 2007 AMA Sportsman of the Year. He died in a racing accident during the 2013

Baja 1000 The Baja 1000 is an annual Mexican off-road motorsport race held on the Baja California Peninsula. It is one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world, having attracted competitors from six continents. The race was founded by Ed Pear ...

in Baja California, Mexico.

Early life

Caselli grew up in

Palmdale, California Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. The city lies in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south. On Au ...

, the child of two desert racers who encouraged him in his athletic goals. He began racing at age 12 in Southern California's District 37. Caselli's father Rich died in 2008. He survived by his mother Nancy, sister Carolyn, and fiancée, Sarah Jean White.

Career

His career achievements include: * Three

American Motorcyclist Association The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is an American nonprofit organization of more than 200,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights. Its mission statement is "to pro ...

(AMA) National Hare and Hound National Championships, in 2011, 2012, and 2013 * AMA Sportsman of the Year in 2007 * Multiple

International Six Days Enduro The International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), formerly known as the International Six Days Trial (ISDT), is the oldest 'off-road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar. The ISDT was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, ...

medals * Winner of the 2013 Desafio Ruta 40 Rally in Argentina * Two stages at the

2013 Dakar Rally The 2013 Dakar Rally was the 35th running of the event and the fifth successive year that the event was held in South America. The event started in Lima, Peru on 5 January and finished in Santiago, Chile on 19 January after fourteen stages of com ...

with Factory KTM in place of injured rider

Marc Coma Marc Coma i Camps (born 7 October 1976) is a Spanish rally racing motorcycle rider. He won the Dakar Rally in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2015 riding a KTM motorcycle, and is also a six-time winner of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion ...

* Three Championships in the World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS) * AMA Hall of Fame inductee 2019

Death and aftermath

On November 15, 2013, Caselli crashed while competing in the

, a race in Baja California, Mexico, after colliding with a large animal at high speed. Early reports indicated that he hit a man-made booby trap, but that ultimately proved to be incorrect information. Caselli did not receive immediate medical attention, and he died at the site of his accident from internal injuries. He was 30 years old. His family honored his life and celebrated by hosting a memorial ride day on December 6, 2013 at Glen Helen Raceway in Devore, California.

SCORE International SCORE International (Southern California Off Road Enthusiasts) is an off-road racing sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing. Founded by Mickey Thompson in 1973, SCORE International was purchased from Sal Fish in late 2012. and is run b ...

have announced that they have taken steps to improve safety at future races. In December 2013, the Kurt Caselli Foundation was established.

The Kurt Caselli Foundation

The Kurt Caselli Foundation was established in December 2013, using donations from the memorial ride day, with the help of fans, family and friends. The foundation's focus is the safety of riders and racers in the off-road motorcycling industry.

References

1983 births 2013 deaths Sportspeople from Palmdale, California American motorcycle racers Off-road motorcycle racers Enduro riders Motorcycle racers who died while racing Sport deaths in Mexico {{Motorcycle-racing-stub