CASELLI FOUNDATION RIDE DAY, 2017

The fifth annual Caselli Foundation Ride Day took place this weekend at Glen Helen Raceway attracting over 1000 riders. They came to ride, contribute to a good cause and pay respect to an icon in the off-road racing world.

Cooper Abbott was one of the stars of tomorrow who came out with the old timers.

Kurt Caselli lost his life riding the Baja 1000 in 2013. Immediately afterward, members of the industry got together and formed the Caselli Foundation with the express goal of improving rider safety. Kurt was scheduled to ride the Dakar Rally in 2014, but didn’t get there.

Erek Kudla is the AMA Director of Off-Road Racing and has brought a new level of energy to that position. In his short tenure, the sport is already seeing a fresh spark of life. He understands the importance of the Foundation and what it means to our sport.

One of the highlights is the annual Lap For Kurt.

Kurt’s mom Nancy always hitches a ride around the track. She lost her husband Rich just a few years before Kurt’s accident, but stays heavily involved with the Foundation and the sport.

Everyone is there to pay respect, but there’s no rule against having fun. Ryan Villopoto never smiled this much when he was actively racing.

 

The team race paired Pros with Joes and made for some interesting moments.

How do you trade underwear each lap with your partner? You find a way.  To find out more about the Caselli Foundation, click here.