Cycle News Staff | December 7, 2022
Scroll through to catch all the action from this year’s Kurt Caselli Ride Day at Fox Raceway.
“Kurt would love that—getting people together and talking and finding out you have things in common. That’s what the world needs more of,” Nancy Caselli mused as she and the rest of the Kurt Caselli Foundation (KCF) staff finished packing up at the end of the 10th Annual Kurt Caselli Ride Day, Presented by Rocky Mountain ATV-MC, FMF and KTM. The 10th edition of the popular tribute to the legendary off-road champion brought together the most diverse crowd of attendees yet, each of them enjoying their pick from a smorgasbord of activities.
Beginners could take introductory riding lessons from certified United States Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA) instructors. Kids had a choice of their own track or the Stacyc demo area. For bigger kids (a.k.a. adults), the Vet track, main MX track and a new off-road loop awaited. New this year was a session on the Vet track exclusively for disabled riders on specially prepared adaptive bikes thanks to the High Fives Foundation and MotoDemption. And, of course, GasGas, Husqvarna and KTM brought out their factory stars for fans to meet and share track time with.
In fact, 22 attendees could enter the Caselli Team Challenge and partner with one of the stars in an entertaining 20-minute-plus-a-lap race, with the partners alternating taking laps after exchanging Ethika boxer shorts at the end of each lap. Besides having fun, the day serves as one of the biggest fundraising engines for the Foundation thanks to numerous companies who donate product or services for the raffles and silent auction or sign up to be vendors on the large vendor row.
While the day’s total monies raised won’t be tallied for a few days, the drawing for the factory-prepped 2022 KTM 500 XC-FW Baja race bike alone raised over $66,000! (Coincidentally, Caselli’s race number was 66.) KCF President Donny Emler, Jr., phoned winner Michael Reed of Fruita, Colorado, from the awards platform to give him the news.
Among the uses for fundraising monies are off-road and motocross safety initiatives plus the scholarships that the Foundation provides in both spring and fall semesters. Nancy Caselli read off the names of seven recipients of the Spring 2023 scholarships—Travis Azure, Lexy Baker, Tristen Bell, Lacey Kerr, Luke Millet, Olivia Pugh and Carter Rayburn—with Baker in attendance to receive hers. It’s all part of the Foundation’s reach, and Nancy Caselli reflected how she personally enjoys that reach: “It’s awesome how many more lives are being touched by the event to bring new stories [about Kurt]. I do [hear new stories about him] all the time. I ask people, ‘Well how did you know of Kurt or know Kurt? Tell me your Kurt story.’ It’s quite amazing.”