RIP Caselli

Mark Berg - CPD

Mark Berg - CPD

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Tragic news tonight from Baja, Longtime KTM, ISDE racer Kurt Caselli died from head injuries. Rumor is from a booby trap mechanism of some sort. I hope that isn't the case at all. Met Kurt a few times at six days, stand up guy, always polite, always with a smile and he sure could ride a bike.

Thoughts and prayers from all of us.
 
I just found out today after watching the battle of the bikes as they left the start line at 11pm Thursday night. This is a new format to avoid getting taken over by the 4 wheeled vehicles who take off at 9am Friday(it seems like every other year, a bike or atv is hit from behind). Truly tragic and shocking news. There was a close battle for the lead into the early AM hours.

If you search "baja booby trap" on youtube, you'll find many horrific examples of these pranks: telephone polls buried with dirt, ditches/trenches, and the flooding of the wash at the beginning of the race. If you're racing in Baja and suddenly come upon a group of locals, there may be a "booby trap." I was lucky enough to race (in a truck) in 2006's Baja 500 and can't imagine hitting these on a bike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ74qfqXfL8

The premier desert racing site's article on Caselli:

http://www.race-dezert.com/home/farewell-kurt-caselli-american-hero-53001.html

I should also add that the booby trap causing the crash seems like it's still speculation, but the existence of booby traps is not.
 
somebody just bust these booby trap buildin' / involuntarily manslaughters before they kill anymore people "for the fun of it" :mad:

Hannes.
 
The Mexican military needs to run the course with helicopters just before race start and arrest these deadly jokers.
 
Very bad news!

Rip

Very sad to read something like this. Out sport is dangerous enough and Wochenende don't need dump spectators.
 
From Taylor Robert's Facebook......
45 minutes ago
I want to make something very clear and stop the rumors. Kurt Caselli did not crash because of a man made booby trap, a spectator, or any other nonsense that people are saying about his accident. My teammate Ricky Brabec was the fist person to Kurt which was in a very secluded area with no Spectators. Ivan Ramirez showed up shortly after Ricky. They decided Ricky would go get help while Ivan stayed with Kurt. Even though the news didn't come out until the night time the accident happened while there was still daylight, and didn't have anything to do with racing at night. This was merely a racing accident and had nothing to do with booby traps, spectators, or another vehicle so please stop spreading rumors.



Not that it makes it any less shitty-B
 
That's tough. He was an excellent ambassador for the sport. Does he leave behind a wife? children?
 
For a guy that I never had the opportunity to meet, this has me really bummed!:( So sad. My most sincere condolences go out to those closest to him that are left behind. I had been reading updates of the race throughout the day and I was so stoked to read that he was leading towards the end of the race. I had hoped this would finally be the year that someone knocked off big red but if were possible, I would trade another 20 years of Honda winning this race if we could have Kurt back! ...but that is selfish on my part. He's gone on to a better place and is making Danny Hamel have to work a little harder on the other side. We lost a true champion. R.I.P. Kurt Caselli.
 
What a tragic loss for the sport :(

I just watched a film that featured Kurt with my two little boys this past weekend - called What !f. I couldn't believe how well he rode an off-road bike.

I hope his family endures this time of grief, far too early to lose such a gifted rider.
 
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