posted Nov 16, 2013, 1:34 PM by Thor Fornica
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updated Apr 9, 2014, 8:39 PM by Baja Racing
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Racing accident claims life of American desert racing star Kurt Caselli. SCORE International confirms tragic racing accident claims life of American desert racing star Kurt Caselli. SCORE International, a desert racing sanctioning body based in Reno, Nev., has confirmed that American motorcycle star Kurt Caselli tragically lost his life Friday as a result of injuries sustained during a late-race accident at the SCORE Baja 1000 being held in Mexico’s Baja California.
One of the best-liked and respected personalities in American desert racing, Caselli, 30, of Palmdale, Calif., died of serious trauma incurred when he apparently lost control of his KTM motorcycle in a sandy, high-speed section at approximate race-mile 792 while his team was leading in the late stages of the 883.1-mile international desert race.
The accident occurred at 4:30 p.m. PT Friday. "Our desert racing family has lost a very special person in Kurt," commented SCORE President Roger Norman. "Kurt was a superb racer and this is a tragedy that affects us all. We extend our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Caselli family. Their loss is immeasurable and we grieve with them."
A multi-time AMA National Hare & Hound Champion, WORCS Champion and many-time ISDE gold medalist, Caselli was a developing international rally racer as well.
In June of this year he won the Desafio Ruta 40 Rally in Argentina – in what was only his second international rally since making his debut in the Dakar Rally at the end of 2012.
Caselli won two stages of the Dakar Rally this past January.
Caselli and his factory-backed KTM racing team won last year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 and finished second and third in the other two SCORE Baja races this season.
Caselli’s accomplishments included the 2011, 2012 and 2013 AMA National Hare & Hound National Championships, 2007 AMA Sportsman of the Year honors, numerous ISDE gold medals, several first-American ISDE finishes and an overall ISDE E3 class victory in 2007. Caselli also was a member of the World Championship winning 2006 ISDE U.S. Junior Team.
Compiled from News Release SCORE Intl. - Credits: SCORE - Images credits: © KTM Racing / Maragni M. KTM Images - Puro Off-Road is registered news user with KTM Racing ||| MotoSpeed La Paz ||| Puro Off-Road
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