Kurt Caselli, the 30-year old off road dirt bike racing master who was set to burst onto the international scene in 2014 lost his life in a crash during the 2013 Baja 1000. When the news of his death broke yesterday we were hesitant to report on the story immediately as there were claims that the fatal crash was caused by a spectator built booby trap. Booby trapping the route has long been a macabre tradition for local Mexican fans of the Baja 1000. Whether to get trucks or bikes airborne or force them off the racing line, things are often hidden on the course and unknowing racers clobber these clandestine obstacles. Sure enough, later on Saturday reports and statements changed to reflect the fact that a booby trap had not been involved in the crash. The first rider to come upon Caselli on the remote portion of the course where he crashed has debunked the booby trap rumors, which is a relief.

The rider was Kawasaki’s Taylor Robert. Here is the statement he released:

Caselli had raced himself into one of the elite competitors in the world. He competed in his first Dakar Rally in 2013 and actually won a couple of stages. Red Bull had already tapped him to be one of their riders in next year’s Dakar. He’s won multiple high profile off road races in the USA, South America, and other exotic places. He was leading or damned close to leading the Baja 1000 when he had his crash. The guy was on the cusp of really becoming an international super star in his field and it is a tough one to see him felled in this manner. We’ll not fein any vast knowledge of off-road motorcycle racing, but we do know and respect amazing talent and Kurt Caselli was one of those amazing talents. Even tougher on some level that he’s a home grown American guy that was set to take on the world stage as well. Call us homers if you want, but it does make the whole thing sting even more.

While it always is sad and tough to hear about when racers die racing, it is far more fitting for them to go out in that manner than in some other form of tragedy away from racing. When he passed, Kurt Caselli was living his life, using the talents he had been granted and had worked so hard to hone into the world class skills that had propelled him into high demand. We should all be so lucky.

Godspeed, Kurt.