Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1002797
IN THE WIND P38 GAVIN TRIPPE 1940-2018 G avin Trippe, a motorcycle racing promoter who pro- duced the first United States Mo- tocross Grand Prix in Carlsbad, California, in 1973, died Saturday, July 2, in an auto accident. Trippe was one of the most important race promoters and publishers in motorcycling during the 1970s and '80s. His com- pany, Trippe/Cox Productions, produced the first United States Motocross Grand Prix in Carls- bad, California, in 1973. He also promoted the first AMA national road races at Ontario (California) Motor Speedway, the Champion Spark Plug 200. After the demise of the Speedway, he took that event to Laguna Seca Raceway to start the current history of mo- torcycle racing in Monterey. Trippe was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2005. "Over in England and just heard the news about Gavin's passing in such awful circum- stances," Cox said in a Facebook post. "My sincerest condolences to his family. Our business paths diverged many years ago but we still kept in touch, however loosely, and only three days ago I had birthday wishes from him and we arranged to get together when I next visited California. We did so much together and he fully deserved his appointment to the AMA Hall of Fame. For my part I shall never forget that when I had the idea to start Motorcycle Weekly he was the only guy ready to take a chance with me. He gave up his job in the UK and moved to California just because he believed in my idea. I am glad that it all worked so well for him for so long." Trippe and his company was responsible for many motorcycle racing firsts in America. In addition to the first MXGP, Trippe also helped dream up the concept of what is now called supermoto racing. An ABC Sports producer named Bob Iger, who later became chairman of Disney and ABC, asked Trippe why riders like road racer Kenny Roberts, motocrosser Roger DeCoster and dirt track rider Jay Springsteen didn't race against one another. Instead of going into a long explanation on the dif- ferent forms of motorcycle racing the question sparked an idea in Trippe. "I thought, 'Why not bring together all of the best moto- cross, road racers, flat track and speedway riders?'" Trippe recalled. And with that he went to work bringing all the riders together on one track at one time and the Superbikers concept was born. Trippe built a track at Carlsbad Speedway with a 17-year-old Eddie Lawson as the guinea pig, utilizing the elements of road racing, motocross and flat track. He then worked out a set of rules that could maximize the number of manufacturers that could participate. He offered excellent start money for the riders and mechanics, in addi- tion to national network-television exposure that attracted the atten- tion of the manufacturers. Thirty of the world's biggest riders, on 750cc V-twin Harleys versus 500cc motocrossers, lined up. The green flag dropped on an unknown quantity, the ultimate leap of faith for all concerned. In addition, he and Cox saw the emerging production-racing club scene of the early 1970s and were the first AMA national road race promoters to feature a new class called Superbike in the weekend schedule of a pro event. Within a few years, the PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME Legendary motorcycle promoter and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Gavin Trippe, who helped produce the first U.S. MXGP at Carlsbad Raceway and co-published Motorcycle Weekly, passed away July 2.