IN
THE
WIND
P38
Lendary Motocross Track Owner Passes
I
t is with heavy hearts that MX
Sports Pro Racing, the Lucas
Oil Pro Motocross Champion-
ship, and American motocross as
a whole mourn the loss of Wash-
ougal MX Park patriarch Ralph
Huffman. A legend of the sport in
the Pacific Northwest, Huffman
passed away on Monday, March
22, at the age of 83.
"The vibrant motocross scene
of the Pacific Northwest, which
is among the most passionate
in the country, simply would not
carry the prominence it does
without the influence of Ralph
Huffman," said Davey Coombs,
President of MX Sports Pro Rac-
ing. "His passion and his unique
vision rejuvenated the Washougal
National and made the scenic
Washougal MX Park a destination
for any motocross fan. More im-
portantly, through his love of the
sport he fostered a community
of enthusiasts that is bigger and
stronger than ever."
A native of Roseburg, Oregon,
Huffman's ties to motocross date
back to the 1970s, during the
sport's infancy in the U.S., which
eventually connected him to
Washougal MX Park in the early
1980s. He first sought to help
the track in whatever capacity
was needed, but his passion and
unwavering commitment soon al-
lowed him to become an integral
part of the team, notably for the
annual Washougal National. By
the late '80s Huffman had as-
sumed the rights to the lease of
the property, which became a
turning point in the history of both
the track and the event.
After the American Motorcyclist
Association elected to forego a
visit to Washougal in 1987, Huff-
man dedicated all his time, effort
and resources into upgrading the
facility. He was determined to not
only bring the Nationals back to
Washougal, but also make the
event a cornerstone of the world's
most prestigious motocross
championship. The return of the
Washougal National in 1988 was a
success and the event is now one
of the sport's marquee show-
The man behind
Washougal MX Park,
Ralph Huffman,
passed away at the
age of 83.
