How better to honor the life of a desert racing champion than to go on a ride? The destination of Doffo Vineyards in Temecula’s wine country is a stone’s throw away from KTM and Husqvarna’s North American headquarters, just down the road from the Metal Mulisha compound and Glen Helen Raceway – in short, the moto epicenter of America. No stranger to the powersports industry, Doffo recently hosted KTM demo days with rides starting at the vineyard as well as having a Honda Gold Wing media event on site.
Guests were treated to a spectacular day, a great ride and a chance to see the collection of historic motorcycles that wine maker and Moto Giro d’Italia racer Marcello Doffo has gathered in his barrel room… and all for a worthy cause! A showing of the Caselli 66 Ride The Dream movie, guest speakers and an auction were among the other highlights drawing industry VIPs and Caselli fans alike. America’s first 500cc National Champ Mark Blackwell, former Dakar competitor Chris Blais, Team Geico Honda SX/motocross racer Zach Osborne, Red Bull KTM desert racer Ivan Ramirez and KTM North America president Jon-Erik Burleson were among the hundreds of industry types who turned out to support the cause. In fact, the entire management team from National Powersport Auctions rode all the way up from their Poway facility as well.
With the simple goal of “protecting and supporting the lives of off-road riders” the Kurt Caselli Foundation was established in 2013, after the tragic passing of Factory KTM racer/Dakar Rally competitor and all-around American Legend. In Kurt’s honor, the foundation has a three-part mission that encompasses safety precautions for riders before, during and after a racing career.
1. Before racing, we are committed to encouraging, developing and standardizing safety precautions that
will help minimize risk outside of the rider’s control.
2. During racing, we are committed to developing, establishing and encouraging the use of safety
equipment and policies to increase the safety of the riders.
3. After racing, we are committed to providing a safety net that allows and encourages former racers to further their education and reach career goals for themselves and their families.
To learn more about the foundation, visit www.kurtcaselli.com.
