AMA Hall of Famer, Grand National Champion Mike Kidd: 1953-2026
Kidd founded AMA Arenacross in 1985 Photo by AMA Archives. It was only just yesterday that we learned of the passing of flat track star Mert Lawwill, and we once again saddened to hear about another loss, as 1981 AMA Grand National Champion and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame member Mike Kidd has also passed away. He was 72.
Kidd began racing professionally in 1972, and was one of the top stars of the decade before taking the championship in 1981, riding for the Lawwill/Roberts team. After retiring from racing in 1983, Kidd opened Boyd Raceway in Texas, and founded the AMA Arenacross series. Kidd was inducted to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998 in recognition of his accomplishments as a racer, event promoter, and advocate.
Begin Press Releases: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Mike Kidd Passes Away Photo by AMA Archives. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame mourns the passing of Hall of Famer Mike Kidd, and extends its sincere condolences to his family and friends. He was 72.
The 1981 AMA Grand National Champion, Kidd's racing career was defined by his perseverance in the face of much adversity. Beyond his chops as a racer, Kidd was a top promoter of AMA races in the 1980s and 1990s, and founded the AMA Arenacross Series in 1985. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1953, Kidd's love for racing started on four wheels, not two, where he saw great success, winning a national title in his age category.
By the time he was 13, Kidd found his true calling on a motorcycle, competing in local dirt track and motocross races. In 1972, Kidd turned pro, falling just short of a debut victory at the Houston Astrodome - registering a second-place finish behind fellow rookie and future AMA Hall of Famer Kenny Roberts. In 1974, Kidd joined Triumph's factory racing team and earned his first AMA Grand National victory at the Columbus, Ohio, Half-Mile.
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