DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla. (April
29, 2026) –
AMA Pro Racing is
saddened to learn of
the passing of
longtime track
builder and flat
track supporter
Dennis Pearson.
Born September 10,
1954, in Indian
River, Michigan,
Pearson was part of
a family deeply
rooted in racing.
His brothers Scott,
Paul, and Gordon
were all involved in
competition,
continuing a family
tradition that
spanned generations.
After moving to
California as a
teenager, Pearson
began working under
renowned track
builder Harold
Murrell, at the age
of 17, learning the
craft of building
and preparing race
surfaces. Over the
course of his
career, he
contributed to a
wide range of racing
disciplines,
including flat
track, Supercross,
and NASCAR Sprint
car events, helping
construct and
maintain tracks such
as the San Jose
Mile.
Pearson later worked
within the
Progressive AFT
paddock for several
seasons, where he
earned a reputation
for his dedication
to the sport and its
competitors. Known
affectionately as
“Dr. Dirt,” he took
great pride in
delivering
well-prepared,
consistent racing
surfaces, always
with the riders’
best interests in
mind.
He was deeply
passionate about
flat track and the
community
surrounding it,
treating riders and
teams like family
while bringing care
and craftsmanship to
every track he
touched.
Pearson is survived
by his children,
Denise and Kyle, and
grandson Wyatt,
along with their
mother, Cheryl, his
brothers Gordon,
John, Paul, and
Scott, his sisters
Mary Lou, Paula,
Susan, and Stacy,
and his extended
family.
Plans for
celebrations of life
are being finalized,
with a tentative
gathering scheduled
for May 30th in
Oakdale, California,
and a second
memorial planned
later this summer in
Michigan.
