Rest In Peace, Nancy
Ritchie (1940-2024)
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A Fond Farewell to the
Matriarch of Michigan's
Legendary RedBud MX
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The American motocross
community bid farewell
to one of its most
important and
influential figures this
past Sunday as a
celebration of life
ceremony was held for
Nancy Ritchie, matriarch
of Michigan’s iconic
RedBud MX, with a
large gathering of
family, friends, and
other loved ones from
every decade of her
incredible life.
Alongside her husband,
Gene, the Ritchie’s
founded RedBud MX in
1972 and over the past
50 years this hallowed
ground in the rural
township of Buchanan has
become arguably the most
renowned motocross track
on the planet.
Throughout its existence
RedBud has hosted local
racing events, in
addition to Trans-AMA
Championships and both
AMA Amateur National and
Regional Championships.
It earned global
recognition through its
infamous annual
Independence Day
celebration that is the
RedBud National, which
has been a centerpiece
of the Pro Motocross
Championship since 1974,
while also serving as
the host venue of the
spectacle of the FIM
Motocross of Nations,
the “Olympics of
Motocross,” on two
occasions, which
included an anticipated
return to the top of the
podium for Team USA on
home soil during the
2022 event.
“Nancy Ritchie was one
of those unheralded
champions of the
motorcycle industry, a
person who probably
didn’t know much about
the sport until her
husband, Gene, decided
to go all-in on his
passion for motocross
racing,” stated Davey
Coombs, President, MX
Sports Pro Racing. “From
there she became his
partner, managing their
shared endeavor by doing
all of the
behind-the-scenes work
that every successful
business requires.
Together, they built
RedBud into one of the
world’s premier
motocross facilities,
allowing countless
racing families to enjoy
their chosen sport for
more than five decades.
Even after their
children, Tim and Amy,
took over day-to-day
aspects of the business,
and even after Gene
passed in 2016, Nancy
remained close to the
track she co-founded way
back in 1972. As her
children posted
following her passing
last week, ‘RedBud was
Gene’s dream; it worked
because he convinced
Nancy to come along.’
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Gene and Nancy
Ritchie
Photo courtesy of the
Ritchie Family
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“Thanks to the
unwavering commitment of
Gene and Nancy, and now
Amy and Tim, to make
RedBud the best
motocross track in the
world, the venue has
served multiple
generations of American
motocross enthusiasts.
RedBud MX has been an
indelible part of the
lives of thousands of
passionate racers and
fans, and for that Gene
and Nancy Ritchie will
always be remembered.”
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Nancy Ritchie with
her children, Angie (top
left), Amy (top right),
and Tim.
Photo courtesy of the
Ritchie Family
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This weekend, during the
annual visit of the
Monster Energy AMA
Supercross Championship
to Detroit’s Ford Field,
Gene and Nancy Ritchie
will be on the minds of
those in attendance,
many of whom were
fortunate to be part of
the indelible legacy of
RedBud MX over the past
50 years. The race will
be a fitting way for the
racing community to
further celebrate the
life of Nancy and the
contributions of the
Ritchie family to the
sport of off-road
motorcycle racing.
Nancy Ritchie was 83
years old.
Godspeed, Nancy.
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For information
about the Pro
Motocross
Championship, please
visit ProMotocross.com and
be sure to follow
all of the Pro
Motocross social
media channels for
exclusive content
and additional
information on the
latest news:
Available for
download for both
Apple and Android
devices is the
official Pro
Motocross App. Fans
of American
motocross can have
access to the
world’s most
prestigious off-road
motorcycle racing
series right at
their fingertips on
their mobile
devices. Developed
by AMA Pro Racing,
the Pro Motocross
App provides users
with the most
important
information
surrounding the Pro
Motocross
Championship, from
series news to
schedule and ticket
information, as well
as broadcast
schedule details and
live timing &
scoring. Download it
now via the App
Store or Google
Play.
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MX Sports Pro
Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing,
Inc., manages and
produces the world's
premier motocross racing
series - the Pro
Motocross Championship,
sanctioned by AMA Pro
Racing. MX Sports Pro
Racing is an industry
leader in off-road
powersport event
production and
management, its mission
is to showcase the sport
of professional
motocross competition at
events throughout the
United States. Through
its various racing
properties, partnerships
and affiliates, MX
Sports Pro Racing, Inc.,
organizes events for
thousands of action
sports athletes each
year and attracts
millions of motorsports
spectators.
Visit
www.mxsportsproracing.com
for more information.
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Pro Motocross
Championship
The Pro Motocross
Championship features
the world's fastest
outdoor motocross
racers, competing aboard
homologated bikes from
one of eight competing
manufacturers on a
collection of the
roughest, toughest
tracks on the planet.
Racing takes place each
Saturday afternoon, with
competition divided into
two classes: one for
250cc machines, and one
for 450cc machines. MX
Sports Pro Racing, the
industry leader in
off-road powersports
event production,
manages the Pro
Motocross Championship.
More information can be
found at
www.ProMotocross.com.
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AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the
premier professional
motorcycle racing
organization in North
America, operating a
full schedule of events
and championships for a
variety of motorcycle
disciplines. It serves
as the sanctioning body
of the Pro Motocross
Championship.
Learn more about AMA Pro
Racing at
www.amaproracing.com.
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