RIP Josh Lichtle
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:22 am
by Hondacrfrider
Josh Lichtle died at Red Budd this past weakend after a crash with ryan villopoto and tommy hahn. he got back on his bike and rode very hard and sufferd from a heat stroke and did not recover. (or atleast i think thats what happend). very sad news. has any body heard of this guy before? i have not.
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:35 am
by crfsonly
very sad news which i had not heard yet. still haven't watched the race. sorry to hear this. my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
ken
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:32 am
by 124
I knew Josh a bit. He has ridden at our place a few times. This is tragic news...
RIP Josh.
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:21 pm
by redrider250r
"From ESPN’s Colin Bane: Josh Lichtle, 23, died early Monday morning after complications from heat stroke sustained during the 450 class Moto one race on Saturday at the 2011 Rockstar Energy Red Bud National in Michigan, the sixth stop of the AMA Lucas Oil Motocross Championship.
Lichtle tangled with Ryan Villopoto and Tommy Hahn in the first turn of Lap one, but recovered and was making his way up in the pack before collapsing on his bike on turn 18 of the 10th and final lap. Lichtle got up and tried to restart his bike, but fell again and began going into heat-related seizures. He was treated by the track doctor and on-site EMTs before being taken to nearby Saint Joseph's Medical Center.
"He was doing really good, running some lap times right there with the best of them, right there with Ryan Villopoto and Davi Millsaps, and he was really going for it," said Bill Lichtle, Josh's older brother. "He got overheated, basically, and by the last laps he was practically passing out on the bike. He just wouldn't quit. That was Josh: He just had so much heart and he wanted to be back competing at this level so bad that he wouldn't have quit for anything."
Temperatures in the area were in the low 90s during the race, not uncommonly high for summer motorsports events, but physical overheating is an inherent danger of the sport. Doctors induced a coma to attempt to stabilize Lichtle's core body temperature, according to his brother, and he appeared to have been stabilized by Sunday night. Despite apparent progress, Lichtle died around 2 a.m. Monday morning, surrounded by family and loved ones. "My parents really supported him through every stage of his racing career, and they're just devastated now," said Bill.
Lichtle, a former amateur champion, saw his pro career stopped short after a severe ankle injury in 2006 and had been trying to stage a comeback over the last several years, racing partial East Coast Supercross seasons in 2009 and 2010. He qualified for this weekend's Red Bud National in 30th place out of a 40-rider field.
"My brother and I both started racing when we were like three years old," said Bill. "This was his life, but after than ankle injury he lost all his sponsorships and had to start over from scratch. It was a real struggle for him. Josh was an amazing athlete -- he was the fastest guy on the track here in Michigan, for sure -- and he was a champion in all aspects. He'd won a bunch of amateur championships and just never let go of the dream of making it as a pro racer. That's what got him, unfortunately: He just wouldn't quit."
"MX Sports and the entire motocross community sends its condolences to the family," said Roy Janson, a spokesman for the event's promoter.
MXA NOTE: In lieu of flowers, memorial donations should be made to the Lichtle Family to establish a fund in Josh's memory. The funeral service will on Thursday, July 7, at the Modetz Funeral Home, 100 East Silverbell Road, Orion, Michigan 48359."
Godspeed Josh.
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:47 am
by mxracer76
We were there watching but I was not aware that he had died. What a tragic loss!
It was extremly hot and humid that day!
RIP Josh!!
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:43 pm
by crfsonly
reading his brothers description of the events that led to Josh's death was difficult on so many levels. what incredible determination Josh demonstrated to keep pushing himself. i've had heat exhaustion and it would have been very difficult to push past those symptoms to have it progress to heat stroke. it shows Josh's desire and will to succeed in his comeback. incredibly sad that he didn't respond to treatments by the medical professionals. it shows just how dangerous heat exhaustion and heat stroke can be.
ride in peace josh...
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:39 am
by Hondacrfrider
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:23 am
by 124
We will be having a benefit ride for Josh on 07/24 at our track in Irish Hills. If anyone is local and would like to attend (or would like more info about our club), please PM me.
