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Powersports Business • October 2024 • 3

William ( Bill ) Carroll West , a pioneer in the promotion of Supercross and Motocross events , passed away at the age of 88 on July 28 , after a lengthy illness .

In 1936 , West was born in Clarksville , Tennessee . He became a member of the U . S . Army in the 1950s and was stationed in Germany . After his service , West was working for Florida Power when he bought his first motorcycle , a Honda 100 Scrambler . With a growing passion for cars and motorcycles , he opened his own shop in St . Petersburg called Cycle Village . He also began competing in flat track , enduro , and motocross events , even though he was well into his thirties . He soon ventured into motorsports promotion , which is where he found his true calling . He began creating and producing events that helped shape the entire motorsports world .

West ’ s first venture was the Florida Winter-Am Series , which he co-created with fellow enthusiast Russ Coe . Within a few years , it became one of the most competitive and prestigious series in the entire sport .

In 1971 , West helped convince Daytona International Speedway to add a motocross event on its infield to run with the Daytona 200 and serve as the final round of his Winter-Am tour . That event morphed into the Daytona Supercross , which is now the centerpiece of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship . In that same year , he began organizing a youth event called the Winter Olympiad , a multi-discipline event run over the Thanksgiving holiday that is now referred to as the Mini O ’ s and remains one of the single-largest amateur competitions in the sport , with more than 6,000 entries last year .

West then focused on Pro Motocross and began hosting southeastern rounds of that AMA-sanctioned series at tracks like Sunshine Speedway in St . Petersburg , Road Atlanta , and Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville . The success of those events and many other ventures led West to create SuperSports , one of the most highly respected motorsports promotional businesses in the world .

When Supercross began its expansion , West hosted rounds of the series inside stadiums in cities like Atlanta , Orlando , Tampa , and Miami . When the various promoters of the Supercross tour decided to consolidate under one roof in the mid−90s , West ’ s World Sports company became a part of PACE Motorsports and became what is now Feld Motor Sports , a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment . West served as an advisor for supercross , motocross , and monster truck events for the rest of his life .

“ Through his ground-breaking events and ideas , Bill West introduced countless new fans and participants to motorcycle racing ,” says Davey Coombs , president of MX Sports Pro Racing . “ He was an incredible role model and mentor to many of us now involved in Monster Energy AMA Supercross , AMA Pro Motocross , and the new SuperMotocross World Championship . His contributions to each of these championships , as well as many of the major youth and amateur racing events across the country , will never be forgotten . Bill was one of the true pillars of American motorcycle racing .”

“ The motorcycle racing community lost a friend and another one of its modern-era founders in the passing of Bill West ,” says Roy Janson , commissioner of Motocross . “ Bill was a larger-than-life character who squeezed a lot of living into a single lifetime . He was a simple man who enjoyed great business success over his lifetime . His love of the sport of motorcycle racing left lasting contributions in the world of amateur motocross , professional motocross , and professional supercross . It ’ s a bit redundant to try to relist all the programs that Bill ’ s work and efforts influenced , but it ’ s correct to say that they include every major motorcycle racing program and series existing today .

“ Bill , most of all , enjoyed the love of his daughters , his friends , riding motorcycles , driving fast cars , and the endless support of his life partner , Sherry . He leaves us with a book of Bill West stories , and memories of the

Bill West , a pioneer in the promotion of Supercross and Motocross events , passed away at the age of 88 on July 28 , 2024 , after a lengthy illness . Photo courtesy of Feld Motorsports Inc .

memorable times and travels we experienced together . We ’ ll miss him ,” Janson continues .

“ It can ’ t be overstated how important Bill ’ s legacy is to the foundation of both professional and amateur motorcycle racing in the United States ,” says Dave Prater , vice president of Supercross , Feld Motor Sports . “ Bill was a pioneer when the sport was in its infancy whose ideas , methods , and work helped establish Supercross , Pro Motocross , and now the SuperMotocross World Championship . Bill was a visionary and to see the enduring success of events like the Daytona Supercross and Mini O ’ s is such a strong testament to that . The Daytona Supercross saw record attendance this past season and last year ’ s Mini O ’ s witnessed a record number of amateur entries and participation . Bill was a mentor to many of the sport ’ s modern-day leaders whose influence is still felt throughout the industry and paddock today .”

Bill is survived by his partner of 44 years , Sherry Dye , daughters Holly Foerch , Rebecca West , and Amy West , brothers Bob and Jerry West , sister Vicki West , Sherry ’ s son David Dye , and grandson Lawson .

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Joseph Cacicio is the new GM of Revolution Road Harley-Davidson in

West Bridgewater , Massachusetts . Photo courtesy of RumbleOn Inc ., Facebook

RumbleOn , Inc . announced it has purchased a Harley-Davidson dealership in West Bridgewater , Massachusetts . The newly acquired dealership is now known as Revolution Road Harley-Davidson .

Joseph Cacicio , a New England native with extensive experience in the powersports industry , has been appointed as the dealership ’ s general manager .

“ I am honored to take the helm at Revolution Road Harley-Davidson ,” Cacicio says . “ Our team is committed to serving the dealership ’ s loyal customers and adding exciting new initiatives that support the Harley-Davidson brand .”

The dealership , previously known as Monty ’ s Harley-Davidson , had been owned by Kathleen Monaghan , a long-time member of the area ’ s powersports community .

Revolution Road Harley-Davidson will become a premier destination for Harley- Davidson enthusiasts in New England . Located midway between Boston and Providence , Rhode Island , the store provides easy access for numerous current and future Harley owners . This purchase marks RumbleOn ’ s 56th dealership , a significant milestone as the first acquisition under CEO Mike Kennedy .

“ Dealership acquisitions are a crucial element in achieving RumbleOn ’ s Vision 2026 strategic plan ,” Kennedy says . “ Revolution Road Harley-Davidson is a perfect addition to our growing portfolio of dealerships .”

Along with this acquisition , RumbleOn has recently expanded its presence with two additional dealership locations .

Earlier this summer , RumbleOn opened Indian Motorcycle of Cincinnati , a market which had not been served by an Indian dealership . “ Our close partnerships with all of our OEM ’ s , in this case Polaris , made Indian Motorcycle of Cincinnati a reality ,” Kennedy says .

RumbleOn also recently opened RideNow Powersports Houston , a dealership pilot project focused on selling pre-owned vehicles exclusively .

This innovative dealership offers a range of pre-owned powersports products , with an emphasis on custom and touring motorcycles . The location near Interstate 45 north of Houston also carries a comprehensive selection of accessories and riding gear . “ Our strategic plan calls for us to carefully manage our capital and to run the best performing dealerships in the country ,” Kennedy continues . “ The three new dealerships we opened this summer , each one quite different , are great examples of how we will grow and achieve our Vision 2026 goals and continue to focus our capital allocation on generating long-term per-share value for our shareholders .”

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