• last year
American Pro motocross rider Josh Lichtle succumbed on Monday 04 July 2011 to complications relating to heat stroke that he sustained two days before, due to a crash at Red Bud motocross circuit in Buchanan, Michigan, United States.

It happened during the "Rockstar Energy Red Bud National", sixth round of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Championships, held at Red Bud, Michigan, on Saturday, 02 July 2011. Josh Lichtle who qualified in 30th place out of a 40-rider field, had tangled with competitors Ryan Villopoto and Tommy Hahn in the first turn of Lap 1. He recovered and was climbing back up through the pack before collapsing on his bike on Turn 18, during the 10th and last lap of the 450 cm3 class Moto 1 race. He then got up and tried to restart his bike, but had a heat stroke. He was immediately taken to nearby Lakeland Reginal Medical Center in St. Joseph, MI where he remained until passing away early Monday morning.

The event was held in terrible heat, possibly the high temperature was a factor in the death of the rider. Josh Lichtle had been racing motocross since he was a little kid, competing alongside his brother Bill Lichtle. As a rising amateur racer he had earned a number of National Championship titles. He had his debut as a professional on the AMA circuit in 2005, but his pro career was stopped short after an accident that happened in 2006. He sustained severe ankle injury that required a long convalescence and had been trying to come back, racing a partial East Coast Supercross season in 2009 and 2010. Josh Lichtle was living in Rochester Hills, Michigan at the time of his death.

R.I.P

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