DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 8, 2026) – AMA Pro Racing joins the motorcycle racing community in mourning the passing of Mike Kidd, the 1981 AMA Grand National Champion, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer, race promoter, series builder, and former AMA Pro Racing executive. Kidd was 72.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Kidd authored one of the most respected careers in American motorcycle racing, first as a rider who overcame repeated adversity to reach the sport’s highest level, and later as a promoter and executive who helped shape the future of flat track and indoor motorcycle racing.
Kidd turned professional in 1972 and quickly established himself among the elite riders of the Grand National era. His first AMA Grand National victory came at the 1974 Charity Newsies Half Mile in Columbus, Ohio, and he went on to collect 12 AMA national wins during his professional racing career.
His greatest competitive triumph came in 1981. Riding for the Lawwill/Roberts team, Kidd earned eight podium finishes and victories at the Ascot Park TT national and the Du Quoin Mile. The championship battle came down to the final race at Ascot Park, where Kidd finished second to secure the AMA Grand National Championship by five points over Gary Scott.
After the 1981 title, Kidd joined Honda’s newly formed dirt track effort and played an important role in the development of machinery that would help power Honda riders to multiple Grand National Championships in the years that followed.
Kidd retired from professional racing after the 1983 season, but his influence on the sport only expanded. He was named AMA Promoter of the Year in 1984, built and operated Boyd Raceway in Texas, and created the AMA National Arenacross Series in 1985. He later worked as a vice president with Clear Channel Motor Sports and continued to shape motorcycle racing through event promotion, sponsorship development, and television initiatives.
Kidd also served the sport from within AMA Pro Racing, including leadership roles with AMA Pro Flat Track and later as AMA Pro Racing Director of Sales. Across those roles, he brought the same racer’s determination and promoter’s vision that defined his life in motorcycling.
Inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998, Kidd leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond his 1981 Grand National Championship. He was a racer, promoter, innovator, salesman, and advocate whose work helped sustain and grow the uniquely American discipline of flat track racing.
AMA Pro Racing extends its deepest condolences to Kidd’s family, friends, former competitors, colleagues, and the many fans whose lives he touched.
More, from a press release issued by the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame:
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame mourns the passing of Hall of Famer Mike Kidd, and extends its sincere condolences to his family and friends. He was 72.
The 1981 AMA Grand National Champion, Kidd’s racing career was defined by his perseverance in the face of much adversity. Beyond his chops as a racer, Kidd was a top promoter of AMA races in the 1980s and 1990s, and founded the AMA Arenacross Series in 1985.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1953, Kidd’s love for racing started on four wheels, not two, where he saw great success, winning a national title in his age category. By the time he was 13, Kidd found his true calling on a motorcycle, competing in local dirt track and motocross races.
In 1972, Kidd turned pro, falling just short of a debut victory at the Houston Astrodome — registering a second-place finish behind fellow rookie and future AMA Hall of Famer Kenny Roberts.
In 1974, Kidd joined Triumph’s factory racing team and earned his first AMA Grand National victory at the Columbus, Ohio, Half-Mile.
Seven years later, and after enduring much misfortune out of his control, Kidd reached the pinnacle of his craft, winning the 1981 AMA Grand National Championship. He did so in dramatic fashion, entering the final race of the season at the Ascot Half-Mile in Gardena, Calif., in a tie with fellow AMA Hall of Famer Gary Scott. Kidd finished second in the tie-breaking race, but since Scott registered only a fourth-place finish, Kidd took the championship by a mere five points.
Kidd retired from racing in 1983, tallying a total of 12 AMA Grand National wins alongside his iconic 1981 title.
Kidd’s impact on the motorcycling community did not end there, however. In the 1980s and 1990s, Kidd became one of the leading promoters of AMA races in the country, going on to create the AMA Arenacross Series in 1985.
For his efforts as a racer and promoter, Kidd was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.
More from Mike kidd services info:
Dad’s arrangements:
Visitation will be Monday, May 11th from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Coker Funeral Home
152 State Hwy 148
Jacksboro , TX
Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 12th at 1:00 PM, led by Chaplain Raymond Rizzo
Bible Baptist Church
241 W. Live Oak Street
Jacksboro, TX
Followed by graveside services and then a Celebration of Life at Jacksboro Golf & Country Club.
Please bring your favorite stories and memories to share at the Celebration of Life. Food will be provided, but if you feel led to bring something, you are more than welcome to.
Thank you all for the love, prayers, and support during this time. ❤️🏁
ONWARD #72
