San Diego motocross legend Marty Smith and his wife Nancy died on Monday April 27th in an accident while operating a four-wheel off-road vehicle at Glamis Dunes in Imperial County, California.
As a kid growing up in San Diego and listening to KGB radio in the 70's and 80's, it was all about Tony Alva and skateboarding and Marty Smith and motocross.
Marty was legendary especially to us teenagers in San Diego. He was as big as Mick Jagger but he happened to be just like one of us, a San Diego kid.
Back in the day, even if you didn't ride a motorcycle, you would take your banana seat bicycle with that classic sissy bar and put playing cards in the spokes and pretend you were Marty Smith on a dirt bike. If you were really young, you would take a safety pin and drape a towel on your back like Superman and pop a wheelie on the streets just like Marty Smith.
He was a superstar in a time when we truly had heroes to look up to. He won everything he entered in the 1970's. He retired from racing in 1983, but his legacy will forever continue on.
Take a moment to look back on his wonderful career through YouTube videos.
Rest in Peace Marty and Nancy Smith.
Photo Getty Images