Dan “Otis” Turner has had a remarkable 38-year career as one of the most successful riders in the history of Colorado Motorcycle road racing. A sports writer once said “you could say Dan has been racing motorcycles since he was old enough to twist the throttle” and the statement rings true. His father started him on the path to racing success when he bought Dan a motocross bike when he was in the third grade. He raced in Motocross, oval track, ice and cross-country racing events from 1973-1982, then fulfilled his goal to become a road racer. He raced to a total of eight Mountain Roadracing Association Championships, and worked his way to American Motorcyclist Association national events. Dan was the AMA Superbike Rookie of the year in 1994, and from that point on, a consistent front runner and the number one privateer competing against the fully supported factory teams.
Along the way, inevitable racing incidents were part of the mix, but one severe crash at Daytona in 1996 resulted in a shattered hip, dislocated collarbone and broken wrist. Dan came home in a wheelchair and was sure it would be at least two years before he could race again. His mind changed as he healed and his comeback was complete when he became the first Coloradoan to stand on the podium at an AMA race held at Pikes Peak International Raceway the following summer.
Dan has had a career that evolved around motorcycles seven days a week. From his teen years forward, very job he has held involved servicing or selling motorcycles at a number of dealerships in Colorado and Wyoming. His schedule consisted of working on bikes during the week while the weekends were dedicated to racing. At an undefined point in time, someone gave Dan the nickname “Otis” after a TV show character, and the name stuck.
Dan credits his father, who was also a competitive rider, for decades of unwavering support during the hard times as well as the victory celebrations. He is also grateful to the sponsors who were essential in getting to the track every week to race with the best prepared bike possible. While he has plenty of scars to show for his time on the track, he also has a multitude of trophies and awards he earned surrounding him in his home today. Those who know “Otis” well can tell you that regardless of circumstances, nothing could prevent him from getting back on the bike when it was time to race, and he is still an active rider today.
For his remarkable competitive drive and outstanding racing career, we now enthusiastically welcome Dan “Otis” Turner into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame.
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