Colorado native David Clabaugh started his motocross career as a youngster after his neighbor introduced him to riding dirt bikes. Three years later, David was chosen by the mayor to help open Lakewood Sportcycle Park with a demonstration ride. He purchased his first motorcycle with the money he earned as a Denver Post paperboy and won the first race he entered. Motocross became a lifelong passion. He went on to race professionally with Vickery Motorsports sponsorship, competing in local and national events for many years.
As his professional riding career came to a close, David knew he wanted to stay involved in the industry and began promoting motocross races throughout Colorado. The city of Lakewood operated the Thunder Valley track, and rumors of its closure began to surface. David approached the city about arranging a long-term lease, and city officials were thrilled to have him take over. He has been running daily practice rides and local races since 1999 and has worked tirelessly to make Thunder Valley a required stop on the yearly schedules of nationally sanctioned events.
Determined to bring the AMA Pro Motocross Championship series to Colorado, David traveled the national circuit, volunteering on banner crews and learning the details of what it takes to host a major event. His hard work paid off in 2005, when Thunder Valley hosted its first National event. This year marks his 20th national race at the venue, including two successful night national events, and the 2010 Motocross of Nations, where Team USA took the win. Even under strict pandemic restrictions in 2020, David worked with local government officials to ensure Colorado fans could still attend a safe and memorable national race.
David has also served as president of the Sports Riders Association of Colorado for 10 years, promoted Endurocross and Arenacross events at the National Western Complex, and continues to promote local races year-round. His contributions to Motocross racing and the Colorado Motorcycle racing community, as a promoter and passionate supporter of the sport, have been immeasurable.
He’s also never stopped competing. David races a vintage bike today despite a severe racing-related knee injury that required replacement surgery. He qualified for the prestigious Loretta Lynn Amateur Nationals in both 2016 and 2023, racing in the highly competitive 50+ class, often against riders a decade younger. Since 2019, he’s raced vintage motocross at the Ricky Carmichael Daytona Supercross, including a second-place finish to top dog Jeff Stanton.
Passionate, relentless, and dedicated to growing the sport, David Clabaugh shaped Colorado motocross racing for more than five decades. His achievements as a racer, a promoter, and a champion for the future of motocross were recognized with his induction into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2025.
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