VINTAGE BIKE OC NEWS

There are some names in racing that you hear once and remember forever.

Jim Ottele was one of those names.

It’s with a heavy heart and a lot of sadness that we say goodbye to Jim.

Jim wasn’t just a racer. He was a multi-year, multi-class champion who spent years doing what he loved—lining up, throwing a leg over a motorcycle, and going to battle.

He was the kind of competitor you respected when you were on the same track with him, and the kind of racer you were proud to call part of your racing family when you were off it.

Over the years, Jim collected championships, memories, friendships and the respect of countless people in this sport. But for those of us who knew him, his legacy will be about much more than trophies.

It will be about the stories. The races. The battles. The laughs in the pits. The people he touched along the way.

That’s the thing about racing—we spend so much time chasing checkered flags that sometimes we forget the people standing beside us are what make this sport special.

Today, we’re not just saying goodbye to a champion.

We’re saying goodbye to a friend, a competitor, and one of our own.

Our deepest condolences go out to Jim’s family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of sharing a starting line, a pit area, or a friendship with him.

Jim, thank you for everything you gave to this sport. The checkered flag may have fallen for the last time, but your name will remain part of our racing history.

Text and top photo from NATIONAL FLAT TRACK Facebook page