Passing of Gaston Rahier

[firstturn]

For those of you that followed racing for many years I felt that I needed to let you know that one of the greats of Motorcycle Racing Passed Away this last weekend.  Gaston Rahier passed away and I will include the email I recieved from a Friend in Belgium.  I will try to follow up with any other information.  This guy not only won may MX World Championships, but was great at other discplines of Racing.

Hi Ron,

Bad news.
Gaston Rahier died.
I just heared it on the news, he died this morning in a hospital in Paris
(France) at the age of 58 and the funeral is next saterday in Belgium.
Thought you would like to know this.

  With the Passing of Jack Zink and Gaston this is a rough week for some of the greats of racing.  Godspeed


Ron Carbaugh

[LynnCamp]

Hi Ron,

I was looking for notification on the wire services of Gaston's passing -- and nothing yet, but I will keep watching --.  T

Of course, Ed Youngblood -- know's all and writes beautifully about it at //www.motohistory.net said that the following was on the racerXill.com website.... but it sounds like your friend has more specific information.

http://www.racerxill.com/pages/news/images/Gaston_Rahier_020805.jpg
photo: Dick Miller Archive

Racer X is sad to report that three-time 125cc World Motocross Champion Gaston Rahier passed away yesterday after battling a long illness. The diminutive Rahier was the first-ever 125cc World Motocross Champion, winning the class in 1975 when it debuted as an FIM world title division. The next year he fought off American hero Marty Smith, then the Suzuki factory rider added a third title in 1977. He was finally dethroned by his teammate Akira Watanabe in '78.

After his motocross career ended, Rahier enjoyed success as a desert racer, participating in the notorious Paris-Dakar Rally. But he will be remembered as one of the greatest in a long line of Belgian motocross kings that included Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster, Sylvain and Eric Geboers, Harry Everts, Georges Jobe, Joel Smets, and Stefan Everts.

"Gaston was at his best on slippery tracks and when it was hard-pack and you had a little bit of rain on top," said Roger DeCoster when we spoke with him this morning. "He was just so good when it was slick. I actually raced with him back when we were on little 50s. He was always a great competitor. We also raced together in Belgium Nationals and in some of the des Nations for Team Belgium, but he was at his best on the 125." In fact, Rahier was so good that he still holds the record for most 125 GP wins: 28 total.

"I'm very sad to hear he is gone," said DeCoster.

Gaston Rahier was 58 years old.

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Lynn,
  I think that the major new media is beginning to pick up on Gastons passing and Cycle News just had a article.  Also if you have time send me a email directly so I can send you a letter from Warren Reid about Gaston.

[email protected]

Ron Carbaugh