The Woodbridge Kart Club Board of Directors is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of stalwart member and former President, Richard Curtis, who lost a battle to cancer in late February of this year.
Richard was an instrumental part in shaping the Woodbridge Kart Club and setting it up for the success we currently enjoy to this day. He became involved with the club in the late 80’s to early 90’s and was accompanied by his partner in crime at the track, the great Eddy Davis. He was renowned journalist who spent stints around the east coast of the United States covering for both local and national publications. He eventually turned his journalistic talents into a business opportunity and became a principal founder and creator of what is known as USA TODAY. That name brand sponsored a legacy class for the Woodbridge Kart Club which was then known as Yamaha S Medium, the laydown pipe class would boast 60+ entries at nearly every club and national event held at Summit Point Raceway.
Richard was a part of many milestone accomplishments for our club. He was the President the first year that that club went from traditional hand scoring to the electronic system created by AMB that is still used today. He was also at the helm when the Sprint Shifter category made its appearance at the road racing level as the popularity of the class transcended through the sprint track ranks. There were many bugs and kinks along the way, but Richard’s calm demeanor helped pave the way for the club through much adversity.
He was a long-time facilitator of the WKC Novice school which took place every Saturday morning at each event. He would hold a classroom session inside the registration building allowing novices to learn the track’s landmarks, corner stations, flag procedures, and tow-in procedures. His son, Tyler, would often lead the on-track novice practice session that would always follow the complete first round of practice.
Finally, a maybe most importantly, Richard was instrumental in the establishment of the WKC Scholarship Fund that is still in place today. The fund began collecting in the late 90’s to which Richard awarded the first scholarship to Jesse Black, a junior enduro driver at the time, in the Spring of 2001.
A link to the obituary published by The Washington Post can be found at this link.
The Board of Directors sends its condolences to the Curtis family and that we are forever grateful for the legacy that Richard holds within the Woodbridge Kart Club. God Speed.
