july 2nd 1988

[12LaPaz]

Walt was a great guy, We were racing that day, we had some issues with another racer and Walt assured us that he would check in to it. His passing was a shock to us it was a very sad day for the sport, Walt is a man we will never forget, He always treated us with respect & the sport was lucky to have him behind us. All these years later and we still think about Walt from time to time. God bless you Walt, we will continue to have fond memories of him. I still have my brand new shirt with Walts pic on the front from back in the day. It is one of my favorite momentoes from racing.

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[Pancho Vanilla]

Have read all the fine and honest tributes here, let us not forget Walt hired the finest people around and made sure they had a great sense of humor and could get along - before, during and after an event. Danny Cau replaced Walt as President, but Danny - then only in his mid-30s - had been learning the ropes with all the interest of a kid in a candy store for some time before July '88. This is a tribute to Walt Lott - the man knew how to inspire Danny's confidence and the confidence of others - this led to a transition in off-road racing that is exemplary and unmatched.

Danny and I were heading out to the Vegas Speedway not long after Walt died, and as Danny was at the wheel, I asked him more about Walt and their relationship.

Danny looked out in to the desert as we were driving along, but he said nothing. Danny did that; he would be patient to make sure he did not waste words, but it was a strange and inordinate about of time, so I wondered if Danny ignored the question or perhaps forgot I had asked - so I tapped him on the side of the arm - "Danny? Are you alright? I was just curious to know more about...."

"I heard you..." Danny said, as he looked in his rear-view mirror...

"He [Walt] said something to me that really stuck, so I was just thinking about it." Danny explained.

"Cool. Take your time, I only met him right before he died." and I sat and waited.

Danny acted composed, he wasn't, but finally he told me that it was just he and Walt heading out to speak with the BLM (I believe...) and while they were having lunch at a small cafe, Walt told Danny: "If you want, I will teach you everything I know so you can take over [HDRA] some day." Note: Danny was just out of college and really didn't have any particular career path in mind when Walt gave the assurance.

After a pause, Danny said: "I wonder if he ever really knew how much that meant to me?" I replied; "Oh, he knew, and you demonstrate it each day while he looks down from Heaven upon you, and all those he loved." I never asked Danny another question about his relationship with Walt, for this one story spoke volumes.

On the day Walt Lott expired, I was investigating a collision between Mark McMillin and a checkpoint worker at Hodge Road (Checkpoint 1); when I heard Bob "Weatherman" Steinberger utter some words over the radio that were confusing about "High Desert 1" (Walt). It seems Walt was "not responding". The transmissions got more confusing, then there would be silence, when suddenly the normal race traffic like: "Weatherman; this is... We would like a status on Race [###]" So I got impatient: "Not responding to the radio" I figured. "I'll bet Walt's fartin' around out there with some folks; so let's leave him alone. We got other radio traffic!"

It was painfully clear in Bob's voice some 10 minutes later that the "impossible" had occurred.

Thank you, Lucas, for this post. The bittersweet irony has been articulated - your grandfather passed on to a better life, yet he also passed a legacy that will never be duplicated. Here is a Trackside Photo of Walt greeting Parnelli Jones and Bill Stroppe in La Paz after they won their second consecutive NORRA Mexican 1000 in 1972.

[TLR fab]

My first big race win was the Mint 400 in 1990. I started in my dads 5-1600 next to Cameron Steele in his dads 5-1600. We had an awesome battle and ended up in front and I was greeted at the finish by Walt. He was an icon and bigger than life in our sport and spent the time to talk to me and I thought that was so cool. Our path was paved by Walt and we owe what we have to people like him. We all loved your grampa Lucas, his memory will live forever. Happy 4th everyone!

[TLR fab]

Sorry I meant 1988

[Old School 8]

We need more people in Off Road Racing, like Walt.