Name/Title
Coombs, RitaEntry/Object ID
467Description
As a young woman growing up in Morgantown, W. Va., Rita Coombs had no idea that she would one day be one of the most impactful motorcycle race promoters in the sport’s history, let alone an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer.
But after seeing On Any Sunday, Coombs found her calling in the world of promotion, playing key roles in the creation of several prestigious motorcycle races and series. In 1973, just two years after On Any Sunday’s release, Rita and her husband Dave Coombs — a 2000 inductee to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame — began promoting their own AMA events. Soon after, the Coombs opened their own track, Appalachia Lake MX Park in Bruceton Mills, W. Va.
“It’s a great honor,” Rita Coombs said on being selected to the Class of 2023. “I’ve never won any trophies. I am not a champion of anything, but I’ve contributed to the earning of some of these kids who have earned championships. They have been through our doors.”
In 1982, Rita and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Dave Coombs Sr. — as well as Paul Schlegel — pioneered the creation of the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s. In the 40 years since its creation, the event has become the premier amateur motocross race in the world.
“Who would’ve thought that thing would be what it is today?” Rita Coombs said. “It’s mind boggling, but the people that have been involved with that along the way, we’re truly thankful.”
Rita and Dave Coombs weren’t done there, however, as the duo were instrumental in forming the AMA Grand National Cross Country Series — the country’s premier off-road series. Since its creation, the GNCC has grown to welcome thousands of racers on any given weekend during the season.
“That series has been to 80 different locations, some are still running now,” Coombs said. “We can only do like 10-12 a year because it’s like moving a circus from place to place, but it’s still in business.”
In the mid-1990s, Rita and Dave Coombs founded the National Promoters Group, which aimed to unify the various promoters of AMA Pro Motocross events and streamline the series to remain competitive against the growing AMA Supercross.
After Dave Coombs’ passing in 1998, Rita Coombs continued to run the family business alongside her children, Carrie Jo, Davey and Tim. With her expertise in several disciplines of racing, Coombs has touched the lives of countless racers thanks to her wide grasp on the sport of motorcycle racing.
“We’ve done what (Dave) would’ve wanted us to do,” Rita Coombs said, “and that is to continue to grow and help other people be organized and do safe racing. We’ve been through some hard times, of course, but we always manage to get on top of things.”Relationships
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Coombs, Rita