The motocross community is mourning the loss of one of its brightest prodigies following the death of 16-year-old Aidan Zingg of Hemet, who succumbed to injuries sustained during an event on Saturday in Mammoth Lakes, industry website DirtBikeLover reported.
Zingg, who grew up in Hemet, had just signed with the prestigious Kawasaki Team Green.
At Saturday’s Mammoth Mountain MX event, Zingg reportedly crashed in a corner of the 250cc B class race. After the crash, he was, according to the initial report on DirtBikeLover, “run over by multiple bikes and remained unconscious on the track for two laps before the race was red flagged.”
Fellow rider in the race, Aden Keefer, recounted the incident on the RMATVMC Keefer Tested Radio Show on Sunday. The show is hosted by Aden’s father, Kris Keefer, President of Keefer Inc., who is a veteran in the motocross community.
Aden, who was leading the race at the time it was stopped, said he first noticed Zingg on the ground around lap 4. Assuming Zingg had simply passed out, the younger Keefer continued racing. It wasn’t until lap 7 of a scheduled 10 that the race was called.
“As I came around (during lap 4), Aidan was lying in the middle of the track,” Keefer said. “Originally, I thought he was knocked out. Because of the area, I didn’t see how you could crash big, maybe he slid out and just smacked his head.
“I put another lap down, come around again, Aidan is still lying there. When I came around again, they started doing chest compression on him. By the last lap, they had him on a stretcher, and then they red flagged it.”
According to People Magazine, Zingg had just turned professional joining the legendary Team Green program that is backed by Bell, Oakley, Renthol, and more.
Donn Maeda, a motocross veteran and Editor-in-Chief of Swap Moto Live, shared his sadness and impression of the young phenom in a heartfelt Instagram post.
“(Aidan) was one of those kids who made an impression on you from the moment you met him.” Maeda wrote. “I interviewed him for our race series years ago when he was on a 65 (youth level), and when I asked him how long it’d be until he beat his dad, he smirked and said, ‘Soon, I’m sure.’
“After that, he always went out of his way to say hello, even recently when he grew into a fast big bike rider … you know, the age when teens get cocky and cool. Not Aidan.”
Kris Keefer remembers a similarly impressive Zingg.
“He was a great kid,” Keefer said. “There aren’t many kids that age that impress me or leave me wanting to talk to them more.”
Zingg was a fast-rising prospect in the sport. Having been racing since elementary school, he quickly began cementing his name as he picked up wins in the 65cc, 85cc, and Supermini divisions.
In 2024, he captured the AMA Amateur National title in the Supermini 2 division and earned a runner-up finish in Supermini 1.
He had qualified for the prestigious AMA Amateur National Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch every year since 2019 and was preparing to make the jump to the 250cc class in 2025.
Once he finally made the jump to the 250cc class with Team Green, Zingg began showing true professional potential.
Aidan’s older sister, Alexandria, posted a heartfelt remembrance of her younger brother on Instagram.
“It’s been a day and I feel like it’s been a lifetime,” Alexandria wrote. “My heart is completely broken. You used to joke that I was so old and that I’d die first, I would always joke that you were crazy and you’d be the first. Now I’m sitting here wishing with everything that I am that you were right so I’d never have to live a day without you.”
