Flat track community mourns 10-year-old rider’s death in Lodi

Salinas boy died during race at Lodi Cycle Bowl

The local motorcycle racing community is working to raise money for a 10-year-old boy from Salinas who died on Saturday during an event at the Lodi Cycle Bowl.

Zaden Florez, an up-andcoming youngster on the AMA flat track circuit, was struck during an afternoon of racing put on by the Stockton Motorcycle Club at the facility southeast of Lodi, according to Al Webber, the club spokesman for Lodi Motorcycle Club, which operates the Lodi Cycle Bowl.

“The entire Northern California dirt-track motorcycle racing community, especially the Lodi Motorcycle Club, is grieving for this child, and his parents,” Webber said. “We have an injured rider fund, and we’re sending donations to the family. I know the Stockton Motorcycle Club is doing the same.”

A source from Stockton Motorcycle Club, who asked not to be named, said members from the local community will travel to Salinas on May 5 to join a celebration of Florez’s life at the Salinas Sports Complex Exhibition Hall.

The Lodi Cycle Bowl host races on many weekends, but the April 15 race was an annual event where the Stockton Motorcycle Club rents the facility.

Webber said that during a race, Florez fell while competing for first place and instinctually hopped to his feet before heading back to restart his bike and get back into the race. Another rider struck him as he did so, Webber said.

Florez was airlifted to UC Davis, where he died from his injuries.

Both clubs said that the incident was under investigation and safety procedures would be reviewed to see if anything could have been prevented.

In addition to money from the two clubs, several fundraising efforts have been set up to help the family with expenses. One is through gofundme.com, which by late Thursday had raised almost $15,000 in three days.

Another fundraising effort is through AMA Pro FlatTrack Rookies Class of ’79 and Friends, a group dedicated to raising funds for injured AMA flat-track riders and their families.

Attempts by the News-Sentinel to reach Florez’s family were unsuccessful. For more information, visit

www.gofundme.com and search for Zaden Florez.