He was living the dream he had chased since he was a kid—racing under the lights, wearing gear he used to admire from afar. Every lap brought him closer to his goals. But that dream came to a heartbreaking end much too soon, sending shockwaves through the motocross world.

Sixteen-year-old Aidan Zingg died after a crash during a race at Mammoth Mountain Motocross. While early reports suggested a mid-air collision, it was later confirmed that Zingg went down in a corner and was struck by multiple riders before the race was red-flagged. He lay unconscious on the track for two full laps before help arrived. It all happened in an instant.

Zingg was one of the sport’s brightest young talents. As a member of Monster Energy Team Green Kawasaki, he had just signed a multi-year deal. He also had a partnership with Fox Racing and racked up major wins, including first place in the Supermini-2 class at Loretta Lynn’s Vault. His future in motocross looked unstoppable.

Tributes from across the racing community continue to pour in. Swapmoto Live described him as a humble and grounded athlete who never let success go to his head. Analyst Kris Keefer called it a “heavy day” and asked for prayers for Zingg’s family. The team at Seven MX, who had known him since he was a kid, paid tribute not just to his talent, but to the incredible person he was.

Details for his memorial service are expected to be announced soon.