Dave won a Gold Medal for the United States in the International Six Day Trials in Austria while sponsored by Yamaha (1975).
It marked the first Gold Medal for a Japanese Manufacturer despite many years of world competition. Dave was 18 years old and still in High School. Many people from the U.S., including Riverside were in attendance.
In his career, Dave has won 158 off-road, stadium, and short course races in the United States, as well as numerous Class and Overall wins in the Bajas 500, 1000, and the Baja 2000 (longest continuous off road race in history) beating every other vehicle in the 2000 mile competition. During his tenure as driver, Dave won the SCORE Iron Man Trophy, as well as the SCORE Heavy Metal Champion Award (multiple times). In 1994, Dave conceptualized and helped build the first NASCAR Supertruck, one of today’s most popular types of race vehicles. In 2013, he helped build the Ford Raptor race-truck for the Dakar Race in South America. In the racing world, Dave still holds records, including the fastest time ever in the Baja 1000.
In 2014 Dave was inducted into the Off Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. He has been featured in USA Today, Speed Week, LA Times, Newsweek, US News and Sports Illustrated articles. In addition, Ford produced a personal feature of him in a commercial during the Superbowl.
Dave was asked as a driver, to work with Ford design engineers to test and assess critical auto issues, and identify technical solutions.
In this role, he has become adept at working with engineers and executives in the United States, China, Europe, South America and Mexico, earning him a Ford Outstanding Engineer Achievement Award.
He has also devoted much time and energy throughout his life in Riverside, with help and inspirational talks. He united RCC and Ford Motor Company with the Ford Asset Program which has funded programs for countless students in their study of automotive mechanics. Ford is still a contributor for RCC. Dave has also volunteered his free time for over 25 years to the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, searching for the lost and injured. Dave’s “all in” philosophy has earned him a successful career and a life worthy of honor.