Slaw Dog
The world of Supercross and Motocross has lost an icon. Art Eckman, the longtime voice of AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross, and host of Moto World, passed away near his home in Georgia.
He was 81.
Alongside David Bailey, Eckman was the voice of a generation. If you watched any racing during that time, Eckman was on the mic. He was a national level fixture during his 20-year career at ESPN.
Prior to that, he served as the sports director at Atlanta’s WXIA-TV for 13 years.
According to Racer X, “Art is survived by his wife of 46 years, Donna Haines Eckman, as well as two daughters, Christine Eckman and Kara Eckman Mecke, along with Kara’s husband Ralph Mecke and their two children, Alastair and Cedric Mecke.”
“I am saddened by the news of the legend Art Eckman’s passing,” Jeremy McGrath wrote on Instagram. “He was an amazing ambassador of @supercrosslive I will never forget his great work and yelling my name while calling the races. I am proud to call you a friend and thank you. I am sure the races in heaven will keep you busy.”
Racer X’s Davey Coombs, who was on the broadcast with Art, wrote: “Like a lot of other friends in the motorsports industry I was devastated to hear of the passing of longtime TV host, friend and mentor Art Eckman. He was 81 years old. Art’s voice was an indelible part of the soundtrack of our sport for a generation, and I was lucky enough to work with him and the great David Bailey through much of the 1990s and early 2000s. Together they were the good standard of SX/MX commenting. He was a true professional, gentleman, husband, father and mentor. Godspeed Art, and thank you…”
Plans for a Celebration of Life service will be at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 10, 2023, at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30305. In memory of Art’s life and in lieu of flowers, the family suggests that a donation be made to InCommunity. InComunity, is a non-profit organization that provides support to individuals with developmental disabilities. Over the years, this organization has been a significant part of the Eckman family as its staff has helped Christine Eckman thrive in her community.
RIP, Art.
