The Australian Independent Dirt Kart Association lost one of its founding and life members on the weekend with the passing of Alan Duff.
The Duff family posted the following on social media.
Today the karting community lost an absolute legend. Multiple title winner on the bitumen and dirt, kart engine builder, mentor and all round nice guy.
Alan started his karting career in 1971 and continued until his passing today. From a karting star in his own right to title winning engine builder, Alan eventually retired from racing and became crew chief to his daughter (Tammy), Son (Gary) and Grand daughter (Kacie).
Along his journey he also took a couple of special people under his wing, becoming a surrogate father figure to David Garnett and in his later life Geoff Childs. A number of Alan’s closest friends came from karting with people like Robert Morrison, Terry Holding, Little John, Daryl Brooks and Ralph Bowden holding a special place in his life. He was and absolute legend of the sport!
Back Story: Alan began his karting journey in 1971 when his apprentice (Daryl Brooks) sold him his first Kart. He quickly became obsessed with his new sport where he won many a race and title over his journey (he often talked about winning two Australian titles at Kimba).
Alan was one of the few people that helped form AIDKA and was an AIDKA Life Member and a previous president of the Morgan Dirt Kart Club.
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Apart from administration duties Alan owned a Crash repair business (Muller’s Road Crash) and would pour his profits into helping friends, workers, family and anybody else that wanted to get into his chosen sport. One of my fondest memories from my childhood was when dad helped a couple of mentally disabled kids try karting.
For his engine building prowess, many a karter got into the sport using a “Duff Race Engine”. They were built bloody fast and he would tell his kids they just had to drive faster to beat them! Some of his proudest moments would be watching drivers win races with his engines.
He raced against the likes of Alan Brown, Russel Ingall, John Karavas and Brenton Kay just to name a few and held his own all the way.
Dad, you will be missed, loved and respected.
Thank you – the Duff family xo
Tonight the sport lost a great legend in Alan Duff. Our hearts go out to the whole Duff family and he will be sadly missed by many within this great sport of dirt karts. Alan I’ve know you since the early to mid 90’s and I still remember you giving me some much needed advice when I started out all them years ago and will miss those chats out at the Morgan club with out fail you always made time for others and have touched many over the years with your kind heart. You certainly with out a doubt are a tru blue Aussie legend – Ooyendyk family racing
He is gone, Dad Alan Duff sadly passed away last night around 12:30am peacefully sleeping and no longer in pain. We wasn’t only a Husband to Wendy Duff, a Dad to Gary Duff and myself, a Father in Law to Matt Roberts and Grandpa to Trey, Cody and Kacie but a best friend to everyone that knew him. We are all going to miss you so much. RIP Dad we love you forever – Matt, Tammy and your little buddies Trey and Cody
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