Fayetteville man remembered fondly by friends

A Fayetteville motorcycle racer is being mourned after he died Wednesday following a motocross accident last week in Madisonville, Tenn.

Chad Clifton, known on motorcycle online forums as Gawarrior, was beloved by many in the racing world judging by the outpouring of love and grief posted on several forums.

Friends remembered Clifton online as a selfless person who was very pleasant and fun to be around.

Though Clifton’s accident was on a motocross bike, he raced professionally on “street” bikes in the WERA Sportsman Series. On June 15, he finished third in the A Superbike Expert Class at a race in Talladega.

One poster, identified as GapRider, said Clifton was a fun person to be around.

“He’s that big old ham that everybody loves. He made everybody feel like they were his close friend. I never saw him get down,” GapRider wrote.

Another poster, BKiller, said Clifton “made an impact in my life that will not be forgotten.”

“Chad was a super nice guy and you couldn’t help but have a good time when he was around,” BKiller wrote. “... I will miss Chad and I think the best thing we can all do to honor his memory is to remember the positive impact you can have on everyone you meet just like Chad did, and never miss an opportunity to meet a new friend.”

Information on funeral arrangements was not available at press time.