It was a day like any other. The neighbourhood skatepark was overflowing with adolescent boys. Luke Trembath aka Dingo, who had just moved to the States from the suburb of Mt. Martha in Melbourne the year before, was also lined up for his turn. As he finally took the leap, feeling the air ruffle his hair, glory, he realized, was far from being achieved. He fell flat on his face. A sharp pain shot through his arm—it was definitely a fracture. “Terrified” that he would be sent back to Australia, the embarrassed 15-year-old got up, dusted himself off, and went home pretending like nothing had happened.

Over the next two months, he’d endure the pain, even hiding it from his mother. But you can only go so far with a fractured arm, and a budding snowboarding career. When Luke finally got it operated, the story got saved for the history books. It would often be discussed over laughs and cheers as the family gathered during the holidays. Because, that’s exactly the kind of person he was. Kind, fun-loving, the star of the show. One who’d attract attention just with his contagious energy.

However, over the years, the Trembath family room had grown quiet. Luke’s older brother and best friend, Reece, tragically took his life in 2019, leaving behind his wife and three kids. Every few months, like clockwork, the snowboarder would pen down a few lines in remembrance. Those messages would often be of love, loss, and how Luke missed Reece everyday. He’d often appeal to his 145K Instagram followers to check up on their loved ones. “You never know who needs your help,” he’d write.

Luke was a man who felt things deeply. But he was also a man who everybody knew as the “true social chameleon”. He’d find a common ground with anyone he met, befriend them, and take up a magnanimous space in their life. And that’s exactly why the upcoming weekend will probably be one of the hardest in Kurt Busch’s life. As he lines up for his third appearance at the Race of Champions in Sydney, some 600 miles away, a home will be mourning the loss of the younger son…

On February 28, Monster Energy—whose podcast ‘”UNLEASHED” with Danny and The Dingo’ was hosted by Luke—revealed the news. The beloved snowboarder has passed away at the age of 38. As per reports, a cause of death has not yet been revealed. Notably, Dingo’s friendship with Kurt Busch originated from the ‘UNLEASHED’ podcast, where the duo discussed motorsports, snowboarding, and their love for wild adventures. Mourning the loss of his passing, the veteran racer wrote on X, “Rest in peace my friend Luke. Your smile and energy will be missed. Thoughts and prayers to your family. I will race in Australia with your Aussie Dingo spirit sitting shotgun.”

Trembath had reportedly started snowboarding when he was just six years old, thanks to his dad’s affinity toward sports. By age 17, he had already turned pro, but his flamboyant personality was not to be contained within those confines. Soon, the young boy became the voice of snowboarding, announcing Olympic Grand Prix Qualifiers, The World Quarterpipe Championship, the U.S. Open, and Air & Style competitions. He also starred in five seasons of the Fuel TV series “The Adventures of Danny and the Dingo” with two-time Olympic silver medallist Danny Kass.

As per reports, Dingo was also close friends with rapper Machine Gun Kelly. The duo had first met during an interview for the BACK TO YOUR STORY YouTube channel in November 2022, and didn’t get along at all. It was only after MGK moved to LA that the two grow close. Talking about their friendship, Luke had once said, “We’re just very similar. He’s (MGK) got a dark past, I got a dark past and when you put that behind you…I think I’m very good at like spotting like greatness and he’s always had greatness in him.”

In fact, if you take a look at Dingo’s Instagram, the rapper occupied as much space in his feed as he himself did. So never in a million years did the Grammy-nominated singer think he’d have to bid goodbye so soon. “I’ll speak on it when I’m ready. but i’m not saying goodbye to Dingo today,” he wrote on his Instagram Story hours after the news broke.

Five-time X-Games medalist Jaie Toohey also wrote, “One of the most incredible person I’ve ever met with the biggest heart. We shared some pretty amazing memories together throughout all the years we have known each other, and those I will hold onto forever.”

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk, also wrote on social media, “Thank you for some of the best times, the best laughs and now the best memories. We love you for ever and ever. Words cannot describe the joy this guy brought to every gathering. His laughter was magically contagious, and he revered our culture because he was shaped by it. Thank you Dingo for being The Great Connector in our fragmented world. We were lucky to have you. The void you leave behind cannot be filled.”

As for Busch, he aims to pay a tribute to his brother in his own way. And what better way to do that than securing a triumph in his friend’s own country? Set to return to the Race of Champions (ROC) for the first time since 2017, a Victory Lane visit will surely be more about remembrance than celebration this time…

Busch to make his long-awaited motorsports comeback

Kurt Busch, winner of the 2004 Cup Series championship, is all set to make his long-awaited comeback in the world of motorsports by competing for Team USA at the 2025 Race of Champions. The 46-year-old was recently given medical clearance to compete in the event and will be going wheel-to-wheel against icons such as Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Mick Schumacher, and Johan Kristofferson. The Accor Stadium will be converted to a 1 km asphalt track specifically for the star-studded event.

Sharing his thoughts ahead of the event, Busch candidly said, “It has been incredible over the last few months. Fredrik Johnsson, the main orchestrator of the Race of Champions, reached out, and once I had all my affairs sorted to confirm my participation, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted. The process of reconnecting with the racing community has been nothing short of incredible.”

Despite the very best drivers across motorsports disciplines competing in the event, Kurt Busch is confident about Team USA’s chances, going on to say, “I feel like Travis and I have every box checked, and we’re going into this with our eyes wide open and not intimidated by the situation.” It’s not the first time the Nevada native will be getting a taste of Australia as back in 2013, the racer swapped his Furniture Row NASCAR for James Courtney’s V8 Supercar for a promotional event.