Lou Peralta, 1942–2026

September 26, 2026

Lou Peralta, one of the premier promoters for desert racing and skatepark pioneer, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 84.

Born in Peru, Peralta moved to the United States when he was young. He did desert races and motocross in the 1960s and ’70s while also working as a stuntman for films.

While living in the San Fernando Valley, he took an interest in local kids skateboarding but worried doing so in the street was too dangerous.

“It was a beautiful, flowing picture,” Peralta told the Los Angeles Times in 1977.^[1] “Then a car pulled out in front of him, and the skateboarder had to make a quick stop. There’s got to be a safer place for that kid to ride a skateboard.”

After two and a half years of trying to secure a permit, he opened SkaterCross in Reseda. The concrete park is considered one of the first skateparks for vertical skateboarding, and took several inspirations from his motocross career with its transitions and 627-foot flowing downhill track.

The skatercross discipline, also known as skatecross, naturally was a hit here. Just as importantly for Peralta, it allowed the sport to grow in a safe environment for kids without fear of getting hit by cars in the street. Peralta even enforced a ban on smoking, alcohol, and other rowdy behavior. Several skating greats were among its guests like Stacy Peralta (of no relation) and Tony Alva, the latter even getting banned at one point for not following the rules.

“[I]t takes time, dedication and perseverance to create a skateboard park,” Peralta wrote in a letter to the Times‘ editor.^[2] “[I]t isn’t only the pouring of cement on a piece of land, but […] a lot of thought must be given to safety, control and management.”

SkaterCross eventually closed in the early ’80s. Still, he knew in his heart that he wanted to continue growing sports. In this case, it was in the desert.

Peralta raced the Baja 500 for the first time in 1974 on a bike. In 1989, he and Dan Blain won Class 10 at the Baja 1000.

He was the owner of Baja Promotions, which organized desert and personal watercraft races in Baja California and SoCal. He also ran On Dirt Motor Sports magazine, which peaked at 80 thousand subscribers. When the 1989 Baja 1000 was in danger due to disputes between SCORE and the ejidos (a predicament that befell the San Felipe 250), Peralta was raised as a potential interim promoter if SCORE bowed out.

Even in his later years, Peralta kept his pulse on the racing world. He envisioned UTV racing growing even beyond its current trajectory to where separate Baja 500s and 1000s might be run for them only, or even permanent desert race courses.

“Lou was a great Man and we feel fortunate to have known him,” wrote Skateboarding Hall of Fame head Todd Huber. “Several years ago we hosted a Skatercross reunion in the Museum and it was great day. Personally as a Private Skatepark Owner myself for the past 29 years Lou was a Man I strongly looked up to and considered a Mentor. Several times I had the opportunity to hang with him and trade stories and talk shop. I appreciated when his Family brought him to visit the Museum on Father’s Day in 2024 and I’m truly sad he is gone”.