1973 AMA Motocross National Championship season explained

The 1973 AMA Motocross Championship season was the 2nd AMA Motocross National Championship season.

Summary

The sport of motocross experienced explosive growth in 1973 and motorcycle manufacturers sought to capitalize on the expanding market with all four Japanese manufacturers fielding factory-backed teams alongside their European counterparts.[1] Pierre Karsmakers from the Netherlands dominated the 1973 500cc national championship, winning seven of 12 AMA Nationals and claimed 17 victories in 36 races overall.[1] [2] Karsmakers is credited with helping raise the level of American motocross by stressing the importance of physical fitness and machine preparation.[2] 1973 marked a turning point in American motocross when Jimmy Weinert became the first American rider to defeat the then-dominant European riders in the Trans-AMA Motocross Series at Lake Whitney Ranch in Texas.[1] [3] His victory showed that the level of American motocross had begun to compare with the level of European motocross.[3]

As in the 1973 season, after the season-ending 500cc race on September 9, American riders competing for the AMA national championship continued to accumulate points counting towards the national championship while they competed in the 1973 Trans-AMA motocross series, which began on September 23 and hosted visiting European riders from the Motocross World Championship.[1] Although Karsmakers was a Dutch citizen, he was competing under an AMA license so, he was listed as the "Top American" finisher in the Trans-AMA series.

After winning the 1972 250cc national championship on a Yamaha, Gary Jones was hired by Honda to help develop their new Honda CR250M motocross bike for the 1973 season.[1] [4] He did so successfully to win his second consecutive 250cc national title.[1]

Nationals

500cc

RoundDateLocationWinnerTeamReport
1March 10Daytona International Speedway Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
2May 6Opelousas, Louisiana Mike HartwigHusqvarnaReport
3May 13Hialeah, Florida Pierre KarsmakersYamaha
4May 20Olive Branch, Michigan Mike RunyardSuzukiReport
5June 2Atlanta, Georgia Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
6June 10Adelphi, Ohio Pierre KarsmakersYamaha
7June 17Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas Brad LackeyKawasakiReport
8August 12Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
9August 18Pocono, Pennsylvania Mike RunyardSuzukiReport
10August 26Sligo, Kentucky Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
11September 1Alabama International Motor Speedway Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
12September 9New Orleans, Louisiana Brad LackeyKawasakiReport

Trans-AMA Series

RoundDateLocationTop AmericanTeamReport
13September 23Springville, New York Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
14September 28Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
15October 7Lexington, Ohio Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
16October 14Washington, Indiana Jimmy WeinertKawasakiReport
17October 21Atlanta, Georgia Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
18October 28Orlando, Florida Brad LackeyKawasakiReport
19November 4Houston, Texas Jimmy WeinertKawasakiReport
20November 11Phoenix, Arizona Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
21November 18Puyallup, Washington Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
22November 25Livermore, California Rich ThorwaldsonSuzukiReport
23December 2Orange, California Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
[5] [6]

250cc

RoundDateLocationWinnerTeamReport
1March 10Daytona International Speedway Bob GrossiHusqvarnaReport
2May 6Opelousas, Louisiana Jimmy WeinertKawasakiReport
3May 13Hialeah, Florida Gary JonesHonda
4May 20Olive Branch, Michigan Jimmy WeinertKawasakiReport
5June 2Atlanta, Georgia Marty TripesHondaReport
6June 10Adelphi, Ohio Gary JonesHonda
7June 17Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas Gary JonesHondaReport
8July 1Tooele, Utah Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
9July 6Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Marty TripesHondaReport
10July 15Baldwin, Kansas Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
11July 22Delta, Ohio John DeSotoČZReport
12July 29Unadilla, New York Pierre KarsmakersYamahaReport
13August 12Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas Tim HartYamahaReport
14August 18Pocono, Pennsylvania Rich ThorwaldsonSuzukiReport
15August 26Sligo, Kentucky Gary JonesHondaReport
16September 1Alabama International Motor Speedway Gary JonesHondaReport
17September 9New Orleans, Louisiana Gary JonesHondaReport
[5]

Final standings

500cc[7]
PosRiderTeamPoints
1 Pierre KarsmakersYamaha2659
2 Mike RunyardSuzuki1427
3 Peter LamppuKawasaki1126
4 Gary SemicsHusqvarna1079
5 Brad LackeyKawasaki999
6 Tim HartYamaha888
7 Rich ThorwaldsonSuzuki769
8 Mike HartwigHusqvarna756
9 Tony DiStefanoČZ566
10 Wyman PriddyKawasaki539
250cc
PosRiderTeamPoints
1 Gary JonesHonda1445
2 Rich ThorwaldsonSuzuki1086
3 Bob GrossiHusqvarna900
4 Jimmy WeinertKawasaki878
5 Tim HartYamaha710
6 Marty TripesHonda603
7 Pierre KarsmakersYamaha494
8 Gary ChaplinMaico486
9 Dewayne JonesHonda485
10 Jim PomeroyBultaco465

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1973 Motocross Season . racerxonline.com . 28 November 2018 .
  2. Web site: Pierre Karsmakers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame . motorcyclemuseum.org . 28 November 2018 .
  3. Web site: Jimmy Weinert at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame . motorcyclemuseum.org . 28 November 2018 .
  4. Web site: Gary Jones at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame . motorcyclemuseum.org . 28 November 2018.
  5. Web site: 1973 AMA Motocross National Championship results . racerxonline.com . 27 November 2018 .
  6. Web site: Trans-AMA Motocross Records . 28 November 2018 . Assoc . American Motorcyclist . February 1982 .
  7. Web site: 1973 AMA Motocross National Championship overall standings . racerxonline.com . 15 February 2016 .

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