1973 AMA Motocross National Championship season

1973 AMA Motocross Championship season

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

## Summary

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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

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### 500cc

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Round  | Date  | Location  | Winner  | Team  | Report

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1  | March 10  | Daytona International Speedway |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha | Report
2  | May 6  | Opelousas, Louisiana |  Mike Hartwig  | Husqvarna | Report
3  | May 13  | Hialeah, Florida |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
4  | May 20  | Olive Branch, Michigan  |  Mike Runyard  | Suzuki | Report
5  | June 2  | Atlanta, Georgia |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
6  | June 10  | Adelphi, Ohio |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
7  | June 17  | Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas  |  Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report
8  | August 12  | Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas  |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
9  | August 18  | Pocono, Pennsylvania |  Mike Runyard  | Suzuki  | Report
10  | August 26  | Sligo, Kentucky  |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
11  | September 1  | Alabama International Motor Speedway |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
12  | September 9  | New Orleans, Louisiana |  Brad Lackey  | Kawasaki  | Report

#### Trans-AMA Series

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Round  | Date  | Location  | Top American  | Team  | Report

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13  | September 23  | Springville, New York |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
14  | September 28  | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
15  | October 7  | Lexington, Ohio |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
16  | October 14  | Washington, Indiana |  Jimmy Weinert | Kawasaki  | Report
17  | October 21  | Atlanta, Georgia |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
18  | October 28  | Orlando, Florida |  Brad Lackey  | Kawasaki  | Report
19  | November 4  | Houston, Texas |  Jimmy Weinert  | Kawasaki  | Report
20  | November 11  | Phoenix, Arizona |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
21  | November 18  | Puyallup, Washington |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
22  | November 25  | Livermore, California |  Rich Thorwaldson  | Suzuki  | Report
23  | December 2  | Orange, California |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report

[5] [6]

### 250cc

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Round  | Date  | Location  | Winner  | Team  | Report

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1  | March 10  | Daytona International Speedway |  Bob Grossi  | Husqvarna | Report
2  | May 6  | Opelousas, Louisiana |  Jimmy Weinert | Kawasaki | Report
3  | May 13  | Hialeah, Florida |  Gary Jones | Honda | Report
4  | May 20  | Olive Branch, Michigan  |  Jimmy Weinert  | Kawasaki  | Report
5  | June 2  | Atlanta, Georgia |  Marty Tripes | Honda  | Report
6  | June 10  | Adelphi, Ohio |  Gary Jones  | Honda  | Report
7  | June 17  | Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas  |  Gary Jones  | Honda  | Report
8  | July 1  | Tooele, Utah |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha | Report
9  | July 6  | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |  Marty Tripes  | Honda  | Report
10  | July 15  | Baldwin, Kansas |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
11  | July 22  | Delta, Ohio |  John DeSoto | ČZ | Report
12  | July 29  | Unadilla, New York |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | Report
13  | August 12  | Lake Whitney Ranch, Texas  |  Tim Hart  | Yamaha  | Report
14  | August 18  | Pocono, Pennsylvania |  Rich Thorwaldson  | Suzuki  | Report
15  | August 26  | Sligo, Kentucky  |  Gary Jones  | Honda  | Report
16  | September 1  | Alabama International Motor Speedway |  Gary Jones  | Honda  | Report
17  | September 9  | New Orleans, Louisiana |  Gary Jones  | Honda  | Report

[5]

## Final standings

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| 500cc[7]

Pos  | Rider  | Team  | Points
1  |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha | 2659
2  |  Mike Runyard  | Suzuki | 1427
3  |  Peter Lamppu  | Kawasaki | 1126
4  |  Gary Semics  | Husqvarna | 1079
5  |  Brad Lackey | Kawasaki  | 999
6  |  Tim Hart  | Yamaha  | 888
7  |  Rich Thorwaldson  | Suzuki  | 769
8  |  Mike Hartwig  | Husqvarna  | 756
9  |  Tony DiStefano | ČZ | 566
10  |  Wyman Priddy  | Kawasaki  | 539
| 250cc[7]

Pos  | Rider  | Team  | Points
1  |  Gary Jones | Honda | 1445
2  |  Rich Thorwaldson  | Suzuki | 1086
3  |  Bob Grossi  | Husqvarna | 900
4  |  Jimmy Weinert | Kawasaki | 878
5  |  Tim Hart  | Yamaha | 710
6  |  Marty Tripes | Honda  | 603
7  |  Pierre Karsmakers  | Yamaha  | 494
8  |  Gary Chaplin  | Maico | 486
9  |  Dewayne Jones  | Honda  | 485
10  |  Jim Pomeroy | Bultaco | 465

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f "1973 Motocross Season". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
2. ^ a b "Pierre Karsmakers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
3. ^ a b "Jimmy Weinert at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
4. ^ "Gary Jones at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
5. ^ a b "1973 AMA Motocross National Championship results". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
6. ^ Assoc, American Motorcyclist (February 1982). "Trans-AMA Motocross Records". Retrieved 28 November 2018.
7. ^ a b "1973 AMA Motocross National Championship overall standings". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 15 February 2016.

## External links

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* AMA Motocross web site Archived 2016-02-13 at the Wayback Machine
* Motocross National Championship web site Archived 2016-02-11 at the Wayback Machine