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. 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. Karsmakers is credited with helping raise the level of American motocross by stressing the importance of physical fitness and machine preparation. 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 Rio Bravo MX Park in Houston Texas. His victory showed that the level of American motocross had begun to compare with the level of European motocross.
As in the 1972 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. 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. He did so successfully to win his second consecutive 250cc national title. When Honda failed to provide Jones with a 500cc motorcycle for the 1973 Trans-AMA series, he purchased a Maico motorcycle and raced it with all the badges removed while wearing his Honda team apparel. This act provoked Honda to end their association with Jones.
Nationals 500cc RoundDateLocationWinnerTeamReport 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 ReportSource:
Trans-AMA Series RoundDateLocationTop AmericanTeamReport 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 ReportSource:
250cc RoundDateLocationWinnerTeamReport 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 ReportSource:
Final standings 500cc Pos Rider Machine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Pts 1 Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha 1 3 1 1 1 13 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 5 1 3 15 1 1 6 1 2,659 2 Mike Runyard Suzuki 2 5 5 1 8 2 2 7 1 3 14 3 13 5 6 6 8 13 7 5 11 6 1,427 3 Peter Lamppu Kawasaki 2 3 2 2 4 4 4 6 12 9 7 15 5 9 3 4 8 11 1,126 4 Gary Semics Husqvarna 6 10 2 6 4 6 3 8 5 12 7 6 16 3 7 4 4 5 9 14 8 1,079 5 Brad Lackey Kawasaki 3 3 1 16 10 1 17 16 5 1 11 11 8 3 3 999 6 Tim Hart Yamaha 3 2 4 2 3 6 8 2 2 17 7 769 7 Rich Thorwaldson Suzuki 8 6 6 8 14 7 3 4 3 1 2 888 8 Mike Hartwig Husqvarna 4 1 15 4 7 13 8 7 2 14 2 16 6 16 15 13 756 9 Tony DiStefano ČZ 8 9 13 8 14 9 5 5 6 6 5 15 4 12 7 11 14 11 20 14 566 10 Wyman Priddy Kawasaki 5 4 4 9 17 5 6 6 10 2 539 - Jim Cooke Kawasaki 9 5 8 4 11 8 11 14 9 13 17 16 15 9 12 - - Steve Stackable ČZ 6 9 3 11 13 10 18 15 13 6 6 12 4 - - Mark Blackwell Husqvarna 7 7 6 7 4 10 11 10 10 12 17 10 18 - - Robert Harris Bultaco 12 5 4 2 20 7 7 18 10 16 15 18 17 - - Gary Jones Maico 5 12 13 16 4 2 8 14 5 9 - - Sonny DeFeo Maico 12 11 14 8 9 15 11 20 14 13 7 16 - - John DeSoto ČZ 14 3 2 8 16 7 2 18 10 17 20 - - Tony Wynn Kawasaki 16 6 7 5 19 7 6 20 16 11 19 - - Jim Pomeroy Bultaco 4 3 2 4 8 9 - - Gary Chaplin Honda 17 5 9 17 12 15 10 9 12 19 5 - - Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki 18 20 3 1 2 1 - - Robert Tuggle Husqvarna 14 10 10 9 12 8 - - Jim West Husqvarna 14 13 7 4 10 - - Steve Hackney Husqvarna 11 12 8 14 7 - - John Borg Maico 7 20 20 - - Donald Smith ČZ 9 20 - - Jody Foust Husqvarna 10 12 - - David Stewart Maico 11 9 - - Fred Hanna Husqvarna 8 9 - - Jimmy Ellis Yamaha 3 - - Billy Grossi Yamaha 4 - - Mickey Boone Suzuki 3 - - Rex Staten Maico 2 19 -Sources only document the points awarded to the first ten competitors. Source: 250cc
Pos Rider Machine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pts 1 Gary Jones Honda 1 6 2 1 1 9 10 4 4 3 4 1 1 1 1,445 2 Rich Thorwaldson Suzuki 7 2 11 2 5 3 3 7 6 5 18 19 13 1 18 2 3 1,086 3 Bob Grossi Husqvarna 1 3 10 10 4 10 8 3 6 11 6 2 3 6 10 900 4 Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki 2 1 8 1 9 9 4 9 7 18 2 16 2 878 5 Tim Hart Yamaha 4 5 4 8 7 1 6 7 3 4 710 6 Marty Tripes Honda 2 9 1 5 6 1 8 13 10 603 7 Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha 1 7 1 17 1 494 8 Gary Chaplin Maico 5 2 10 10 17 6 2 19 5 7 486 9 DeWayne Jones Honda 5 4 4 4 8 2 16 13 20 13 17 12 485 10 Jim Pomeroy Bultaco 3 2 2 2 16 465 - John Franklin Maico 4 11 18 17 14 9 8 15 9 - - Bill Clements Husqvarna 7 15 4 17 7 12 11 12 - - Ricky Jordan ČZ 18 5 3 3 6 8 20 8 9 17 - - Rich Eierstedt Honda 9 8 7 15 5 14 5 2 5 5 - - John Borders Bultaco 6 8 4 13 7 - - Terry Clark Husqvarna 5 16 12 4 12 - - John DeSoto ČZ 12 20 3 1 - - Bruce Baron Honda 8 7 7 6 - - Brad Lackey Kawasaki 2 13 3 - - Carl Siegal Yamaha 13 6 15 6 - - Mike Runyard Suzuki 5 18 14 10 - - Scott Jordan Bultaco 16 6 11 12 - - Rick Baumberger Yamaha 12 16 15 10 9 - - Kent Howerton ČZ 6 4 6 - - John Joyner Montesa 5 12 18 - - Al Baker Kawasaki 8 11 3 - - Gary Semics Husqvarna 19 5 3 - - Greg Thornton Bultaco 9 11 20 8 - - Mark Harmon Honda 9 13 18 13 - - Robert Esterlein Husqvarna 19 13 10 15 - - David Clemence Bultaco 10 13 17 20 - - Gary Bailey Bultaco 3 10 - - Gary Ingham Maico 6 8 - - Robert Thompson Husqvarna 9 8 - - Jim West Husqvarna 13 4 - - Barry Higgins Yamaha 3 16 - - Joel Nicholson Honda 7 12 - - Ralph Holmburg ČZ 9 14 - - Chris Douthitt Husqvarna 11 10 - - James Wicks ČZ 20 10 20 - - Steve Stackable ČZ 8 17 - - Dewitt Knox Yamaha 5 - - Jack O'Leary Yamaha 7 - - John Savitski Bultaco 7 - - Cary Smith Bultaco 9 - - Frank Stacy ČZ 9 -Sources only document the points awarded to the first ten competitors. Source:
References
External links AMA Motocross web site Motocross National Championship web site