Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125498
A tim tIIm full of Ezperts, _d Ill. 100, p.d (W) Roe a,.,t, (10) .... Daft, (2) DIck - . . (3) a R_p1zabl. I. III. _1.1 pack, " - IIIl, •• (110) 11.1 It. . . (53) Gen1 Seqllfo, (22) 11M Hau" (91) Bob SIIolly, (13) G.rl. ~..,. RoeIIIII, (7) Rod Plok, (55) AIl_ HolI." NIXON TRIUMPHS (& YAMAHAS) •••• H-D TAKES ONE AND .HONDA SET A RECORD···· Pbolos by BeD Hall & ooartesy of Daytoaa Ildemalioaal SPeedway. Thirty years ~ abey held abe first DaytoDa racezs aad tIIey are still sliglaUy re._berecL TIle 1961 races will be IODg rtBemberecL gvery race a1 tile faaed Daytoa laterJl&lioDal Speedway took Da abe look of a did tract trophy dash at ODe be or aaother•. Stars ot the speedway were many There were four 250cc heat races. 11I1rd plac. tlD.III. ~ID RoDdDr (H-D) clIDc:ks OIl bls colllllDtltlDllo ,. backpltald Z'" CM Is DDt of tile rallll1lle- lIeIow: 111_ .d H_ _ r, Y_aIla .. SuDbI, IIacIl _d for1ll, _ell .d IDe J'" with riders such as Nixon, Hammer. Elmore, Nix. Fulton, Odom, Winters, Stephens and Ron Muir the true headliners ot the outstanding week of racing. Yamaha and Triumph were the class of the field with surprise showing by Honda and Kawasaki. U the name field bad to be narrowed then it was Gary Nixon and Dick Hammer. all the wllY. These two riders pUt on a riding di~ plllY never before seen in America on dirt or pavement. not one, but two straight days!! Records F&11 Ni_ made mel.e bJstory by ~ IDe tile Ilrst rider to ev~ wiD bolla llae 2:M1cc I1pt_tcIlt 11O-Ddler IIIId tbe bte bike 2080adle Nali~ OD the _ weelleod. He _a tbem bolla ID record UIIIes witb H_~ l1elat lIa~e and comIDe lIII willa a pair of aeaMDisses. From the opening sportsmen races on Wednesday right down to tbe final nag on SUndllY it was ultra-elass racing as never before seen On these shores. Nixon and Hammer first gave many foreign visitors a look at what American riders can really do with the right weapons on Saturday. Nixon bombed his way to a 250cc beat race win but Hammer dropped out of his beat race with minor carburetion problems and had to line DP for the 100mile f1nal back in 80th starting position - row 16 for National Number 16. each for five lapS to eliminate down to the 80 fastest riders. The first 20 from each heat made the final. Yamaha riders. Nixon, Mike Duff, Norm stovall and amateur Frank Camilleri&, were the four winners with Nixon setting a new five-lap record with an average speed ~ 97.482 mph. Duff clocked the second best average with 94.859 mph. Nixon jUJDjled right in to the lead in the 27-laP feature with Duff in bot pursuit. The Canadian ace caught and passed Gary on lap three and also led at the end of four. Nixon regained the lead on lap five with Haaner coming all the WllY DP to cross the line in 9th place!! Duff Has Trouble Nixon started cranking on with Duff dropping back. Mike finally went ont of the race on lap seven with ignition problems. Harmner was now 5th. Defending chamP. Bobby Winters, took over second wben Duff dropped out and beld it until be was passed bY Hammer and the SUZUki on lap 17. Nixon beld an eight second lead at this point. The race was on between these two fine riders wi th Harmner cutting the lead bY two seconds a lap until be caught and passed Nixon on laP 22. Gary came right back to take the lead as tbey crossed the line to start lap 23. It was a wbeeHo-wheel duel the (Coat1Daed lID pace 6)