Daytona (MX)
Daytona International Speedway
The Daytona AMA Pro Motocross race was the opener of the 1973 season and held inside Daytona International Speedway. Before ’73, the race was part of the Florida Winter-AM series. If you’re looking for the Daytona Supercross history page, please click here.
Fast Facts
Gary Bailey, the Daytona track builder, was also still a professional motocross rider when he led the opening laps of the 1973 Pro Motocross season in the 250 class. Bailey battled both eventual moto winner, Jimmy Weinert and Bob Grossi.
The second moto was shortened because of looming darkness. Grossi started up front while Weinert battled his way forward from a bad start. By the time Weinert caught Grossi, it was too late. He finished about 20-ft. behind. Grossi’s 2-1 beat the Jammer’s 1-2.
Pierre Karsmakers (1-2) was the class of the field in the 500cc class. John DeSoto put his Kawasaki up front early with an excellent start, but once Karsmakers caught up, it was game over. DeSoto’s motor blew after he lost the lead, leaving the Dutch racer alone out front.
Karsmakers was content in second place in the second moto. Pushing to get near the front, he eventually settled behind Brad Lackey (7-1) to win the overall. Lackey finished third. The planned third moto was called cancelled due to darkness.
Before it was the Daytona Supercross (or even Motocross), this race was the final round of the Winter-AMA Series. It was a ‘loose program’. Practice started over an hour late, heats were cut down and the AMA needed to get the whole thing over with because they still had a 250cc road race to run that same day.
Gunnar Lindstrom won the 250 winner, Bryan Kenney won Open. Gary Bailey designed the course (and finished 3rd overall in 250cc).
Venue
Daytona International Speedway: while every single race has been held within the 180-acre DIS infield (which is surrounded by the 2.5-mile Superspeedway course) the location of the MX/SX tracks within moved around in the early years. In 1971, the track was laid out in the horseshoe area of the road course, near Lake Lloyd.
By 1974, the course was in the tri-oval infield but the layout was so long that the track crossed the uncovered asphalt of pit lane road, stretching further from spectator view. That practice continued into the early 1980s.
This interactive table below details the stats for the 1973 Daytona Motocross, which was the only year an official round of Pro Motocross was held.
All-Time Leaders
This interactive table details the Daytona winner history; who won in what year and what round was this venue.
Winner History
Full race results from the 1973 Daytona MX, the one race that was part of the Pro Motocross Championship.