The 1974 AMA Motocross Championship season was the 3rd AMA Motocross National Championship season.
Summary The AMA Motocross continued to expand in 1974 with the addition of the 125cc class. The AMA made a controversial decision allowing only American citizens to compete for the motocross national championship. The decision would exclude the defending 500cc national champion Dutchman Pierre Karsmakers who, was credited with helping raise the level of American motocross by stressing the importance of physical fitness and machine preparation.
Although he was excluded from the overall results, Karsmakers competed for Yamaha in the 250cc class and won three of the nine rounds. Despite not having won a race overall, Can-Am's Gary Jones rode consistently to secure his third consecutive 250cc national championship riding three different brands of motorcycles. Can-Am hired second-ranked Marty Tripes away from the Husqvarna team before the last race of the season. With Can-Am rider Jimmy Ellis finishing the season ranked third, Can-Am would sweep the top three positions in the 250cc national championship although, Tripes rode most of the season for Husqvarna.
In the 500cc national championship, privateer rider Tony DiStefano led the championship for most of the year on a ČZ before an injury relegated him to second place behind Kawasaki factory rider Jimmy Weinert. The Honda factory team dominated the inaugural 125cc championship with rider Marty Smith leading a Honda sweep of the top four positions.
Nationals Round Date Location 500cc 250cc 125cc ReportWinnerTeamWinnerTeamWinnerTeam 1 April 8 Rancho Cordova, California Mike Hartwig Yamaha Billy Grossi Honda Marty Smith Honda Report 2 April 14 Moorpark, California Tony DiStefano ČZ Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha Report 3 April 28 Buchanan, Michigan Mike Hartwig Yamaha Kenny Zahrt Bultaco Report 4 May 5 Bruceton Mills, West Virginia Tony DiStefano ČZ Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha Report 5 May 19 Hamersville, Ohio Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki Pierre Karsmakers Yamaha Report 6 June 30 Salt Lake City, Utah Marty Smith Honda Report 7 July 6 Baldwin, Kansas Jimmy Ellis Can-Am Report 8 July 21 Lexington, Ohio Tim Hart Yamaha Report 9 August 11 Delta, Ohio Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki Jimmy Ellis Can-Am Report 10 August 18 Mexico, New York Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki Marty Tripes Husqvarna Report 11 August 25 Hillsboro, Ohio Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki Jimmy Ellis Can-Am Report 12 September 2 New Orleans, Louisiana Gary Semics Husqvarna Kent Howerton Husqvarna Report
Final standings
500ccPosRiderTeamPoints 1 Jimmy Weinert Kawasaki900 2 Tony DiStefano ČZ780 3 Steve Stackable Maico680 4 Gary Semics Husqvarna620 5 Mike Hartwig Yamaha507 6 Bryar Holcomb Bultaco/Maico395 7 Terry Clark Husqvarna295 8 Rex Staten Maico257 9 Gary Chaplin Maico200 10 Mike Runyard Suzuki174
250ccPosRiderTeamPoints 1 Gary Jones Can-Am800 2 Marty Tripes Husqvarna/Can-Am576 3 Jimmy Ellis Can-Am430 4 Rich Thorwaldson Suzuki430 5 Billy Grossi Honda390 6 Kent Howerton Husqvarna367 7 Peter Lamppu Montesa315 8 Frank Stacy Maico285 9 Kenny Zahrt Bultaco257 10 Ron Pomeroy Bultaco254
125ccPosRiderTeamPoints 1 Marty Smith Honda420 2 Bruce McDougal Honda240 3 Chuck Bower Honda235 4 Mikey Boone Honda200 5 Tim Hart Yamaha196 6 Jimmy Ellis Can-Am167 7 Jeff Foland Honda153 8 Dan Turner Husqvarna/Honda126 9 Robert Haag Husqvarna100 10 Vincent Clark Suzuki94
See also 1974 FIM Motocross World Championship 1974 Trans-AMA motocross series
References
External links AMA Motocross web site Motocross National Championship web site