FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Gary Nixon. I am very sadden to learn of the passing of one of the truly great flat track and road racing legends of our time. I have fond memories of seeing Gary Nixon race at the Orange County Fair grounds in upstate New York back in the sixties. My Dad who rode a Triumph Bonnieville use to take us kids to the fair grounds to watch the flat track races. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I watched Mr. Nixon dominate the field and win the 1/2 mile expert class beating Denny and Larry Palmgren and The Flying Farmer, George Roader. Mr. Nixon won by the length of the front straight that afternoon. When Al Knapp ( The starter ) handed Mr. Nixon the checkered flag, he tucked it under this right arm and proceeded to ride a wheelie around the entire length of the track! The crowd went wild.. I was in awe. That day has been forever etched into my mind. His white and blue Triumph and matching helmet reflected in the sunlight. I can still see him sliding sideways through the corners, the dirt flying as his steal shoe slid along the track, tucked in across the tank his left hand holding on the front fork tube,his right hand holding the throttle wide open, running flat out! He was the best! Thank you Mr Nixon. It was an honor to watch you race… Rest in peace… Patrick A. Murphy Jr. Highland, New York FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I first raced with Gary in the 1969 rain-postponed-for-a-week Daytona 200. I was quite new in the US and somewhat in awe of the big name US National riders I had read about while still in the UK, but now I was racing primarily in AFM events in California for Yamaha via the Al Fergoda Yamaha factory supported dealer in SF. But although a seasoned Scottish, Irish and North of England rider, and an FIM Geneva International license holder, I was certainly able to go racing with an edge in California, but not so as I quickly found out when I rode in an AMA National for the first time. I was immediately impressed with this particular guy’s road racing ability on his 500cc factory Triumph which I was able to smoke on the banking with my 350 factory supported Yamaha, but he would be right with me as soon as we entered the infield section again. I would dice with him in the infield every lap, sometimes he led, and others I did, until we got to the banking again, and I would disappear into the distance. I, of course, knew he was the National Champion and that he was giving it everything he had to stay with the rapid 350 Yamaha, but the Triumph was no match. He methodically stalked me and I eventually made a mistake coming onto the banking. I dropped the bike and ended up in Halifax Hospital with no front teeth and a need for facial plastic surgery – the last time I wore an open-faced helmet, by the way. Sadly, my debris and petroil cost Ron Pierce the race I believe, when he encountered this on the following lap and dropped his bike also when in contention. I went on to become the AFM number one in 1970, and did have other chances to race against Gary again, Daytona on an H1R Kawasaki and Ontario on an early Pops Yoshimura Honda, but I never again got close to dicing with him like we did in the 1969 race. I will cherish his memory. I am 74 now and never thought I would make it this far, and I certainly never thought that I would outlive this really tough, stylish road racing icon of my generation. Davie Scott AFM #1 (1970) Concord, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I was greatly saddened to hear the news of Gary’s death. I first met Gary when I worked at Mallory Park race circuit in the 1990s. Gary, along with both Jay Springsteen and David Aldana, travelled over to race in our ‘Past Masters’ series on modern Triumphs. I subsequently met him at Daytona Speed Week when we were trying to bring the BMW series over to the UK. Gary was a racer through and through and loved the sport dearly. He was also a tough old cookie, as proved when he took a tumble at Mallory and needed to spend a few days in Leicester Hospital! The guy in the bed next to him was a road rider (also injured), who couldn’t believe who was sharing the ward – it was only when I confirmed who he was that he believed it. Over the last few years our contact was the occasional e-mail or phone call. I will miss the ‘Hey Dave’ greeting. Condolences to Gary’s family and to all those who raced, worked with and watched #9. David Overend Woodmill, Staffordshire, England FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I never met Gary Nixon only admired him from a distance and was one of the recipients of a “men, how are ya doin’ today?” greeting in the pits at some long-ago Daytona Speed Week…70’s likely. Although he finished his career as a road race specialist, he was from the era where winning an AMA National title meant excelling at dirt track/ flat track and road racing in my mind a golden age of motorcycle racing. There are a few things that stand out in my mind. I’m not sure if I have the right person here, but one of them was a Daytona story…something about rental VW’s floating out in the Atlantic after some daring beach “motoring.” If that’s a true story we’ll leave it at that to protect the guilty. Those years were also a time of changing motorcycle technology which made it even more interesting for the motorcycle enthusiast and challenging for the racers. I used to travel the country with a privateer motorcycle road racing friend, the late Bob Wakefield. In those days Gary was one of the guys to watch and emulate. He was at the top of his game. Speaking of which, there was a perhaps not well understood phenomenon of two-wheeled vehicle dynamics that people could not quite articulate let alone do, but which Gary was able to do quite well. It has been described by some as the “hook turn” to corner entry, and he did this particularly well at Laconia (Loudon). I can barely remember this let alone describe it, but believe it was a manifestation of what is today called trailing braking…braking into the corner, which meant simultaneous late breaking and turn-in. (I guess we could ask Kevin Cameron about this.) At any rate, Gary was able to do it, and to his advantage…while most didn’t know what it was. Another and final thing that I had heard about Gary was that, at some point later in life (after racing or not…I don’t know), he acquired a greater faith in God; this was inspiring and encouraging to me, because in those days – and to this day – motorcycle road racers remain heroes in my mind (and I’m sure in the minds of many motorsport fans in general), so hopefully his life was inspirational in this manner also. Motorcycle road racers are a rare breed they practice a craft of incredible skill, courage, and artistic athleticism – and unlike most athletes (or even racers) they really put their lives on the line at each race, and the great ones are so good at it one doesn’t feel they are taking risks at all. These qualities seem to overflow into the kind of person they are, or the quality of the kind of person they are overflows into this form of racing. In any case Gary is one of the best. Sincere condolences to family and friends, Bill Ellison Indianapolis, Indiana