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Gary Nixon

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Gary Nixon
Nixon with the Daytona 200 winner's trophy
NationalityAmerican
Born(1941-01-25)January 25, 1941
Anadarko, Oklahoma
DiedAugust 5, 2011(2011-08-05) (aged 70)
Baltimore, Maryland

Gary Nixon (January 25, 1941 – August 5, 2011) was an American professional motorcycle racer who most notably won the A.M.A. Grand National Championship in 1967 and 1968 as a member of the Triumph factory racing team.[1] He was also the winner of the 1967 Daytona 200 motorcycle race on a 500cc Triumph Daytona.[2]

Nixon was also known for his partnership with legendary tuner Erv Kanemoto when they won the 1973 U.S. National Road Racing Championship for Kawasaki.[1] He competed at the international level in the 1976 Formula 750 championship, laying claim to the Formula 750 world championship on a modified Kawasaki KR750 until international politics denied him that prize.[3][4][5]

He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003.[1][6] He last resided in Maryland and participated in vintage motorcycle racing as well as testing motorcycles for the locally produced syndicated public TV automotive review program MotorWeek.

Nixon suffered a heart attack on July 29, 2011 and died in Baltimore, Maryland on August 5 from complications.[7] He was 70.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Gary Nixon at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Daytona 200 winners". motorsportsetc.com. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  3. ^ "Gary Nixon' Kawasaki KR750". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  4. ^ Nixon Loses FIM Appeal and F750 World Championship. January 1977. Retrieved 15 December 2012. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. ^ DeWitt, Norman L. (2010). Grand Prix Motorcycle Racers: The American Heroes. Books.Google.com. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  6. ^ Gary Nixon at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  7. ^ Swarts, David. "R.I.P. Gary Nixon". Roadracing World. Retrieved August 5, 2011.