Landracing Forum

Misc Forums => Health, Welfare, and Passings => Topic started by: 1212FBGS on August 05, 2011, 08:29:03 PM

Title: #9 passes
Post by: 1212FBGS on August 05, 2011, 08:29:03 PM

Not sure if you guys follow American dirt track or road racing of the past ... But a good friend and motorcycle legend Gary Nixon passed away this morning... Gary has survived many crashes in his career and even had a tree fall on him breaking a leg earlier this year, one tough bugger... but Gary had a heart attack last weekend and didn't make it back out of the hospital.....
Kent

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: saltwheels262 on August 05, 2011, 09:00:15 PM

saw his pic and a short bio on him 2 sundays ago at
ama hall of fame.

I'm pretty sure he was on an x r 750.

godspeed.

franey

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: RidgeRunner on August 05, 2011, 09:04:54 PM

Thanks for posting.  Not the news anyone really wants to hear but it brought back many good memories of watching him on both dirt and pavement.  IIRC 3 National wins at Louden on 3 different brands among his many achivements and Championships.  One of the greatest of the day and did it all for peanuts compared to what the riders started getting in both bucks and traveling/living conditions just a few short years later.

Ed

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: ol38y on August 06, 2011, 09:25:50 AM

RIP and Godspeed Gary.

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: dw230 on August 06, 2011, 10:04:31 AM

I met #9 once. He came to my Dad's shop when he was in town to race at Ascot. Larry Cresse, my Dad's shop foreman, was also a flat track racer. Larry is now the first C at Tri C restoration/hot rod shop.

God Speed Larry,
DW

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: fredvance on August 06, 2011, 10:14:22 AM

Godspeed Gary, another of my hero's  gone.

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: bak189 on August 06, 2011, 11:53:27 AM

In addition to being a great dirt track rider, Gary was also a outstanding roadracer....when he was racing the World 750c.c. series back in the 1970's he had enough points to be the World Champion in that series
but due to FIM politics.... he got "srewed" out of the championship. When I was doing sidecar roadracing in Europe at that time I pitted at many of the meets with Gary.  A race at Belgiums
Neville circuit .....Gary won the race going away....but they did not have the American National Anthem
to play for him on the presentation stand....they did not expect a American to Win in those days........
In the 1950's when I raced the AMA race at Dodge City (on a solo bike) there was this red headed kid racing a Tri. Cub......the beginning of Gary's outstanding racing career..............................................

RIP, Gary

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: dw230 on August 06, 2011, 01:21:00 PM

I was sent a PM by Stan,

I did indeed to mean to write:

God Speed Gary. Did not mean to prematurely forcast the passing of my friend Larry.

DW

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: saltwheels262 on October 16, 2011, 09:16:04 AM

there is an article ( short bio and obit ) on gary nixon
in cycle world magazine -11/11.

franey

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: sabat on October 16, 2011, 10:22:38 AM

RIP

Tribute video;

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkemvk_hommage-a-gary-nixon_auto

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: SPARKY on October 16, 2011, 11:58:35 AM

Great !!!! :cheers:

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: WOODY@DDLLC on October 16, 2011, 05:19:57 PM

In 1966 Mert Lawwill was leading the Springfield mile with one lap to go and his HD died. There were four guys in second place that you could cover with a blanket and the lead changed almost every corner - but #9 prevailed! The BESTUS race I ever die SEE!  :cheers:

http://www.vft.org/Magazines/MagPageSpringfield1966Mile.html

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/

Title: Re: #9 passes
Post by: Freud on October 16, 2011, 08:48:42 PM

Just inside the front door of Barber Motorsports Museum: Birmingham, Alabama.

He was good in the dirt and excellent on pavement. Tough loss.

FREUD