The 1970 Trans-AMA motocross series was an international series established by the American Motorcyclist Association as a pilot event to help establish motocross in the United States.[1][2] The motocross series was an invitational based on a combined 250 and 500cc engine displacement formula, run on American tracks featuring the top riders from the F.I.M. world championship against the top American riders.
BSA factory rider Dave Nicoll claimed the championship without winning a single event, due to his consistent results. The Suzuki team of Joel Robert and Olle Petterson didn't join the event until the third race of the series. Robert went on to dominate, but his late start hurt his chances to claim the overall championship. As a result of his being the highest placed American rider at fourth overall, Dick Burleson, was crowned the first-ever American motocross national champion.
1970 Trans-AMA final standings edit
| Place | Rider | Country | Team | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA | 4550 | 0 |
| 2 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA | 4535 | 0 |
| 3 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA | 4515 | 2 |
| 4 |  Dick Burleson
|
United States | Husqvarna | 3925 | 0 |
| 5 | Bryan Kenney
|
United States | Husqvarna | 3760 | 0 |
| 6 |  Gunnar Lindstrom
|
Sweden | Husqvarna | 3675 | 0 |
| 7 |  Joel Robert
|
Belgium | Suzuki | 3590 | 6 |
| 8 | Olle Petterson
|
Sweden | Suzuki | 3360 | 0 |
| 9 | Keith Hickman
|
United Kingdom | BSA | 3350 | 0 |
| 10 | Sonny DeFeo
|
United States | ČZ | 3345 | 0 |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 1 edit
LaRue, Ohio (250cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 2 | Gunnar Lindstrom
|
Sweden | Husqvarna |
| 3 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 5 | Bob Thompson
|
United States | Ossa |
| 6 | Jimmy Weinert
|
United States | ČZ |
| 7 | Bryan Kenney
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 8 | Dick Burleson
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 9 | David Aldana
|
United States | BSA |
| 10 | Wyman Priddy
|
United States | Bultaco |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 2 edit
Unadilla, New York (250cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 2 | Keith Hickman
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 3 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 5 | Peter Lamppu
|
United States | Montesa |
| 6 | Bob Thompson
|
United States | Ossa |
| 7 | Bryan Kenney
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 8 | Dick Burleson
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 9 | Jimmy Weinert
|
United States | ČZ |
| 10 |  Ron Keyes
|
Canada | ČZ |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 3 edit
Delta, Ohio (500cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Robert
|
Belgium | Suzuki |
| 2 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 3 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 5 | Keith Hickman
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 6 | Gunnar Lindstrom
|
Sweden | Husqvarna |
| 7 | Olle Pettersson
|
Sweden | Suzuki |
| 8 | Brad Lackey
|
United States | ČZ |
| 9 | Bryan Kenney
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 10 | Doug Rodrigues
|
United States | ČZ |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 4 edit
Franklin, Georgia (500cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Robert
|
Belgium | Suzuki |
| 2 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 3 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | Olle Pettersson
|
Sweden | Suzuki |
| 5 | Keith Hickman
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 6 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 7 | Jimmy Weinert
|
United States | ČZ |
| 8 | Sonny DeFeo
|
United States | ČZ |
| 9 | Bryan Kenney
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 10 | Dick Burleson
|
United States | Husqvarna |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 5 edit
Lewisville, Texas (250cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Robert
|
Belgium | Suzuki |
| 2 | Olle Pettersson
|
Sweden | Suzuki |
| 3 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 5 | Gunnar Lindstrom
|
Sweden | Husqvarna |
| 6 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 7 | Brad Lackey
|
United States | ČZ |
| 8 | Dick Burleson
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 9 | Sonny DeFeo
|
United States | ČZ |
| 10 | Tom Rapp
|
United States | Bultaco |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 6 edit
Irvine, California (500cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Robert
|
Belgium | Suzuki |
| 2 | Olle Pettersson
|
Sweden | Suzuki |
| 3 | Keith Hickman
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 5 | Gunnar Lindstrom
|
Sweden | Husqvarna |
| 6 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 7 | Bill Clements
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 8 | Gary Harris
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 9 | Dick Burleson
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 10 | Jim O'Neal
|
United States | ČZ |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 7 edit
Carlsbad, California (250cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Robert
|
Belgium | Suzuki |
| 2 | Malcolm Davis
|
United Kingdom | AJS |
| 3 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | Olle Petterson
|
Sweden | Suzuki |
| 5 | Gunnar Lindstrom
|
Sweden | Husqvarna |
| 6 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 7 | Keith Hickman
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 8 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 9 | Gary Bailey
|
United States | Greeves |
| 10 | Peter Lamppu
|
United States | Montesa |
1970 Trans-AMA Round 8 edit
Puyallup, Washington (500cc)
| Place | Rider | Country | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Robert
|
Belgium | Suzuki |
| 2 | Gunnar Lindstrom
|
Sweden | Husqvarna |
| 3 | Jeff Smith
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 4 | John Banks
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 5 | Dave Nicoll
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 6 | Keith Hickman
|
United Kingdom | BSA |
| 7 | Sonny DeFeo
|
United States | ČZ |
| 8 | Malcolm Davis
|
United Kingdom | AJS |
| 9 | Bryan Kenney
|
United States | Husqvarna |
| 10 | Olle Pettersson
|
Sweden | Suzuki |
References edit
- ^ a b Youngblood, Ed (December 1970). Trans-AMA: A Pilot Program For International Activity. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ a b Youngblood, Ed (January 1971). Burleson, Nicoll Champions Of AMA's Pilot Project For International Activity. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help)