1971 Inter-AMA motocross series
The 1971 Inter-AMA motocross series was an international racing series established by the American Motorcyclist Association as a pilot event to help establish motocross in the United States. The six-round series replaced the previous Inter-AM Motocross Series promoted by the American distributor for Husqvarna Motorcycles Edison Dye.[1] The motocross series was an invitational based on a 250cc engine displacement formula, run on American tracks featuring some of the top competitors from the Motocross World Championships racing against the top American riders.[2]
ČZ factory team rider Vlastimil Válek won 4 out of 6 races to finish the series as the overall winner ahead of second place Dave Bickers (ČZ).[3] The third-place finisher, Gunnar Lindström (Husqvarna), was born in Sweden but was residing in the United States; therefore, he was given the First American title; however, Gary Jones (Yamaha) was the top American-born rider.[3][4] As the AMA Motocross Championship would not be established until 1972, Jones was crowned the U.S. 250 Motocross National Champion, based upon being the highest placed American born rider in the series.[5][6]
1971 Inter-AMA rounds
| Round | Date | Location | Overall Winner | Top American | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 June | Castaic, California |  Vlastimil Válek
|
Tom Rapp | |||
| 2 | 4 July | Denver, Colorado |  James Wicks
|
James Wicks | |||
| 3 | 11 July | Houston, Texas | Vlastimil Válek
|
Gunnar Lindström | |||
| 4 | 18 July | Orlando, Florida | Vlastimil Válek
|
Gunnar Lindström | |||
| 5 | 25 July | Linnville, Ohio |  Dave Bickers
|
Mark Blackwell | |||
| 6 | 1 August | New Berlin, New York | Vlastimil Válek
|
Peter Lamppu | |||
| Sources:[3] | |||||||
1971 Inter-AMA final standings
| Pos | Rider | Machine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pts | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vlastimil Válek
|
ČZ | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1,430 | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | Dave Bickers
|
ČZ | 3 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1,170 | |||||||||||||||
| 3 | Gunnar Lindström
|
Husqvarna | 2 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1,060 | ||||||||||||||
| 4 |  Jan-Erik Sallqvist
|
Husqvarna | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1,052 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Keith Franzen
|
Husqvarna | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 969 | ||||||||||||||
| 6 | Chris Horsfield
|
ČZ | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 596 | |||||||||||||||
| 7 | Gary Jones
|
Yamaha | 9 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 458 | |||||||||||||||
| 8 | Christer Lindblom
|
Husqvarna | 7 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 414 | ||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Jimmy Weinert
|
Maico | 4 | 5 | 380 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | James Wicks
|
Maico | 1 | 375 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Mark Blackwell
|
Husqvarna | 3 | 344 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Peter Lamppu
|
Montesa | 10 | 3 | 325 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | .svg.png){kind=small} Jos DeWit
|
Husqvarna | 9 | 7 | 290 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Jim West
|
Husqvarna | 9 | 9 | 287 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Bill Silverthorn
|
Husqvarna | 10 | 10 | 8 | 279 | |||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Gary Meyers
|
Husqvarna | 5 | 10 | 265 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Tom Rapp
|
Bultaco | 4 | 224 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Willie Dassen
|
Husqvarna | 178 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Barry Higgins
|
ČZ | 8 | 159 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Wyman Priddy
|
Husqvarna | 9 | 119 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sources:[3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
- List of Trans-AMA motocross champions
- 1971 FIM Motocross World Championship
- 1971 Trans-AMA motocross series
References
- ^ "Edison Dye at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ^ "SOLVING THE TRANS-AM, TRANS-AMA, INTER-AM, INTER-AMA AND TRANS-USA CONFUSION". motocrossactionmag.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- ^ a b c d American Motorcyclist Assoc (September 1971). "Válek, Lindstrom Top Inter-AMA".
- ^ "Gunnar Lindstrom at the AMA Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- ^ "Gary Jones at the AMA Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- ^ "First Americans". motocrossactionmag.com. Retrieved January 1, 2026.