Comments on: Remembering Gary Nixon (News)

By: Dale

Dale — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:18:36 +0000

I was there! Talk about Isle of Mann dangerous though…

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By: Kent

Kent — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:45:08 +0000

Three of the five racers in that photo are no longer with us. Cliff Carr, Barry Sheene and now Gary Nixon.

The starting line in Heaven is starting to fill up!

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By: Greg Mullendore

Greg Mullendore — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:32:41 +0000

Gary Nixon was my inspiration. I remember him going on the inside at the Tobacco Trail Classic in Maryland, passing Mert Lawill, who was on a bigger cu. in. Harley. When I returned from ‘Nam, I began racing open class motocross, and used the number “9.0″, which is as close as I could come to Gary’s National #9 before he got the #1 plate. I rode on the Highway Patrol for 20 years, and always looked up to him. My brightest memory, was as a kid in high school, dreaming about TT Triumphs and at Freestate Cycle in Wheaton, Maryland. Someone said, “Gary Nixon’s in the alley doing wheelies!” All we could see in the dark was a taillight dipping low as the engine roared, and the headlight reaching for the Heavens….. precisely where he is right now. God bless Gary Nixon.

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By: acb

acb — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:13:42 +0000

it’s actually Bart Markel (Black Bart). spent his career on Harleys. great rider also.

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By: Goose

Goose — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:54:16 +0000

Who is Bart Merkel? Fred’s older brother?

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By: Dale

Dale — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 02:35:41 +0000

Gary Nixon was one of the “Hero’s” of my youth.

Memory one, Gary on the “Green Meanie” Kawasaki Triple at Laguna Seca (74/75?). Turn 9 was the tight left coming onto the front straight back then and lap after lap Gary carrying the rear tire a couple of hundred feet on braking… running in the “lead pack”, I was spellbound. I remember him saying that “knee-in, knee-out didn’t matter to him whatever was faster for a certain corner” Gary was mostly the knees on tank style Road Racer but whatever it took! First time I saw Anyone doing a “stoppie” was Gary Nixon, live. Lap after lap after lap…

Memory two, Gary Nixon, post 170 MPH Daytona crash, changing his shirt… A sobering experience for a future World Champion wannabe at the time.

Motorcycle Road Racing at the time was even more dangerous than today, most of the tracks and the protective equipment have greatly improved safety. I remember watching Stevie Baker hit the boiler plate outside turn nine at Riverside, the infamous armco barriers… So Many of the Greats had short careers and/or lives…

I have other memories of Gary but those two stand out.

I say “Well done Mr Nixon for living an apparently Full and Rich life, as a MAN”.

R.I.P. and my condolences to his Family and Friends.

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By: Duncan

Duncan — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:49:00 +0000

I saw Gary with Cal Rayborn, Aldna and the rest of the US team a Bunch of times in the early 70′s at the Easter US-GB races at tracks such as Oulton Park and Mallory Park. Every one of them could really road race. That was pure racing at its best.
RIP Gary…. but as usual Barry Sheen beat you to the big race in the sky.

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By: bipedal

bipedal — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:30:18 +0000

I think you were thinking of Bart Merkel instead of Fred, Fred was about 5 years old in the middle sixties. RIP Gary

By: Patrick A. Murphy Jr

Patrick A. Murphy Jr — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 01:24:07 +0000

Gary Nixon
I am very saddened 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 Mr. Nixon race at the Orange County Fair Ground in upstate New york back in the Sixties.My Dad who road a triumph Bonnieville use to take us kids to the fair ground to watch the flat track races. On a sunny Saturday afternoon,I watched Mr. Nixon dominate the field and win the half mile expert class beating Danny 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 under his 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 plate slid along the the track, tucked in across the tank his left hand holding the front fork tube, his right hand holding the throttle wide open, running flat out ! He was the greatest rider I ever saw ! He was the best !
Thank you Mr Nixon.It was a honor to have watched you race. Rest in peace. #9. #1

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By: Goose

Goose — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:14:47 +0000

Good idea but if you really want to honor Nixon and his generation you should bring lots of booze and party like wild men, maybe find a blue collar dive bar, crash some rental cars and/ or find some “broads” to chase instead of camping.

Nixon, Black Bart Markel, even that young punk Kenny Roberts were hard living, hard racing real deal tough guys. Most of us (me as an example) can’t hold a candle to their toughness on and off the track.

I think take my mountain bike for a ride and watch On Any Sunday tonight.

Mr. Nixon, I will miss you.

Goose

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