Gary Jones

Gary Jones (born April 22, 1952) is an American former professional motocross and desert racer. He competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 1971 to 1976. Jones is notable for winning the inaugural AMA 250cc motocross national championship in 1972. Jones then successfully defended his national championship in 1973 and 1974, winning three consecutive 250cc motocross national championships while competing on three different brands of motorcycles, a feat which has never been repeated in AMA motocross history. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000. Growing up in a motorcycle salvage yard meant that Jones and his brother Dewayne became adept at fabricating parts and modifying motorcycles. They never received new motorcycles as, their father told them that if they wanted a motorcycle, they could cobble one together from parts. His first motorcycle was a 125cc Villiers-Dot that he shared with his brother. He also competed in motorcycle speedway races riding a J.A.P. motorcycle.

The Jones family's modifications proved to be so successful that his race results came to the attention of the Yamaha factory who asked to take their motorcycle back to Japan for testing. The motorcycle that Jones and his father developed helped to further the development of motocross bikes in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and was to become the basis for the YZ range of models.

Although there was no American motocross championship series in 1971, Jones is recognized as the 250cc National Champion by virtue of being the top-placed American rider in the 1971 Inter-AMA motocross series which featured European riders touring America after the European-based World Championship season had ended. Some of the European competitors included; Torleif Hansen, Arne Kring, Gunnar Lindstrom, Dave Bickers, and four-time FIM 250cc World Champion Torsten Hallman. At the time, it was considered a significant accomplishment for an American rider to finish among the top five against the more experienced European competitors.

At the first race of the series in Boise, Idaho, Jones defeated former world champions Hallman and Bickers to win all three races.

Jones and Hallman fought for the championship points lead until the final race of the series when Jones prevailed ahead of Hallman and third-place finisher, Arne Kring. Also in 1972, Jones travelled to Europe as a member of the first American team to compete in the Motocross des Nations event.

When Honda failed to provide Jones with a 500cc motorcycle for the 1973 Trans-AMA series, he purchased a Maico motorcycle and raced it with all the badges removed while wearing his Honda team apparel. This act provoked Honda to end their association with the Jones family.

Can-Am team and third championship Jones was then contracted by the Bombardier Corporation (manufacturer of Ski-Doo snowmobiles), to race for their recently formed Can-Am motorcycle division. Dutch rider Pierre Karsmakers had competed in the 1973 AMA National Championship under an AMA license and was controversially declared the "Top American" finisher in the 1973 Trans-AMA motocross series. In response to the controversy, the AMA implemented a new rule stating that foreign riders must reside in the United States for at least two years before they were eligible to earn points in the American national championships. Karsmakers had been prepared to compete against Jones for the 1974 250cc National Championship, but the new rule would exclude him from being registered in the points standings. Their intent was to achieve sales success by having Jones compete aboard the motorcycles in the AMA motocross national championship. The Jones family significantly improved the Ammex over the previous Cooper model. He also won the Mint 400.

Having retired from professional competition, Jones continues his involvement in the sport by working for motorcycle accessory companies and as a test rider for motorcycle magazines. He competes in motocross and desert races, winning World Vet Championships several times. In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and, in 2004 he was inducted into the Motocross Walk Of Fame. The AMA named the championship trophy for winning 250 National Motocross Championship, the Gary Jones Cup, in his honor.