# 1972 AMA Motocross National Championship season

The 1972 AMA Motocross Championship season was the 1st AMA Motocross National Championship season.

## Summary

1972 marked the inaugural year for the AMA Motocross National Championship. Brad Lackey dominated the 500cc class ahead of Gary Jones and Wyman Priddy. In 1972, after the season-ending 500cc race on September 2, American riders competing for the AMA national championship continued to accumulate points counting towards the national championship while they competed in the 1972 Trans-AMA motocross series which began on October 1 and hosted visiting European riders from the Motocross World Championship.
Jones claimed the 250cc championship ahead of his Yamaha teammate, Jimmy Weinert.

## Nationals
### 500cc

| Round | Date | Location | Winner | Team | Report |
| 1 | April 16 | Atlanta, Georgia | Barry Higgins | ČZ | Report |
| 2 | May 7 | Memphis, Tennessee | Barry Higgins | ČZ | Report |
| 3 | May 14 | Sacramento, California | Brad Lackey | ČZ | Report |
| 4 | May 21 | Orange, California | Brad Lackey | ČZ | Report |
| 5 | May 28 | Carlsbad, California | Brad Lackey | ČZ | Report |
| 6 | June 11 | Washington, Indiana | Wyman Priddy | ČZ | Report |
| 7 | June 18 | Tahoe Vista, California | Brad Lackey | ČZ | Report |
| 8 | September 2 | Alabama International Motor Speedway | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| Source: ||||||

#### Trans-AMA Series

| Round | Date | Location | Top American | Team | Report |
| 9 | October 1 | Linnville, Ohio | Bryan Kenney | Maico | Report |
| 10 | October 8 | St. Peters, Missouri | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| 11 | October 15 | Atlanta, Georgia | Jimmy Weinert | Yamaha | Report |
| 12 | October 22 | Orlando, Florida | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| 13 | October 29 | Houston, Texas | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| 14 | November 5 | Carlsbad, California | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| 15 | November 12 | Phoenix, Arizona | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| 16 | November 19 | Puyallup, Washington | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| 17 | November 26 | Livermore, California | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | Report |
| 18 | December 3 | Orange, California | Marty Tripes | ČZ | Report |
| Sources: ||||||

### 250cc

| Round | Date | Location | Winner | Team | Report |
| 1 | April 16 | Atlanta, Georgia | Sonny DeFeo | ČZ | Report |
| 2 | May 7 | Memphis, Tennessee | Sonny DeFeo | ČZ | Report |
| 3 | May 14 | Sacramento, California | Gunnar Lindstrom | Husqvarna | Report |
| 4 | May 21 | Orange, California | Jim Pomeroy | Bultaco | Report |
| 5 | May 28 | Carlsbad, California | Gary Jones | Yamaha | Report |
| 6 | June 11 | Washington, Indiana | Gary Bailey | Bultaco | Report |
| 7 | June 18 | Tahoe Vista, California | Gary Jones | Yamaha | Report |
| 8 | June 25 | Boise, Idaho | Gary Jones | Yamaha | Report |
| 9 | July 2 | Olympia, Washington | Gunnar Lindstrom | Husqvarna | Report |
| 10 | July 8 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Marty Tripes | Yamaha | Report |
| 11 | July 16 | New Berlin, New York | Gary Jones | Yamaha | Report |
| 12 | July 23 | Elkhorn, Wisconsin | Jimmy Weinert | Yamaha | Report |
| 13 | July 30 | Mid-Ohio | Gary Jones | Yamaha | Report |
| 14 | September 2 | Alabama International Motor Speedway | Gary Bailey | Bultaco | Report |
| Source: ||||||

## Final standings
### 500cc

| Pos | Rider | Machine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Pts |
| 1 | Brad Lackey | ČZ | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | 2030 |
| 1 | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | 2030 |
| 2 | Gary Jones | Yamaha | | | 8 | 12 | | | | | 9 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 829 |
| 3 | Wyman Priddy | ČZ | 3 | 2 | | | | 1 | | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | 11 | | 750 |
| 4 | Rich Thorwaldson | Suzuki | | | | 7 | 19 | | 4 | | 14 | 3 | 2 | | 11 | 6 | | 3 | 6 | 7 | 726 |
| 5 | Jim Pomeroy | Bultaco | | | 16 | | | | 13 | | 3 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 665 |
| 6 | Bryan Kenney | Maico | | | | | | | | | 1 | | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 582 |
| 7 | Jimmy Weinert | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | 4 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 2 | | | | 542 |
| 8 | Mike Runyard | ČZ | | | | | | | | | 6 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 513 |
| 9 | Gary Chaplin | Maico | | | | 6 | 7 | | 2 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 15 | | | | 5 | 4 | 10 | 496 |
| 10 | Mark Blackwell | Husqvarna | | | | | | | | | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 480 |
| - | Barry Higgins | ČZ | 1 | 1 | | | | 2 | | | 20 | | | 9 | | | | | | 12 | - |
| - | Jim Cooke | Kawasaki | | | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | 10 | 16 | 7 | 14 | 16 | 7 | | | | | | - |
| - | Robert Brown | ČZ | | | | 9 | | | 3 | | 8 | 11 | 15 | | | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 11 | - |
| - | Marty Tripes | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | 18 | 14 | 16 | 10 | | | | | 2 | | - |
| - | ČZ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | - |
| - | Gary Semics | Husqvarna | 2 | 3 | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | - |
| - | Rob Norgaard | ČZ | | | 2 | 13 | 16 | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | - |
| - | Jim Wilson | ČZ | | | 5 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | - |
| - | John DeSoto | Kawasaki | | | | 5 | 2 | | 20 | 19 | 12 | 20 | 17 | | | | | | | | - |
| - | James Jerles | Suzuki | | 4 | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | - |
| - | Eric Nelson | Maico | 6 | 7 | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | - |
| Source: ||||||||||||||||||||||

### 250cc

| Pos | Rider | Machine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pts |
| 1 | Gary Jones | Yamaha | | | | | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | 995 |
| 2 | Jimmy Weinert | Yamaha | | | 3 | 15 | | | 2 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 781 |
| 3 | Gunnar Lindstrom | Husqvarna | 2 | | 1 | 2 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 13 | | 775 |
| 4 | Peter Lamppu | Montesa | | | 2 | 18 | 7 | | 12 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 5 | | 430 |
| 5 | Bob Grossi | Husqvarna | | | 16 | | | | 13 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | | 430 |
| 6 | Mike Runyard | Montesa | | | 9 | 4 | 2 | | | 20 | 10 | 15 | | 3 | 4 | | 428 |
| 7 | Bill Cook | Maico | | | 8 | 3 | | | 5 | 3 | | 20 | 10 | 6 | 9 | | 376 |
| 8 | Robert Harris | Bultaco | 7 | 2 | | | | 4 | | 13 | 3 | 17 | 20 | | 11 | 11 | 373 |
| 9 | Sonny DeFeo | ČZ | 1 | 1 | | | | | | 18 | 14 | | | | | | 310 |
| 10 | Tony Wynn | ČZ | 3 | 3 | | | | 2 | | | 7 | 6 | 17 | | | | 480 |
| - | James Wicks | ČZ | | | 4 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | - |
| - | Husqvarna | | | | | | | | 15 | 13 | 16 | | 14 | | | | - |
| - | Gary Semics | Husqvarna | | | | | | | | 8 | 6 | | 11 | 7 | 7 | 3 | - |
| - | Brad Lackey | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | 5 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 10 | | - |
| - | Jim Pomeroy | Bultaco | | | | 1 | 16 | | | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 20 | 18 | | - |
| - | Rich Eierstedt | Maico | | | | 8 | 3 | | 4 | | 8 | 10 | 15 | | | | - |
| - | Rex Staten | ČZ | | | | 9 | 8 | | 3 | | | 4 | | | | | - |
| - | Douglas Sanger | Maico | 5 | 10 | | | | 11 | | | | | 5 | 9 | 8 | | - |
| - | John DeSoto | Kawasaki | | | | | | | | 17 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 20 | | - |
| - | Gary Bailey | Bultaco | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | 1 | - |
| - | Marty Tripes | Yamaha | | | | | | | | | 17 | 1 | 19 | | 3 | | - |
| - | Robert Thompson | Ossa | 18 | | | | | | | | | | 4 | | 16 | | - |
| - | Husqvarna | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | - |
| - | Ricky Jordan | ČZ | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | - |
| - | John Borg | Suzuki | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | - |
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