The Yamaha factory AMA Lightweight (250 Grand Prix) squad line up for a photo in front of the main grandstands at Daytona International Speedway in March of 1967. The riders in the photo (from left to right) are Tony Murphy, Robert Winters, Mike Duff and Gary Nixon.

These were the new Yamaha YDS-5, the replacement for the famous TD1-B that swept the top 10 positions in the Daytona Lightweight race in 1965 & ’66. These were five-port engines that were said to be more reliable in long-distance races.

Two of the three podium finishers were factory Yamahas.

The factory bikes of Nixon, Duff and Winters ran away from the field at the start of the 100 miler (Murphy overshot turn one and was back in the pack). Duff pulled into the pits with problems with his machine.

That left Nixon alone in the lead. Suzuki X-6 rider Dick Hammer was chasing Winters for second. Hammer got by Winters and then actually passed Nixon. The two then had a great battle. Nixon wicked it up with two laps to go to take the victory. Hammer breaking up the Yamaha domination in second on the Suzuki (which suffered a broken rear brake bracket late in the race) and Winters third.

Nixon’s average speed was nearly three miles per hour faster than the 1966 race average won by Winters.