Castro Leads at Laguna (1973)

• Larry Lawrence

I’ve known Alan Sessarego to be a photographer at AMA Pro road races since the mid-1990s, what I didn’t know was that Alan had been shooting long before that. Here’s evidence. A Sessarego photo from the AMA national at Laguna Seca in 1973. It shows Yamaha’s Don Castro leading a pack that includes Masahiro Wada (No. 6), Gary Scott (No. 64) on a Triumph, Hurley Wilvert (No. 91) on a factory-backed Kawasaki and No. 80 Kenny Roberts (then simply known as Ken Roberts) heading down the corkscrew. This photo with the tree in the foreground was a popular angle at Laguna (still is). The mystery rider is the No. 6 Kawasaki. There wasn’t a national No. 6 was listed by the AMA in 1973. My guess is that No. 6 was a foreign rider making a special appearance at Laguna. If you happen to know leave a comment below. Alan did a pair of AMA road racing pictorial books that covered the zenith of AMA Superbike racing in the 1990s and early 2000s called “Time To Look Back”. He tells me a few copies of the are still available here.

Don Castro leading a pack that includes Gary Scott (No. 64) on a Triumph, Hurley Wilvert on a factory-backed Kawasaki and Kenny Roberts (then simply known as Ken Roberts) heading down the corkscrew at Laguna Seca in 1973. (Alan Sessarego photo)

Don Castro leading a pack that includes Masahiro Wada (No. 6), Gary Scott (No. 64) on a Triumph, Hurley Wilvert (No. 91) on a factory-backed Kawasaki and No. 80 Kenny Roberts (then simply known as Ken Roberts) heading down the corkscrew at Laguna Seca in 1973. (Alan Sessarego photo)

6 thoughts on “Castro Leads at Laguna (1973)”

  2. Alan wrote to comment:

    Ha Ha..A kid indeed…25 !! Actually I had never been to a bike race before….at the time I was a big fan of following (through newspaper) Grand Prix car racing in Europe, and the CAN-AM series. I had just started at AutoWeek, and had season credentials to Laguna. Nobody at the paper wanted to attend any bike events as we did not report on them ( and Nascar as well !!!). I decided to go, and it was 20 years until I attended another ! It is funny, I remember that as you went into the track they handed you a pack of Camel cigarettes ! Ha..how times change eh ??

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  5. My 1973 program from Ontario shows #6 as Masahiro Wada on a Kawasak Motors entry just like Wilvert is listed and this photo #6 and #91 like a lot alike

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