A lot of people know about the long history of the Daytona Short Track, going back from the present track at Daytona International Speedway to Municipal Stadium and before that the Old Memorial Stadium, but I venture to guess only the most hardcore (and older) flat track fans recall the Daytona TT. That’s right, the old Memorial Stadium played host to a non-national TT race in 1981. The race was round six of the nine-race $72,000 Harley-Davidson Dirt Track Series leading up to and during Bike Week ’81. The track was built to resemble the Houston TT of the day with one seven-foot jump, and a smaller kicker jump. This photo is Gary Scott going over the big jump on a Honda. He finished third that night behind winner Mickey Fay and second-place Butch Brown. There was a second TT the next night at Memorial Stadium and again Fay won, this time with Scott second. Terry Poovey ultimately won the series and the $10,000 top prize.
Gary Scott going over the big jump on a Honda at the Daytona TT at the old Memorial Stadium in March of 1981. Scott finished third that night behind winner Mickey Fay and second-place Butch Brown. (Henny Ray Abrams photo)
Rider Files 
I was there as a spectator, Larry.
The track was shorter and tigther than Houston and the sandy soil really rutted up. My buddy Noot Irvin
was riding Don Tilley’s Harley XR 750. That thing was more than a hand full on that track.
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I missed the whole big bike era of TT racing. So wish I could have seen it. I still think they should do two national at Peoria, one a Twins and one a Singles.
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I remember the Daytona TT’s. I rode Don Tilley’s XR 750. It was a lot of fun but a hand full. My biggest problem was getting it slowed down to enter the infield at the end of the back straight. I missed the main by one position the second night.
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Thanks for giving us your memories of racing there Noot. So could you ride whatever you wanted a Twin or Singles? I notice Scott was on a Honda single-cylinder.
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At that time you could ride a twin or single. At Peoria it would be mostly twins, at Houston it was a good mix. I think I was the only twin at Daytona. If you knew Don you know if we raced it was going to be a Harley.
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Looking back I was very fortunate to witness the transition from 750 twins to singles on the TT.
Being a personal friend of Noot’s I had a vested intrest in that race at Daytona with him being on a big twin against the majority on singles.
With that said. One of the all time favorites of my racing memories was watching Ricky Graham at the Astrodome on his Harley XR against mostly singles. Just unbelievable what he could do.
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It’s funny how sometimes you don’t realize you’re watching something historic until years later when you find that the era suddenly went away.
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I’m a close friend of Noots I was a the Memorial Stadium Race, a twin was to much to handle.A few years later I saw Chris Carr ride the Woods Rotax at Volusia County Speedway. The writing was on the wall! Some tracks need singles, this is whats a bad decision twins are on a short track is like watching a Mack Truck vs. Porsche.Give us back the framers singles and twins. Like NASCAR Trucks on the dirt its very exciting! Reinvent your sport put the basics back. Staged racing killed it for me.
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