Kel Carruthers

{{Short description|Australian motorcycle racer (born 1938)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox motorcycle rider |image = Kel Carruthers 1969 Yemen stamp.jpg |caption = Carruthers on a 1969 stamp of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, incorrectly displaying the Union Jack. |name = Kel Carruthers |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|1|3|df=y}} |birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |nationality = Australian |GP Active years = 1966 – 1970 |GP Teams = Aermacchi, Benelli, Yamaha |GP Race Starts = 56 |GP Championships = 250cc – 1969 |GP Race Wins = 7 |GP Podiums = 22 |GP Total Points = 302 |GP Poles = 0 |GP Fastest laps = 8 |GP First race = 1966 350cc Ulster Grand Prix |GP First win = 1969 250cc Isle of Man TT |GP Last win = 1970 250cc Ulster Grand Prix |GP Last race = 1970 250cc Spanish Grand Prix }}

'''Kelvin Carruthers''' (born 3 January 1938) is an Australian former professional Motorcycle racer and racing team manager.<ref name="Kel Carruthers career statistics at MotoGP.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.motogp.com/en/riders/kel-carruthers/bed416d8-6c6e-4d3d-8d69-1b3424124681 | title=Rider Statistics - Kel Carruthers | publisher=MotoGP.com | access-date=2024-05-27 }}</ref> He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1966 to 1970, and in AMA road racing competitions from 1971 to 1973. Carruthers is prominent for winning the 1969 250cc World Championship.<ref name="Kel Carruthers career statistics at MotoGP.com"/> After his motorcycle riding career, he became race team manager for world championship winning riders Kenny Roberts and Eddie Lawson.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame">{{cite web |url=http://hof.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=139&lpos=0px&letter=C&txtFname=&rblFname=S&txtLname=&rblLname=S&discipline=0 |title=Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame |publisher=motorcyclemuseum.org |access-date=23 February 2022 }}</ref> In 2016 he was inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Australian Motorsports Hall of Fame">{{cite web | url=https://www.australianmotorsporthalloffame.com.au/inductees/kel-carruthers/ | title=Kel Carruthers at the Australian Motorsports Hall of Fame | publisher=australianmotorsporthalloffame.com | accessdate=2025-12-10}}</ref>

==Motorcycle racing career== Carruthers, as the son of a motorcycle shop owner, learned how to work on bikes from a young age, started riding at 10, and entered his first race at 12.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/> By the early 1960s he had won the Australian 125 cc, 250 cc, 350 cc and 500 cc National Championships.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/>

In early {{MGP|1966}}, he moved to Europe with his family to compete in British and International short-circuit races,<ref>Motor Cycle 13 December 1964, p.45 ''Still on form. "As a final warm-up for his forthcoming European race debut, Australian star Kelvin Carruthers won four races on his two-fifty Honda four at the Victorian Grand Prix''". Accessed 24 May 2014</ref> including Grand Prix World Championship events riding a ''Drixton Aermacchi'',<ref>Motor Cyclist Illustrated, May 1968 pp.10, 12 Accessed 24 May 2014</ref> and for early 1969 season riding bikes for the Aermacchi factory.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/> Halfway through the {{MGP|1969}} season, he was offered a ride with the Benelli factory and won the Isle of Man 250 cc TT race. After the Isle of Man TT, Aermacchi released him from their contract to continue as a factory rider with Benelli and, he went on to win the 1969 FIM 250cc road racing world championship after a tight points battle with Santiago Herrero and Kent Andersson.<ref name="Kel Carruthers career statistics at MotoGP.com"/><ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/> [[File:Kel Carruthers.jpg|thumb|left|Kel Carruthers, Mallory Park 1970]] After the {{MGP|1970}} Grand Prix season, he accepted an offer from Yamaha to race in America.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/> By the 1973 season, Carruthers had taken on a wide array of responsibilities for the Yamaha team besides racing motorcycles.<ref name="Archives: Jarno Saarinen">{{cite web |url=https://www.cyclenews.com/2021/03/article/archives-column-jarno-saarinen/ |title=Archives: Jarno Saarinen |publisher=cyclenews.com |accessdate=27 May 2024 }}</ref> He had also become team manager, crew chief, as well as a rider coach for his younger Yamaha teammates, Kenny Roberts, Don Castro and Gary Fisher.<ref name="Archives: Jarno Saarinen"/>

For the 1973 Daytona 200, Carruthers was responsible for preparing road racing machines for the entire Yamaha team, including the 250cc bikes to be run in the lightweight race. The Yamaha factory also asked him to prepare a motorcycle for the {{MGP|1972}} 250cc World Champion, Jarno Saarinen.<ref name="Archives: Jarno Saarinen"/> Despite having such a full workload, Carruthers was able to place second to Saarinen in the Daytona 200, marking his best result in the race, which at the time was considered one of the most prestigious motorcycle races in the world.<ref name="Archives: Jarno Saarinen"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/daytona-200-celebrates-75th-running-of-once-prestigious-race/ |title=Daytona 200 celebrates 75th running of once-prestigious race |author=Schelzig, Erik |publisher=seattletimes.com |access-date=27 May 2024 }}</ref>

Carruthers stopped racing after the 1973 season to concentrate fully on his role as team manager and racing mentor for Roberts, who would win the 1973 and 1974 Grand National Championship for Yamaha.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/> When it became apparent that Yamaha didn't have a motorcycle capable of competing with the dominant Harley Davidson dirt track team, they decided to send Carruthers and Roberts to Europe to compete in the road racing world championships.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/><ref>{{cite book|author=American Motorcyclist Assoc |title=American Motorcyclist |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SvgDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30 |date=March 1979 |page=30 |issn=0277-9358}}</ref> With Carruthers tuning the bikes and offering guidance, Roberts went on to win three consecutive world championships in {{MGP|1978}}, {{MGP|1979}}, and {{MGP|1980}}. Carruthers also managed Eddie Lawson to a 500cc World Championship in {{MGP|1984}}.

Carruthers went on to work for several Grand Prix teams through to {{MGP|1995}}. In 1996, he took a job with the Sea-Doo watercraft factory racing team, helping them win several national and world titles.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/> He returned to motorcycling in 1998 running a Yamaha satellite motocross team.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/>

In 1985, Carruthers was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/kel-carruthers/|title=Kel Carruthers|publisher=Sport Australia Hall of Fame|access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref> He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.<ref name="Kel Carruthers at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame"/>

== Grand Prix motorcycle racing results == Source:<ref name="Kel Carruthers career statistics at MotoGP.com"/><ref>[http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=2370 Kel Carruthers Isle of Man TT results]. Iomtt.com. Retrieved on 14 July 2014.</ref>

Points system from 1950 to 1968: {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |- | '''Position''' | width=20| 1 | width=20| 2 | width=20| 3 | width=20| 4 | width=20| 5 | width=20| 6 |- | '''Points''' | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |}

Points system from 1969 onwards: {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |- | '''Position''' | width=20| 1 | width=20| 2 | width=20| 3 | width=20| 4 | width=20| 5 | width=20| 6 | width=20| 7 | width=20| 8 | width=20| 9 | width=20| 10 |- | '''Points''' | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |}

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" |- ! Year ! Class ! Team ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! Points ! Rank ! Wins |- ! rowspan=3| 1966 ! 125cc ! Honda | ESP - | GER - | | NED - | | DDR - | CZE - | style="background:#cfcfff;"| FIN 8 | style="background:#cfcfff;"| ULS 8 | style="background:#cfcfff;"| IOM 12 | style="background:#cfcfff;"| NAT 7 | JPN - | | 0 ! – | 0 |- ! 350cc ! Norton | | GER - | FRA - | NED - | | DDR - | CZE - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| FIN 4 | ULS - | style="background:#efcfff;"| IOM NC | NAT - | JPN - | | 3 ! 18th | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Norton | | GER - | | NED - | BEL - | DDR - | CZE - | FIN - | ULS - | style="background:#cfcfff;"| IOM 11 | NAT - | | | 0 ! – | 0 |- ! rowspan=4|1967 ! 125cc ! Honda | ESP - | GER - | FRA - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| IOM 5 | NED - | | DDR - | CZE - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| FIN 5 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| ULS 4 | style="background:#cfcfff;"| NAT 7 | CAN - | JPN - | 7 ! 8th | 0 |- ! 250cc ! Suzuki | ESP - | GER - | FRA - | style="background:#cfcfff;"| IOM 12 | NED - | BEL - | DDR - | CZE - | FIN - | ULS - | NAT - | CAN - | JPN - | 0 ! – | 0 |- ! 350cc ! Aermacchi | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| GER 5 | | style="background:#cfcfff;"| IOM 10 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| NED 6 | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| DDR 4 | CZE - | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| ULS 4 | NAT - | | JPN - | 9 ! 7th | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Norton | | GER - | | style="background:#efcfff;"| IOM NC | NED - | | DDR - | CZE - | | ULS - | NAT - | | JPN - | 0 ! – | 0 |- ! rowspan=4|1968 ! 125cc ! Honda | style="background:#dfffdf;"| GER 6 | ESP - | style="background:#ffdf9f;"| IOM 3 | NED - | | DDR - | CZE - | FIN - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| ULS 6 | NAT - | | | | 6 ! 10th | 0 |- ! 250cc ! Aermacchi | GER - | ESP - | style="background:#efcfff;"| IOM NC | NED - | BEL - | DDR - | CZE - | FIN - | ULS - | NAT - | | | | 0 ! – | 0 |- ! 350cc ! Aermacchi | style="background:#ffdf9f;"| GER 3 | | style="background:#efcfff;"| IOM NC | NED - | | style="background:#ffdf9f;"| DDR 3 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| CZE 4 | | style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ULS 2 | NAT - | | | | 17 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| '''3rd''' | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Norton | GER - | ESP - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| IOM 6 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| NED 5 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| BEL 5 | DDR - | CZE - | FIN - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| ULS 6 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| NAT 6 | | | | 7 ! 11th | 0 |- ! rowspan=4|1969 ! 125cc ! Aermacchi | style="background:#dfffdf;"| ESP 6 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| GER 10 | FRA - | style="background:#dfdfdf;"| IOM 2 | NED - | BEL - | DDR - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| CZE 9 | FIN - | | NAT - | YUG - | | 20 ! 10th | 0 |- ! 250cc ! Benelli | ESP - | GER - | FRA - | style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''IOM'' 1 | style="background:#dfdfdf;"| NED 2 | style="background:#ffdf9f;"| ''BEL'' 3 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| DDR 5 | style="background:#ffdf9f;"| CZE 3 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| FIN 4 | style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''ULS'' 1 | style="background:#dfdfdf;"| NAT 2 | style="background:#ffffbf;"| YUG 1 | | 89 | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st''' | 3 |- ! 350cc ! Aermacchi | style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ESP 2 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| GER 6 | | style="background:#efcfff;"| IOM NC | style="background:#dfffdf;"| NED 7 | | style="background:#dfffdf;"| DDR 7 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| CZE 7 | FIN - | ULS - | NAT - | YUG - | | 29 ! 7th | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Aermacchi | ESP - | style="background:#dfffdf;"| GER 8 | FRA - | style="background:#efcfff;"| IOM NC | NED - | BEL - | DDR - | CZE - | FIN - | ULS - | NAT - | YUG - | | 3 ! 44th | 0 |- ! rowspan=2|1970 ! 250cc ! Yamaha | style="background:#ffffbf;"| GER 1 | style="background:#efcfff;"| '''FRA''' NC | YUG - | style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''IOM'' 1 | NED - | style="background:#dfdfdf;"| BEL 2 | DDR - | style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''CZE'' 1 | FIN - | style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''ULS'' 1 | style="background:#dfdfdf;"| NAT 2 | ESP - | | 84 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd''' | 4 |- ! 350cc ! Yamaha | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| GER 2 | | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| YUG 2 | style="background:#efcfff;"| IOM NC | style="background:#dfffdf;"| NED 4 | | style="background:#ffdf9f;"| DDR 3 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| CZE 4 | style="background:#dfffdf;"| FIN 4 | ULS - | NAT - | ESP - | | 28 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd''' | 0 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101221015640/http://superbikeplanet.com/2002-Sep/kelcarruthers1996.htm Kel Carruthers Interview at superbikeplanet.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carruthers, Kel}} Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:Motorcycle racers from Sydney Category:Australian motorcycle racers Category:125cc World Championship riders Category:250cc World Championship riders Category:350cc World Championship riders Category:500cc World Championship riders Category:Isle of Man TT riders Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees Category:250cc World Riders' Champions Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen