Some enthusiasts have questions as to who Kel Carruthers is, besides being the crew chief of the new Chaparral Suzuki team. We have built a timeline below that should answer those questions.

Background: Kel Carruthers was born in 1938 in Australia. His father, Jack, was Australian Speedway Champion in 1954. He won the 250cc World Championship in 1969 on a four-cylinder Benelli – the time a four-stroke ever won the 250cc title. He won seven 250cc Grand Prixs and went was on the podium 13 times in his 250cc GP career.
 

Year	Position	Championship	Notes
1964	Rider	Australian road race series
1965	Rider	Australian road race series
1966	Rider	Australian road race series
1967	Rider	125cc World Championship – Honda	8th in 125cc WC
1968	Rider	125/350/500cc World Championship – Honda/Aermacchi/Norton	10th in 125cc WC 11th in 500cc WC
1969	Rider	125 World Championship – Honda 250 World Championship/Benelli	10th in 125cc WC 250cc World Champion Won 250cc Isle of Man TT
1970	Rider	250 World Championship/Yamaha	2nd in 250cc WC Won 250cc Isle of Man TT
1971		AMA National Road Race Series – Yamaha AMA 250cc Road Race Series – Yamaha	Won Road Atlanta National Won 6 out of 7 AMA 250cc races
1972	Rider	AMA National Road Race Series - Yamaha AMA 250cc Road Race Series – Yamaha	Won 4 out of 6 AMA 250cc races
1973	Rider	AMA National Road Race Series – Yamaha AMA 250cc Road Race Series – Yamaha	2nd in Daytona 200 Won Talladega AMA National Won Road Atlanta 250 race
1974	Crew chief	Team Yamaha, rider Kenny Roberts in AMA National Road Race Series
1975	Crew chief	Team Yamaha, rider Kenny Roberts in AMA National Road Race Series	#1
1976	Crew chief	Team Yamaha, rider Kenny Roberts in AMA National Road Race Series	#1
1977	Crew chief	Team Yamaha, rider Kenny Roberts in AMA National Road Race Series	#1
1978	Crew chief	Team Yamaha, rider Kenny Roberts	1st in 500cc WC 4th in 250cc WC
1979	Crew chief	Team Yamaha, rider Kenny Roberts	1st in 500cc WC
1980	Crew chief	Team Yamaha, rider Kenny Roberts	1st in 500cc WC
1981	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Kenny Roberts	3rd in 500cc WC
1982	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Kenny Roberts	4th in 500cc WC
1983	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Kenny Roberts/Eddie Lawson	2nd in 500cc WC 4th in 500cc WC
1984	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Eddie Lawson	1st in 500cc WC
1985	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Eddie Lawson	2nd in 500cc WC
1986	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Eddie Lawson	1st in 500cc WC
1987	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Eddie Lawson	3rdin 500cc WC
1988	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Eddie Lawson	1st in 500cc WC
1989	Crew chief	Team Marlboro Agostini, rider Freddie Spencer	16th in 500cc WC
1990	GP Engineer	Yamaha Motor Japan/All Yamaha GP teams
1991	Crew chief	Team Cardus Honda, rider Carlos Cardus	3rd in 250cc WC
1992	Crew chief	Team Cardus Honda, rider Carlos Cardus	8th in 250cc WC
1993	Crew chief	Team Honda Pons, rider Alberto Puig	9th in 250cc WC
1994	Crew chief	Team Cagiva, rider Doug Chandler	9th in 500cc WC
1995	Crew chief	Team Agostini Honda, rider Doriano Romboni	9th in 250cc WC
1996	Crew chief	Westcoast Performance – Sea-Doo personal watercraft racing team
1997	Crew chief	Westcoast Performance – Sea-Doo personal watercraft racing team
1998	Engine engineer	Team Chaparral Yamaha – motocross/supercross racing team

Stuff you didn't know about Kel but should:
 

• He won the Isle of Man TT in 1969 and 1970.

• He built the infamous TZ700 dirt tracker that Kenny Roberts won the Indianapolis Mile on in 1975.

• He's an Australian citizen but has lived for decades in San Diego, California.

• He had for many years a four-cylinder 1961 250cc Honda GP bike hanging on the wall above the bar in his home.

• It's been roughly 12 years since he worked on a four-stroke motorcycle – the last time was when he was the crew chief when Eddie Lawson won the Daytona 200 on a Yamaha FZ750 in 1986. He also built and maintained all of the four-strokes he raced in the GPs, and it wasn't until 1970 that he ever raced and worked on a two-stroke.

• Carruthers, unlike many from his racing days, has never raced a vintage or "Past Masters" event.

--Dean Adams

We've also made a high-res scan of a vintage 1969 Kel Carruthers post card. Those with steamy modems may click here to view it.