Antonio Jorge Neto is triumphantly carried to the Winners’ Circle at Daytona International Speedway after he dominated the 1983 Daytona 100-Mile International Lightweight (250cc) race during Bike Week. It was a shocking win to most fans since the Brazilian was relatively unknown in America, even though he scored a couple of FIM 250cc Grand Prix World Championship finishes the year before, including a strong fourth at Misano.
In the race Neto passed early leader Jimmy Filice on the second lap and simply pulled away. At the checkered flag Neto enjoyed a 17-second lead on Filice. Northern Ireland’s Con Law rounded out the podium finishers, taking third on a Ehrlich.
Neto, who was a seven-time Brazilian Motorcycle Racing Champion, went on to have a successful auto racing career in his home country as well.
(Gary Van Voorhis photo)
