Greetings all,
My name is Tom Roe and I'm a Desert Rat. I raced dez in the early seventies then went vintage racing (Greeves)in the 80's.
I've owned one Jackpiner (01607) and been intimate with another (56280), but I felt like I was at my best on my Berkshire (09208), and last but not least I had a KR250(#25) in my life for a while. It was all good.
I have been lurking and reading past posts, trying to find my way and I must say, you folks rock!
As far as current projects go, I'm pulling together all the data I can find regarding the 1973 Mint 400 and seeing where it leads me.
Again, thanks for all that you folks are doing here.
Do a search on this site for Mint 400, however they didn't come out until late 74 and were generally referred to as 75 models. Mike
Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R
Mr. Winter, thanks for the reply. I am in awe of your work.
It's funny how this always starts to sound like an Abbott and Costello routine.
It gets really crazy when we start talking about there being "no" 1974 Mint 400.
Let me clarify. "The worlds greatest off road event", (their words not mine).
It's place in Penton history is very interesting, and getting weirder by the minute.
I was going to ask if you were refering to the event or the motorcycle! Now we know! I think the first Mint 400 was 1973, was it not? Being a desert racer, do you know Mark Adent? I got to know Mark through the ISDT Reunion Rides and fixed him up with a bike to ride back in 2002 I think it was. He rode the ISDT in '74 at Camorino, Italy. Haven't heard from him in a while, will have to drop him a line.
Welcome to the group, hope to hear some Mint stories!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
Thanks Dan,
The 1973 Mint was actually the 6th annual, and due to the cancellation of the event in 1974 due to the energy crisis, it was the last annual. The event tailed off from there.
Sorry I don't know Mark, I know "of" him, of course.
I was a Southern Nevada kid so it was more like Max Switzer, Jack Johnson, Casey Folks, Tom Scales, Mark Mason..........
The California guys rarely came our way. Our desert was the kind that just destroyed bikes so it took big purses to get them to come and play. It was fun to race against the east coast guys that came out!
Tom
Welcome to the POG D R Tom ....... Never heard the 1974 mint ( seen pics in 1974 sales lit ) was called a 1975 you would have to call the 1974.5 250 a 1975 as well.[8D]
That makes sense, but I've never heard them called a 74. I have heard them called a
74 1/2. Mike
Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R
Mike, think event not model, although the model comes into play.
Tom
Gooddirt, thanks for the welcome.
Yeah, I got that, I was just responding to Larrys response. Lol
Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R
Ever wonder about what happened during that time of the Mint 250/400 change up?
Paul Danik found a link way back on 1/6/09 in a post about the Gold machine. He found a write up in the Feb 73 edition of Keep'em Winning that talked about the Penton West guys being into the Mint 400. Does anyone remember this?
Tom
I would also like to find out how this event came to play such a big roll in Pentons plans for 1973.
Maybe it was the performance of Bobby Davidson and Danny Davis in the 72 Mint that sparked the interest. They finished 10th O/A first 125. Very impressive.
I know Carl was a big desert guy so maybe it was his influence.
73 was a monster year for him.
But naming a model after the event is a big step.
I do know that forces were brought to bear for the event.
#37 Carl Cranke
Mark Mason - Penton West
#29 Casey Folks
Tom Scales - Penton West/Sportsman Cycle
#11 Ken Coulter
Brian Dorrien C&C Cycle Tulsa OK
#56 Danny Young
Jerry Chafton Honda Hut/Branding Iron Rest.
#53 Joe DeJesus
Tom Roe
Some fun facts.
All Penton teams entered that year were Jackpiner mounted.
This is the first and only appearance for the Jackpiner in the Mint
3 (maybe 4) of the 5 teams were made up of life long best friends.
Tom Scales made the cover of Dirt Bike with the best desert racing Penton pic of all time (wish I knew how to post it).
Tom
Yeah, this is cool and what I was hoping for! There is information posted here on the list on how to post photos, a matter of hosting the photos and linking them to the post I think. I suck at it but some of these guys are wizards at it and it's almost like being there. Get a good scan of it and maybe Mike Winter will put it up?? I think I remember the cover, but not sure and I know I don't have the magazine.
Thanks a lot,
Dan McEntee
Email the pic & I would be happy to post it for you.
[email protected] Mike Here they are:
(http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee220/454MRW/img002_zpsgjay1d5k.jpg)
[URL=http://s232.photobucket.com/user/454MRW/media/IMG_20150224_0001_NEW_zpsw2vxlnfx.jpg.html](http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee220/454MRW/IMG_20150224_0001_NEW_zpsw2vxlnfx.jpg)
[URL=http://s232.photobucket.com/user/454MRW/media/Dick%20Mann%20Rally%201985%20_zpsxg4ztv5a.jpg.html](http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee220/454MRW/Dick%20Mann%20Rally%201985%20_zpsxg4ztv5a.jpg)
Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R (http://s232.photobucket.com/user/454MRW/media/img002_zpsgjay1d5k.jpg.html)
Thanks, Mike! They are on the way!
Tom
Thanks Mike!
The second pic is in Jean at the end of the first 200 mile loop. Joe is getting off the bike and I am getting on (red helmet). Keeping the thing lit is a big priority about this time (*%$#% Amal carb)!
The kid gassing the bike is only 13 years old.
And that's me and my Greeves at Dick Mann Rally 1985.
As I researched all of this stuff and in talking with all the guys, I found myself wondering about the mind set in Lorain as of March 1st of 73.
They had the new 250 about to be introduced (with some of the early mag write ups happening or already in the can) and with the ISDT coming to US soil the expectations for the year must have been sky high.
Pre-running.
Previous 400's had been held at the Mint Gun Club.
The drill was 8 loops, 50 mile each.
It was dubbed "The Silt Bowl"
Those that rode it know why.
Those that don't know what its like to ride in 2 foot deep silt, go open up an 80lb bag of Portland Cement, drop in your car keys, turn it over a couple of times and then try to find them....in a hurry... when you are exhausted....in the dark.
Due to a myriad of political and logistical obstacles and amide even some controversy, it was decided that the 1973 event be moved to Jean, Nevada and an all new, more challenging coarse be set up, consisting of 2 loops around a 200 mile coarse that wound though Nevada and even parts of California. Bikes and buggies on the same coarse, Bikes on Monday the 19th and buggies on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Early whispers were "it's fast".
And brutal.
The coarse was destroying bikes at an alarming pace. Seizures, flats, busted wheels, broken frames, and some big get offs. And this was just pre running......
Joe and I avoided all this nonsense by just not pre-running. Problem solved.
We didn't have the resources to waste anyway. We were geared for the moon and dialed (we thought).
Many others started rethinking their plans.
Tires were upgraded, taller gearing installed, bigger tanks mounted, (all 5 Penton teams used the big aluminium Hi Point tank) and frames were gusseted.
The only thing we changed that week was to pull our second light off (a high mounted pencil beam) and change the wiring for our lone Oscar over to a hot set-up that Carl showed me one night over at Sportsman. It may have been pointed a crazy direction after all the days activities but I had a great light on that bike. It allowed me to see, with great clarity, exactly what it was that I was about to slam into at ludicrous speed. Yes, I rode the night(mare) section.Thanks Carl....
For those of you looking for such things the hot set up was to isolate the light shell from the bike and run the tail light feed from the Motosplat to the ground side of the bulb. Instant sun.
Kids don't try this at home, your results may vary.
And this was just pre-running.
Tom,
I went to the Mint in 1970, as a spectator. Uncle Ted gave me a call and said he'd pick me up at George AFB (on the way, just off I-15). He wanted to go up and check it out, maybe enter a Penton the next year. Stayed overnight at one of the cheap Las Vegas Casino hotels and ate even cheaper casino food. I remember Uncle Ted decided to do a little gambling. He bought $5 in quarters which he assured me that when he ran out he was done for the night, and he proceeded to feed the one arm bandits. Well, he didn't get too far: about $3 in, he hit the jackpot for about $50 (400 hundred dollars today?). He scooped up the winnings and said "I'm done", and he was! I was impressed ... those who knew Uncle Ted might have thought he'd be the personality to get hooked.
Cousin Mike's Super 8 of Tom in Desert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Fs9o7Y4Rg)
Tom Penton
Can I just say - as a total outsider, sorta East Coast rider at all of age 14-15 during these years - this entire thread of discussion is PRICELESS.
Thank you Tom Roe and others. Thanks Tom Penton for the Super 8 film which is just like "OMG!".