I found this photo on Reese Dengler's NW AHRMA site. It is listed as being from Honda Hills, Oct 18 1970 at an Inter-Am.
(http://www.100megsfree3.com/ahrmanw/pw13.jpg)
EDIT: I added link if the picture doesnt work, and a link to the whole page with lots of cool Inter-Am pics
http://www.100megsfree3.com/ahrmanw/pw13.jpg
http://www.100megsfree3.com/ahrmanw/Stuff.htm
It is a steel tanker, and looks like its red so it could be a Berkshire. The rider has the ISDT team helmet scheme. Is this Jack, Jeff or Tom Penton? Maybe Dane? Did they have 100cc classes at the Inter-Ams?
Brian
Brian,
That is Jack. They had a 125cc support class that ran on Sunday between the motos for the big boys. There were 52 riders in the 125cc class that day. The track was really long, I have been back to Honda Hills for some vintage events and have gone out and pretty much found all of the Inter-Am track, when they race today their MX track is very short compared to what they ran for the Inter-AM.
The Pentons had just returned from the ISDT in Spain right before this event. John stayed out in the parking lot in the evening telling everyone about the ISDT and what all had transpired, it was pretty neat.
I don't think Dane rode that day, Jack, Jeff and Tom did. Jack won the 125cc overall for the day, I placed second with Mike Penland 3rd and Dallas York 4th, all on Pentons.
I was just talking with Dick Klamfoth last week, he owned Honda Hills back in those days, the track has since been bought by someone else and is now in pretty much total disrepair. I told Dick if I could I would like to retire to a place like that and get it back into shape, it is an awesome place in a very good location. Wouldn't it be neat to retire to own and run a facility such as that and possibly create a nice vintage museum to go with it. Oh well, need to hit the lottery first.
Thanks for bringing back those great memories.
Paul
Hey all, along the same line I have been wondering what happened to the original Mid-Ohio motocross track from the mid 70's? Where exactly was it located from todays track? When I was up there last July I asked some of the locals but they did not know. I attended a Trans-Am race there or a race that DeCoster rode in and I was fortunate enough to recieve his autograph. The track was at least a few miles from the sports car track if not more. Thanks too for the memories,TTP
I am not sure at all but I thought Mid-Ohio that hosted Inter-Am MX was at New Philadelphia, OH which was maybe 30-50 miles east of Mansfield, Oh. Only thing I do remember is around 1968 the Enduro Riders Assn supplied some help for corner marshals etc. Still have a arm badge from the 1967 or 1968 race. I had my Triumph cub and rode all around the area that weekend. The week before I remember a couple of the top Swedish riders visted my Dad's Honda / Triumph shop and showed him the "new" Husqvarnas. About a year later he became a Husky / Penton dealer. It was a hoot to see these guys riding around "my" cow paths on the rear wheels!!!
Hey, you were close bro. I did a google search using Mansfiiled Motocross and sure enough: Its S of Lexington on Mill Run Rd. Someone else was asking the same question that work for the paper in Mansfield. Evidently it was turned into "The Songbird Center" and outdoor music venue. Gee, they could of had both. Now I am really feeling old when nobody remembers the coolest mx track next to Unadilla on the east coast. I am definately gonaa check out the site for old times sake.
Y'all have a good week end,TTP
I grew up a few miles from the old Mid-Ohio MX park. My dad was good friends with the owner, Pete Wiedner, who owned a car dealership and other businesses in the area. He was very involved in getting the Russians and other Europeans over here to race the 125 USGP.
It was sold to a group of businessmen, headed by a lawyer, in the early 1980s and was leveled and turned into an outdoor amphitheater as mentioned. It tanked and never hosted any good shows and then someone tried to revive the MX track in the mid 1980s, but using only about 1/2 of the original track. It was then split up and sold to a horse farmer and someone who still operates the amphitheater for local events once or twice a year...sad really:(
I spoke to the horse farmer several years ago about hosting a vintage race, explaining to him the historical significance and all, but to no avail. He was friendly but said that it would never happen in his lifetime.
The last time I drove through the area you could barely see the old scoring tower still standing, but that was a couple of years ago.