NSU WINS JACK PINE SWEEPSTAKES

[rob w]

Riding a lightweight NSU, John Penton of Amherst, Ohio, has won the 32nd annual Jack Pine Run, America's toughest cross-country motorcycle event. The two day, run over more than 500 miles of rough Michigan country was the third big win for Penton this year, and the second time the Jack Pine crown has gone to the Penton family - his brother Bill won it in 1954 with a BSA single.
 Nearly 450 riders entered this year's Jack Pine, with more of the expert riders using lightweights than ever before. Winner Penton's 175cc NSU not only carried him to victory, but was his transportation to the event and back home to his cycle shop near Cleveland.
 Penton, with 982 points, had a safe margin over his nearest rival, Sal Scirpo of Middletown, Conn., who made 973 points with his Triumph 500, winning the Mediumweight Class award. Next in line was Leroy Winters of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, who took the Bantamweight class trophy with 971 points gained on his 165cc Harley-Davidson.
 Oscar Lenz, trailmaker for the Lansing, Michigan course, planned a route that eventually eliminated all but a third of the entrants. 181 of the 445 riders finished, the 24 MPH schedule being hard to hold. Weather through-out the run was overcast, with light showers from time to time. The Jack Pine course took in wooded trails, knee-deep mud and a rickety beaver dam that dumped more than one rider in the water when the dam finally broke near the end of the first day's run. Hundreds of spectators crowded this as well as other treacherous parts of the route. Californian Cal Brown, winner of two Greenhorns, lost his Ariel at the beaver dam.
 Harley-Davidson machines topped the Jack Pine entry list, 109 of the Milwaukee-built machines starting the tough grind. The new 900cc OHV V-twin "Sportster," weighing only 500 pounds, offered real competition, and the two-stroke Harley-Davidsons did even better. Harley-Davidsons won three awards: the Heavyweight, Bantamweight and Sidecar classes. Triumph riders took home lots of hardware too, 98 of these British bikes starting the run. BSA entris totaled 51, most riding the latest alloy single cylinder model. Indian had 41 entries, Zundapp 28, AJS and Matchless 26 each. Other entries included NSU, Maico, Norton, Ariel, DOT, James, Greeves, Velocette, Jawa, Parilla, MV, TWN, Villers, Adler, DKW and BMW.
 The overnight stop at West Branch saw the usual late night work to get damaged and balking machines back in shape for the next day's run. Engines cannot be switched, but most other work is allowed in the annual "cowbell" run. The second day's run, back to Lansing, was as tough as the first, winner Penton even losing a few points to reach the finish line 18 minutes off schedule. Popular among the spectators the final day was the only woman rider still in the Jack Pine, Betty Noss of Jackson, Michigan, riding a Triumph competition Cub.

I found this in "Cycle" magazine from November, 1958. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.



Edited by - rob w on 01/02/2003  8:42:28 PM

[nsujeff]

Hi Rob,
 I am the owner John's infamous NSU Maxi. It was nice to see an interest in it.
 My friend heard about a weird bike in a chicken coop and gave me a call. It was a sorry looking little NSU ,but I had to have it. I bought it for $50 and it sat for years in my barn.At the time I had no clue it was John's. The previous owner did state that the bike was raced,but he didn't know by who.
 Getting ready for Mid-Ohio 2000 (Penton featured marque).My father and I were looking at some old pictures at a Pog meeting,and suprisingly I seen the similarities between the photos and my bike.After verifying with Mr. Penton about the authenticity of the bike, I set out to restore the Maxi to it's former racing glory.
 Locating parts from Germany and here in the US , I duplicated the Grand Champion NSU just in time for VMD 2000.
 The little NSU that could (and DID!) will be at the National Packard Museum in Warren , Ohio for the next few months in a display of famous Ohio raced or built motorcycles.

 P.S, anyone have any pictures or stories of this bike? , I am starting a scrap book about it and would appreciate any input.
                      Thanks, Jeff Borer
                       Amherst, Ohio