Buck Murphy's MX debut on '74 framed 250

[Big Mac]

I forwarded the attached pic recently posted by Rob W. (thanks Rob) to Buck Murphy, for his feedback on the event, bike setup etc. I believe Buck, #85 in the pic, and Jack Penton were the only two pro riders taking on U.S. National MX events in '74, even as the '74 Penton/KTM was dominating in the European GPs. Buck won a Supercross Moto at the Houston Astrodome that year on the HS and battled the likes of Karsmaker and his good friend Jim Pomeroy, ending up 3rd in series points despite several mechanical setbacks. Thought Buck's reply might be of interest:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=531211748&context=set-72157600310205784&size=l

"It's a pic I've never seen.  The photo is from the Hangtown National in 1974.  That's Billy Grossi leading on a factory RC-250 Honda.  Johnsie (Gary Jones) is #1 on a Can-Am.  The down pipe was one of a kind that Carl Cranke designed and a guy who built our pipes put together.  This bike was the first of the laydown shock model and we had trouble keeping shocks alive.  I turned two sets of Koni shafts blue and melted the seals that day.  Thanks again.  See you at the track soon."  Buck





Jon McLean
Lake Grove, OR

[Merlin]

........in the photo are:
                         16= Marty Tripes-Husky
                         10= The late Peter Lamppu-Montesa
                         119= Ron Pomery-Bultaco
                         206= The late Gaylon Mosier-Honda
                          3= The late Rich Thorwaldson-Suzuki
                         directly behind #3 is Rich Eirstadt
..........we need to make the most of them while we can..............

[rob w]

That's very cool Jon, thanks for the link to Buck Murphy. Hopefully some year soon we can coax him into coming east for a visit, or a race. It would be a pleasure to meet him.

 I saw that the photographer's album (lvsutton) had quite a few pictures of Hangtown, and Carnegie.
 Though I instantly knew this was taken at Hangtown from personal experiences. I saw the Natl. there in '76, and stood in that same place for the starts.

 That's a good story about his shocks, I can believe it. That would be at the time that long travel suspension concepts, and radically changed frame geometry's, were ahead of the shock absorber engineers.

So that's ol' Sugar Bear in the lead, eh. Thanks, I would'nt have got that. #402 on a Bultaco, just behind 206 - is Kenny Zahrt, always loved his style...and speaking of Gary Jones, he's still tearing it up, and winning. It was really great seeing him at M/O.

Thanks POG.
Later,
Bob W

[socalmx]

I drove up to Sand Hill (near San Fransisco) AHRMA event about 8 years ago and had the opportunity to talk with Buck Murphy. He is a real nice guy and was extremely thrilled when I produced a picture circa 1974 on his Penton for him to autograph.

[bentrims]

This photo is the "OLD" Hangtown track that was natural motocross. They even "dared" to have a mudhole section every year even if the factory bikes got dirty. The track got rougher as the day went on. I rode my first AMA national there in 1978 when the factory teams still consisted of 5 or 6 riders per team.

Locals told me that real estate was sold after they found high levels of arsenic in the soil?
Tom B

[ossaracer]

What a GREAT picture!!!  I knew the Penton 250 H S is fast!!  I didn't realize Buck rode Penton before Can-Am.....

Terry Gates
AHRMA racer/Penton-Ossa lover
[email protected]
Penton 125 Six Days (3)
Penton 175 Jackpiner
Penton 250 Harescambler (2 1/2)  Love 'em!!
Mint 400 - sweet

[Big Mac]

I hope to follow up with Buck someday soon to get some stories behind his year as a "factory" Penton MXer.

He told me a couple years back that it all started when he followed Jim Pomeroy down to Saddleback in So. Calif in late '73 or so, to try his hand in the support class on a hot Yamaha DT-1. Said he was running great in the first moto and wow'ing the crowd when he burned it up and DNF'd. Apparently Carl Cranke was in attendance, and offered Buck his new race-prepped Harescrambler 250 to run the rest of the weekend on. Buck apparently made enough of an impression to win a full-sponsored ride from Penton-West and the rest is history.

We should all be so lucky...and talented.

Jon McLean
Lake Grove, OR