Jack Penton 1975 Isle of Man ISDT

[Tom Penton]

Tom Penton

[Toolsurfer]

Way to go Tom and your brothers .  Jack looks like he's got all of that fork travel used up, FLYING! Blue tank , some say all 250 pentons except 1973 had red tanks and only West coast KTM had the Blue tanks ? I do see Penton on Jacks and KTM on the Italian rider.  Nice photos, If you come across more please post them for us to enjoy .

[Tom Penton]

William,

 Good eye picking up the compressed fork legs on Jack's bike. I showed the picture to Eric Jensen and he picked up on it too. We decided that the picture of Jack was taken earlier in the corner than Gritti's. Jack was just getting off the brakes (see that his right hand finger tips are just off the lever). Gritti, on the other hand, is further through the corner and is dialing on the gas starting his corner exit.

The KTM factory picked one color for our Penton ISDT bikes. I don't know if dad had any say in it. Same color stateside for East & West coast Pentons.

By the way, just talked with Jack about this compilation I put together ... he reminded me that he had only just turned 21, and that he has talked to Gritti in the years since, and Gritti wouldn't believe that Jack, at that young age, was so close behind him. I hope this provides some evidence!

Tom Penton

[Toolsurfer]

Tom, I was checking both machines out at speed and its hard to believe were the center stand are relative to the ground on the right side . I would not want for that to hit the payment because of skipping out to the left . Just says, Jack wasn't worried about that as he was all about checking out . I know you've heard this alot but much respect for the Penton clan and I mean all. Admired your dad before I new you brother existed . Good man .   More pictures Tom !

[wfopete]

It amazes me that in 1975 Jawa and MZ machine were so dominant. I don't know if that is a testament to the rider, the machine, both or something else (team tactics?).

Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good

[Toolsurfer]

Tom , how many displacement bike did you race and which ones did you like and why?  I owned a Jackpiner and never got to ride it . My 1974 1/2 Harescrambler was great and always wanted to get in the saddle of a mint 400 . I thrive on brute acceleration .

[Tom Penton]

I rode 125 & 250 Pentons, although I did ride a 100 once, in the Corduroy Enduro, because of the class structure. I think I had the most fun on the 125.

Re: Jawa/MZ dominance. Sometimes it depended on the event. The 1973 US event is an example. The West German Zundapps dominated. Billy Uhl, on a Penton 100, was Top American. But the scoring for the Premier Award, Top Trophy Team, was by how you did in your class. Overall individual ranking was somewhat "unofficial".





Tom Penton

[Toolsurfer]

Tom , you got any pictures of early 70's  Harescrambles you can post?    What years were you in Vietnam ?  I know you are a vet and thanks for your service in Asia . I tried to enlist in 1973 and my father would have nothing to do with it . I still carry my draft from those days . Thanks William

[Tom Penton]

William,

See above, also "Penton Racing Talk" Al Born Scrapbook web link.

Tom Penton

[Mike OReilly]

This weekend would have been the 67th running of the Corduroy Enduro in the Haliburton Highlands of central Ontario. With the border still closed and all things being equal, this is only the 2nd time in event history that the event has been cancelled - the other was 1969 as some of the original organizers aged-out and they weren't able to find enough volunteers.

The last couple of years the weather was almost summer-like. This year is classic Cord weather: cool, crisp (as in -3C.) in the forecast for the mornings, and beautiful clear blue skies with the leaves just beginning to turn. I know that myself and many others are missing being there, particularly for the Friday Vintage prologue that was introduced 3 years ago.

The attached link is a photo of myself and fellow POG member Richard Colahan (who was riding his original 1976 expert class winning 125 Husky) recreating the Leroy Winters/Tom Penton photo from 51 years previous. No, neither of us scored another log last year, but Yes, that is the same original (dating to 1953) overall winner Corduroy log as in the photo with Leroy and Tom. The log spent a lot of years in Amherst OH of course, and is the same as featured in the Penton family photos.

Hopefully next year the world will have returned to something resembling normal and I will continue my quest to put the Penton name on the Corduroy podium one more time.

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipOxAnbGBEsGokMy7nePVAyJTEZXNMpbClAqE_Dx

[Mike OReilly]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CfXPGRC7arg7J5yt7

[Richard Colahan]

I miss the Cord...and Vintage Cord this year. As Mike says...let's hope for 2021. BTW, when Mike went into the event HQ and walked out with THE Cord log for the photo one of the officials almost had a heart attack thinking he was high-jacking it! Mike quietly assured him it was just for a photo!  

quote:Originally posted by Mike OReilly

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CfXPGRC7arg7J5yt7

Richard Colahan
1969 V1225
Upper Black Eddy PA