Jeff Penton

[Jeff D]

After the ISDT Reunion Ride, I sent a letter and some goodies to Jeff and Tom Penton thanking them for coming to the ISDTRR for the first time.  I recently received a letter from Jeff and I don't think he would mind me sharing a couple of lines from it that, to me, exemplified not only the Penton boys, but many other of our Six Days heroes of that era:
"Riding on the Penton bikes for us was just a way of life and didn't seem special.  What seemed special were the places we went and the many people who were always so nice.  As a rider in my teens I never thought of being an influence on the next generation of Six Day riders."  
Also, of the Dalton ISDT Reunion Ride:
"The entire weekend brought back many great memories.  The rain on Saturday and Sunday was typical Berkshire weather.  I was shocked at how many people were there that I knew and yet embarrassed at how many I had forgotten."
I was quite moved by this letter from such a skillful yet humble competitor such as Jeff P.  No glitz and glamour, no multi-million dollar sponsorships, no flash...just gritty, determined riding of the highest caliber.


Jeff DeBell

[tmc3c]

Sound's like to me that is a trait of a TRUE champion!!

Thomas Carmichael

[LynnCamp]

One of my memories of the '73 Berkshire IDST was when I was awkardly trying to back out my crew cab Ford truck with a very tall aluminium topper out of a restaurant parking lot and the next thing I know one of the Penton boys (I think it was Jeff) was standing out in the parking lot waving his arms and directing me.  I was impressed (and embarassed) then with his "down-to-earthedness" and I guess nothing has changed.  Of course, Papa John is a great role model!!!

It is kinda funny --- you get the impression that none of those guys.. Danik, Wilford, Penton, Uhl, Leimbach, Cranke, etc., etc have a clue what they meant to some of us and what an incredible experience it was to re-live some of that at the ISDTRR!!!!  

Thank you Jeff for all you have done and still do to keep the ISDTRR rockin'!