30 years ago today!

[Paul Danik]

Sept. 17, 1973.  This date, 30 years ago today, is an important date in POG history, who knows why?

 

[LynnCamp]

Paul,
Gotta be that you were doing the six days in Dalton, MA? And I was a mere mortal watching from the sidelines..... oh well, some people are blessed with all of the talent ....

Following is a quote from the vintage website and the rider list from isdt.org.

1973 International Six Days Trials
"In 1973 United states was determined to give the czech's a fight on home soil and had a bit of success in that effort. The competition was held at Dalton Massachusetts and the US team took the Vase (Junior) trophy. The 1973 Vase riders where Dick Burleson, Malcolm Smith, Ed Schmidt and Ron Bohn. Czechoslovakia won the Trophy as usual despite the seemingly strong US team with names like Tom Penton, Jack Penton, Jeff Penton, Carl Cranke, Dane Leimbach and Bill Uhl that only managed 5'th place overall."
and the riders:
50cc class:  No US riders

75cc class:  No US riders

100cc class:  16 total riders
5th  Bill Uhl(30)  Penton  Gold medal
9th  Dane Leimbach(20)  Penton  Gold medal
 

125cc class:  71 total riders
17th  Joe Barker(34)  Penton  Gold
20th  Stellan Tingstrom (75) Monark  Gold
21st  Doug Wilford (67) Penton  Gold
23rd  Paul Danik (81) Penton Gold
30th  Tom Penton(57)  Penton  Silver
54th  Jim Hollander (98) Penton  Retired
57th  Les Grable(107)  Dalesman  Retired
 

175cc class:  54 riders
19th  Bren Moran(55)  Puch  Silver
20th  Dick Burleson(125)  Husqvarna  Silver
29th  Jeff Penton(112)  Penton  Bronze
35th  Jim Sparkes(119)  Puch  Retired
46th  Tom Clark(141)  Puch  Retired

250cc class:  67 riders
8th  Carl Cranke(189)  Penton  Gold
13th  Malcolm Smith(168)  Husqvarna  Gold
17th  Charlie Vincent(185)  Ossa Gold
22nd  Don Cutler (209) Ossa  Silver
27th  Dave Latham (161) Ossa  Silver
32nd  Jim Piasecki(200)  Husqvarna  Bronze
42nd  Ken Maahs(207)  Husqvarna  Bronze

350cc class:  27 riders
6th  Jack Penton(240)  Penton  Gold
12th  Ron Bohn(229)  Husqvarna  Silver
13th  Gary Snider(236)  Rokon  Silver
14th  Carl Berggren(225)  Lind-Qvarna  Bronze
15th  Jim Fogle(232)  Rokon  Bronze
17th  Ron LaMastus(223)  Rokon  Bronze
18th  Jim Simmons(244)  Rokon  Bronze

500cc class:  36 riders
10th  Ben Bower(248)  Husqvarna  Gold
11th  Jake Fischer(271)  Husqvarna  Gold
15th  Gary Surdyke(251)  Yamaha  Bronze
17th  Barry Higgins(260)  Kawasaki  Retired
18th  Lars Larsson(255)  Kawasaki  Retired
22nd  Mike Patrick(266)  Kawasaki  Retired
23rd  Eric Jensen(282)  Kawasaki  Retired
27th  Ron Bishop(274)  Kawasaki  Retired
34th  Don Stover(249)  Husqvarna  Retired

1300cc class:  18 riders
3rd  Ed Schmidt(284)  Husqvarna  Gold
7th  Dave Mungenast (299) Triumph 510  Silver
9th  Dave Eames(290)  Husqvarna  Silver
10th  John Greenrose(293)  Triumph  Silver
18th  Ken Harvey(287)  Triumph  Retired

World Trophy Teams:  12 teams
5th:  USA-Tom Penton, Jack Penton, Jeff Penton, Carl Cranke, Dane Leimbach,
Bill Uhl.

Silver Vase Teams:  25 teams
1st:  USA "A"-Dick Burleson, Malcolm Smith, Ed Schmidt, Ron Bohn
23rd:  USA "B"-Tom Clark, Don Stover, Lars Larsson, Jim Hollander

Manufacturers Teams:  50 teams
9th:  Husqvarna "A"-Malcolm Smith, Ron Bohn, Ed Schmidt
11th:  OSSA USA-Dave Latham, Charlie Vincent, Don Cutler
17th:  Penton "A"-Jack Penton, Jeff Penton, Doug Wilford
20th:  Rokon USA-Jim Simmons, Gary Snider, Jim Fogle
30th:  Penton "B"-Carl Cranke, Tom Penton, Jim Hollander
34th:  Triumph USA-Dave Mungenast, Ken Harvey, John Greenrose
46th:  Kawasaki USA-Eric Jensen, Ron Bishop, Mike Patrick

Club Teams:  24 teams
6th:  Amherst Meadowlarks-Jim Piasecki, Doug Wilford, Paul Danik
7th:  Greylock Riders-Jake Fischer, Dave Eames, Carl Berggren
10th:  Golden Gators-Ben Bower, Joe Barker, Barry Higgins
11th:  Twin City Competition Riders-Stellan Tingstrom, Jim Sparkes, Gary
Surdyke
19th:  Lansing Motorcycle Club-Les Grable, Ron LaMastus, Ken Maahs

Interesting side note:  In the official program of the 1973 ISDT, Bultaco
observed trials champion Lane Leavitt is listed on the Vase "B" team.  Lane
declined to ride the ISDT after Bultaco would not outfit him with a prototype
Frontera (as used by some of the Spanish factory riders) and instead wanted
to mount him aboard a Matador.  Lane argued that the Matador would not finish
the six days of riding.  He was also contesting the observed trials
championship in 1973 and after declining the Vase ride, went on to capture
the trials championship astride a Sherpa T.
Jim Hollander was drafted to fill Leavitt's spot on the Vase B team.