Home Page Photo Quiz - August 2004

[firstturn]

#3 person is Leroy Winters.
Question:  Just prior to the release of the Penton motorcycle what brand of bike was Leroy ridding in the 6 day trials?

Ron Carbaugh

[Admin]

Here is another picture at the '68 Berkshire.  Thanks to Bob Wardlow for providing the photo.

[Kevin Grimes]

Ron,
 I'm going to disqualify myself from answering the Leroy questions because they're to easy. While we're on the subject I'm a tailight away from finishing my 68 ISDT Leroy replica.
                                 Kevin

[firstturn]

Kevin,
  As always thanks for your kindness on the answers.  Please let tell us under the Wanted Section on which taillight you need.  Be sure that we get a picture to post of the Penton when finished[^].

Ron Carbaugh

[Kevin Grimes]

Ron, Considering I'm working from 3 small photos I'm really doing pretty good. What I'm having trouble with is the rims...they look like shoulderless aluminum but I can't tell. Also the tailight is a tough one as I assume it's like the one I've seen in a profile view of Tom Penton's 68 ISDT bike. I can't be sure but it is small and mounted on a license plate bracket.
                        Kevin

[firstturn]

Kevin,
  Send me the pictures if I can help.  


Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

Questions:  We have several out there that are un answered.
Dane is correct on the tool box on Leroy's bike coming off a Honda 160.  Since I know someone is going to say this isn't correct remember that Honda made several models of the 160.  The box came off a CB160 Sport.
 Give the questions your best effort.  Rewards are for people who try.  Failure or winning isn't necessarly objective, but Fun and Learning is what this is all about.

Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

Answer:  Al Born's racing gear(coveralls) were provided by FORD Motor Co.  There has to be some experts out there on Leroy Winters.

Ron Carbaugh

[rob w]

Q: Prior to the release of the Penton motorcycle, what did Leroy ride in the ISDT.


Sept. 17-22 1967
42nd I.S.D.T.
Zakopane, Poland

U.S. Vase Team
Bud Ekins
Malcolm Smith
John Penton
Leroy Winters

Riding Husqvarna's

also- The "100 Mile National Championship Enduro" held in Jamestown, N.Y. on October 8, 1967. Leroy was the "Bantam Champ" riding a Sachs.

But, what I'd really like to know is why did Leroy Winters ride a Honda SL125 at the 46th I.S.D.T.(Isle of Man) in 1971.

Thanks
Bob

PS, and also...how and the heck do you insert someones quote, I've been trying to fiqure that one out for a year.

[Kevin Grimes]

Rob,
 In 1965 Leroy rode a Honda S-90 (highly modified)at The Isle of Man
 In 1966 it was a Husqvarna 250 in Sweden
 And as you said in 1967 it was another Husqvarna 250 in Poland
 1968 Penton Italy
 1969 Penton Germany
 1970 Leroy was injured in a tragic auto accident enroute to Spain
 and was unable to compete
 In 1971 lets just say a lot of things worked toward Leroy riding as
 an independent. Honda offered a new SL-125 and a $1000.00 dollars
 to Leroy and he brought back a Silver Medal
 1972 Leroy rode the same Honda SL-125 in Czechoslovakia
                    Kevin

[ABORN]

I know too, but I'm not telling either--Al Born

[firstturn]

OK just moving on Ralph worked for John Penton.  Leroy raced out of his own dealership (Honda) and it was located in Fort Smith Arkansas.  And Kevin gave a great run down on the bikes Leroy rode.  Thanks Kevin for the great input.  I will be starting to talk a litlle bit on each person pictured and will start with Al Born so stay tuned for more on the Great Racers Month and the people that made it possible for us to talk about the greats that brought us to the present.

Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

#1 in the picture as we know is Al Born.  To say he is a nice guy is a understatement.  I am just going to take time to give you my input on Al and please lets have fun and honor these guys for who the are and what they have done for Penton and POG.
  Al is the Secretary of POG and his reporting is so good to help all of us that are not able to make the meetings keep up with our POG Business.  Al not only had one of the first Pentons, but rode the first Races that Pentons were entered.  This a milestone that can only happen once in a lifetime.  He still has his original Penton(I think it is V003................if I'm wrong I'm in trouble).  Al was a great racer and was low key.  As on can tell from his flaw less appearance I bet his bikes were the preped the same way.
  Al never has really been able to hold a steady job(49 years with Ford).  Seriously, Al is so dedicated to his Company that I had to buy a Ford last time I bought a new truck, something about helping his pension.  Al is tireless in helping people and I have been the benefactor of this help.  While I was in the hospital for 4 months my family would receive his calls weekly and report my condition.  Al even had on of his friends at Ford, who had been through the same transplant, write me a letter.  What can I say but Thanks Al for being you and helping us youngsters with POG.
  Of course you know I can't close without telling a fun side of Al.  Last year at Mid-Ohio Al was visiting with me and Richard Sanders when a young man came up and wanted a picture next to Al.  Right after the picture we heard the guy tell his buddies "see I told you I could get a picture of John Penton".  Of course Richard and I couldn't let this go and told his buddies that the should get John's autograph before he left.  Well Al turned a little red in the face, but you know he does a nice Autograph.

Ron Carbaugh

[Paul Danik]

Al has not only been confused with John Penton, he has also been confused with another great racer. Al, Tom Penton and I went to the short track races while we were at VMD west a few years back. At the conclusion of the races we stood to leave and a person tapped me on the shoulder from behind, I turned around and the lady pointed to Al and asked if he was Dick Mann!
     Earlier that same day, Mr. Penton had just completed his lap of honor as Grand Marshall around the Sears Point Raceway and was being interviewed by Dave Dispain. Al was riding the Penton steel tanker that Mr. Penton had used for his ride through the crowd towards the POG display. A gentleman with a camera positioned himself for the perfect shot and then hollered out his thanks to "John Penton" as Al rode on.  Al just gave me one of those " hillbilly grins " and kept riding.
     How detailed are Al Born's records of the clubs meetings you ask,  it took three meetings to get him to quit asking "who was that" when someone sneezed!:D

     All kidding aside, Al Born is one great guy and he sure helped Mr. Penton get the Penton motorcycle into the winers circle right from the start and I am really honored to have Al as a friend.
Paul

[firstturn]

Person #2  TOM PENTON
  Again I would like to give a personal side of people that I have had the honor to deal with and/or have known during (and continuing) my Penton experience.
  I met Tom Penton over the telephone during my early racing of pentons, probably in 1973.  You have to remember that the main focus of Pentons in Central and Eastern parts of Texas was Moto X.  I had a situation come up where I got a new piston kit for my Berkshire and after many hours of testing the engine would be faster that it had ever been for about 60% of the power band and just stop.  I had made some major changes for that season including blueprinting the engine, porting and a new pipe.
  I was at a stand still and generally being a very difficult person to be around. My Father ask what the problem was and I explained the situation.  My Father being a machinest and not really wanting me to race motorcyles told me to disassemble the bike and bring only the parts that I had changed to him.  Well in less than 10 minutes he found the problem.  It was, from the factory, a out of round piston.
  My next step was to call Penton with the situation and let someone know about the problem in case this wasn't the only one that was mismanufactured.  I happened to get Tom on the phone and expalined the entire situation.  He just said "no way" and had never seen the problem before, but really wanted to be sure that that was the real problem.  So after he got it he let me know that he appreciated the heads up and that it appeared to be the only one or that there were no more with the same problem in stock.
  In the future it was always easy to get in touch with Tom and I always identified myself as the MX guy from Texas.  Kinda funny now that I look back on it, but at the time it seemed neat.
  Here is where the real basis for the above explaiation begins.  Tom Penton is a very detail person.  If you ask him a question or ask for a explaination you better be ready to listen and he will not let you off the phone unless he feels you understand the answer.  Now this is 1973 and I was getting phone calls averaging $20.00 each when I called.  There were no great rates back then so if you were going to ask a mechanical question you better be ready to listen.  I would always try to end a call in that I truely did understand the explaination, but Tom wanted to be sure that it was totally understood.  So I came up with the philosphy that I had better have a good question when I called Tom or don't call.  To this day I wish I had a copy of some of those phone bills just for the memorys.
  When I think back on Doug Wilford's explainations of how the entire Penton process was think and do, I always think of Tom and the fuel hose from the carburetor to clear it out after a fall.
  THANKS TOM FOR THE GREAT MEMORYS ALL STARTED BY A LITTLE PISTON

Ron Carbaugh