Pentons in the Baja 500 / 1000

[cubfan1968]

Since I was a kid I've been intrigued by the Baja race. Beings the Score Baja 1000 is next week it makes me ask the question, back in the day what have Pentons done in the Baja race?

If anyone could shed some light or share some stories about Penton participation in this race it would be much appreciated.

Rod Whitman
Omaha, Nebraska
1972 Six Day (Rider)
1972 Six Day (Project)

[Gavin Housh]

Rob, I think you would need to talk to someone that was there back in the day. See if you can get an email off to Rick Sieman (Super Hunky). He has a web site but I'm not sure of the name. Maybe somebody else out there knows? Gavin

[Paul Danik]

I was talking with Carl Cranke at a check during the ISDTRR when the subject of Baja came up.  He told of riding a 125 Penton in the event, I asked him about the night riding.  He said that the light that they used focused to a point on the trail ahead, not a lot of side lighting which he said was good as there were lots of things to the side of the trail that it was better that he did not see, such as large thorny cactus and washouts.  

   Carl told of crashing on a moonless night during that event and realizing that he had no clue as to where his motorcycle was after he got up.  After a bit of careful searching he did find his Penton.

Paul

[rpage11]

Here's the site I believe Gavin was talking about.  It's called "Don't Ask" by Rick Sieman.

http://dirtbike.off-road.com/Don%27t+Ask

Skip Page
Tucson, AZ

[Gavin Housh]

Skip has one site here but the other site has some good stuff about the Checkers MC and the desert racing clud. //www.superhunky.com

[Mike Burgess]

I still have a copy of the Offical results sheet from the 1970 Baja 1000 in which my father drove a 2 wheel drive Chevy Pick up in. The following are the reults from Category 7, Motorcycles up to 125cc.

1st      Hurd/Smith         DKW-125cc                     29th OA
2nd      Cannady/Switzer    DKW-125cc                     32nd OA
3rd      Miller/Harper      Sachs-125cc                   52nd OA
4th      Penton/Maynard     Penton-125cc                  79th OA
5th      Rheaume/Rossi      Yamaha-125cc                  89th OA
6th      Graves/Masek       Kawasaki-125cc                118th OA
7th      Scott/Scott        Harley D-100cc   Mr. & Mrs.   121st OA
8th      Buchanan/Toms      Kawasaki-124cc                123rd OA

I called dad about it and he says he thinks that was Jeff Penton finishing 4th in the class but says that was long ago and is not positive about it. I also have Cat. 8 Results for the big bikes if anyone is interested in them.

[Dwight Rudder]

Who was riding with Jeff P ?  Bob Maynard of THOR fame ?
Dwight

Dwight Rudder
7 time ISDT / E medalist
8 time National Enduro Class Champion.

[Mike Burgess]

quote:Originally posted by Paul Danik

I was talking with Carl Cranke at a check during the ISDTRR when the subject of Baja came up.  He told of riding a 125 Penton in the event, I asked him about the night riding.  He said that the light that they used focused to a point on the trail ahead, not a lot of side lighting which he said was good as there were lots of things to the side of the trail that it was better that he did not see, such as large thorny cactus and washouts.  

   Carl told of crashing on a moonless night during that event and realizing that he had no clue as to where his motorcycle was after he got up.  After a bit of careful searching he did find his Penton.

Paul

In 1973 dad and Robbie teamed up for the parker dam 500 on a 125 Penton and finished 5th in the class. Robbie bailed in the middle of the night in a huge whoop section and it took him and a teammate almost 2 hours to finally locate the bike so i can relate to Carl's story.

Mikie

[Mike Burgess]

quote:Originally posted by Dwight Rudder

Who was riding with Jeff P ?  Bob Maynard of THOR fame ?
Dwight

Dwight Rudder
7 time ISDT / E medalist
8 time National Enduro Class Champion.

I believe so Dwight. I have more items from the old days here Dwight. you wouldnt believe it. I have the results book from the Potosi 2 day qualifier in 1974 which had over 400 entires and only 108 riders finished it. It poured rain for weeks before the event and everyone was in serious doubt as to if the coarse could even be completed but Tom Clarke reassured eveyone he had pre rode the coarse and all was ok. After the event and many questions he finally admitted he pre rode it in a dune buggy. It was bad nasty. Penton East won the Trade team and Rowe bros. Firestone racing Team won the club team and Jack Penton was the Overall winner that day. Dane Leimbach won the 100cc class, Paul Danik won the 125 class,Billy Uhl won the 175 class, Carl Cranke won the 250 and Jack won the Open class and the Overall. Needless to say, Penton's dominated in usual fashion!

[Chakka]

Paul,

The whole story of Carl Cranke's Baja ride is in the March 76' Issue of Dirt Bike Mag. The cover features a great shot of Carl in full flight on the 125. Since I have a 76' 125 the photo was interesting to me. Carl's bike has a red watermelon gas tank clearly off a 75' Hare Scrambler. It's a great artical, the results show Carl and team mate Eric Jensen took 1st place in 125 class with a time of 22:48:53

Chris

[socalmx]

For the most part in the early 70's, DKW/Sachs really ruled out in District 37 and Baja desert racing. One year Mitch Mayes and Bruce Olgive won on a 125cc Harley Baja. I am sure that there were Pentons racing however no one rider or event comes to mind.

[BobJones]

Hey Mike I think my brother was on the Rowe Bros. Firestone team at Potosi in 74. We both rode that event! He was on his new Jackpiner & I was on a 250. We grew up around Potosi & started riding there. We could leave our parents house cross the highway & be in the National forest ride all day & come home after dark. We started on Ossa's switched to Penton 125's in 72. 30 years ago we started a M/C store so we could get parts for cost. Sold our Penton's for seed money. Maybe that's why I love collecting & riding them now?

Bob Jones
Show-me state
74 Harescrambler,72 Jackpiner,69 6-Day

[Mike Burgess]

quote:Originally posted by bobjones

Hey Mike I think my brother was on the Rowe Bros. Firestone team at Potosi in 74. We both rode that event! He was on his new Jackpiner & I was on a 250. We grew up around Potosi & started riding there. We could leave our parents house cross the highway & be in the National forest ride all day & come home after dark. We started on Ossa's switched to Penton 125's in 72. 30 years ago we started a M/C store so we could get parts for cost. Sold our Penton's for seed money. Maybe that's why I love collecting & riding them now?

Bob Jones
Show-me state
74 Harescrambler,72 Jackpiner,69 6-Day

Hello Bob, The results book shows a J.Jones Rider #14G finishing on Gold and 7th in the 175cc class. Billy Uhl won it followed by, Joe Barker,Danny Young,Mike Rosso,M.Adent, J. Thomas and then your bother. Quite a impressive ride for that weekend. Down right totally nasty it was! Also, Quite a ride for the entire Team of Rowe Bros. as they dropped a total of 6 marks and second place was Jim Moon Yamaha #1 with a total of 200 marks lost. I remember this trip very well as Dutch Hutchings taught me how to play backgammon that weekend and i had the pleasure of learning the ropes of being at the gas stops with Don Rosene. Even though we were very busy Don took the time to teach me the do's and dont's at Gas stop areas. ahh, The good old days!

[BobJones]

Mike, That's him. I remember he was on the same row with the Penton's & they kept coming up to him & asking who he was & where he was from. I bought a 175 last year to see if I could get him to start riding the ISDTRR well this year he rode a Bultaco at Flat River & got a silver. I think on a Penton he would have got gold! I never was as fast as him but I beat him by 1 second in a special test& I got silver as well. 40 years we've been riding together & it's still about the competition!

Bob Jones
Show-me state
74 Harescrambler,72 Jackpiner,69 6-Day

[Big Mac]

Check out this famous Baja-NORRA racer and his trusty mount--looks to be a late 60's KTM badge on the tank(ie Penton)?

http://www.strictlyhodaka.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SH&Category_Code=Preston

Jon McLean
Lake Grove, OR