Tomahawk/Dane Leimbach/Cross Country

[firstturn]

Just a update on the Races this next weekend.  I hope there is a good turn out for the Races and to Honor our own Dane Leimbach.

Subject: [potomacvintageriders] Tomahawk Cross Country Update

Myself, Johnny Burnette and John Hubbard went up to Tomahawk
yesterday to add the finishing touches to the course for this coming
weekend's National Cross Country event. This course should be great
for both Novices as well as Experts. And for those folks that were
there last weekend, thank God there doesn't look like any rain for
this week.

In case you didn't know, AHRMA is trying out a separate Novice race
at Tomahawk and several other races this year. Both Vintage and PV
novices will be racing in this Novice race. The race order will be
Vintage, Novice and PV with Intermediate and Experts obviously being
in the other two races. This works out well as we added and deleted
some sections to make the course more friendly to the Vintage and
Novice riders. The rest of the folks should really like the changes -
can you say challenging.

FYI, even though AHRMA wants pre-entries for Cross Country, they will
readily take same day entries. So if you are a local that has been
sitting on the fence, it is not too late to enter the race.

In case you haven't gone to the AHRMA website to get the time table,
here it is:

7:00-9:00 AM: Registration/Tech
9:15 AM: Rider's Meeting
9:30 AM: Siting Lap - Vintage/Novice
10:00 AM: Vintage Race - Intermediates and Experts
12:00 PM: All Novice Race - Vintage and PV
1:30 AM: PV Siting Lap
2:00 PM: PV Race - Intermediates and Experts
4:30 PM: Awards

I have an email in to the National Coordinator regarding registration
and tech times for the PV riders. Obviously their race is much later
than everyone else, but as this moment I don't know if registration
and tech will go beyond 9:00. Also, you can go through tech on
Thursday. If I hear anything different about later registration for
PV, I'll let you know.

See everyone at the Hawk.



Ron Carbaugh

[Ernie Phillips]

Ron, Thanks for the update!  I usually don't like getting up real early, but I'm very excited about our 4am Keytime for tomorrow's 550 mile drive to Tomahawk!  Don't forget, we have to get some group Penton photos with our Legend.  Hope to see a good turnout ... ya'll come!



Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[firstturn]

To everyone,
Just a reminder the Cross Country is Friday and Dane will be there so as Ernie says lets make it a great weekend and Honor someone who helped make and continues to Make Penton the Marque that it is today.

Ernie,
  Be careful when you say Key Time of 4 AM.  You are going to have people scrambling to get their headlights working.

Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

Just an update.  Friday went well with the Cross Country...main thing no rain.  We had a great showing for Penton and since I didn't stay for the trophy presentation I cannot report on who won which class, but it was great having Dane ant the Rider meeting and we should be Proud of what Teddy Landers does for this group and AHRMA.  Despite the high cost of gas Teddy was there in full force and it is much appreciated.
  One real Surprise was that Saturday Morning Tony Friedel spotted a write up in the local paper featuring a picture of our own Christopher Phillips in a great action shot during the Cross Country.  Christopher and his Father Ernie were ridding hard and there bikes soundedvery crisp.....just the way I like to hear a Sachs.

http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/507281.html?nav=5009

On Saturday the rain started after the riders meeting and continued off and on till I had to leave around 12 Noon.  I was looking around to say good bye to Dane and I couldn't find him???  He was out on the MX track draining the water so that the guys could take a lower/faster line.  I truely believe that work eithic is so instilled in the Penton blood line that they cannot help themselves when there is a job to be done and it doesn't matter if, in Dane's case, that he was the guest of Honor for the weekend.  

What a great weekend and I continue to be Honored to know all of this Great Penton Family.

Ron Carbaugh

[chicagojerry]

good seeing you there ron, along with the rest of the penton lovers clan. lew, ernie, glenn and many more. there were a lot more pentons at that race weekend than i have seen at most. dane was still there somewhere when you left, we took off about 1:30 when another downpour started. unfortunately, my racing for the weekend was cut short on friday during the vintage cross-country. i blew my knee out and i have to go an ortho surgeon on monday to find out how bad it is. i was pretty bumbed about not being able to dice it up in the mx on sat in the mud.  hopefully, i will be able to ride again later in the year but i won't know the extent of the injury until sometime this next week. but i will definately be at mid-ohio, racing or not.     chi jer

[TGTech]

I want to thank everyone that attended the AHRMA event at Tomahawk and for all of their kind words and appreciation. I had a great time and would have even had a better time if it hadn't rained on Saturday.

Dane

[Lew Mayer]

Thank you, Dane, for attending and for all you have done and still do for the motorcycling community. A true Champion.

Lew Mayer

[firstturn]

Dane,
  Thanks for being there and let everyone Honor you.  You are a true Champion.

Ron Carbaugh

[Ernie Phillips]

Dane, You rat!;)  You did not sign my tank.  Seriously, thank you so much for coming to Tomahawk.   Your attendance as winningest 100cc US rider in international competition makes riding a Penton, racing a Berkshire, very special.   The Cross Country awards were very special too – first place winners received a copy of John Penton and the American Off-Road Revolution, 40th Anniversary Commemorative Edition;  special, very special indeed!  Thank you POG for making this possible.  Those receiving the book who did not know of Penton and POG greatness, do now.

Good to see all the Penton riders and support crew too: Ron, Dwight G, Chuck "flies in the Mud" Reuben, Lew "the neck" Mayer, Tony, Glenn,  ... others and Chicago "sore knee"  Jerry.

Jerry, Sorry to see you go down.  Let us know what the doc says.  Praying for your complete and speedy recovery.


http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg276/ernie7711/?action=view¤t=tomahawk2008136.jpg
Teddy, the book and The MAN – Mr. One Hundered!

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg276/ernie7711/?action=view¤t=tomahawk2008037.jpg
Carbaugh holds court

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg276/ernie7711/?action=view¤t=tomahawk2008196.jpg
Rain (Race 7 – moto 1, 100cc)

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg276/ernie7711/?action=view¤t=tomahawk2008210.jpg
Mud

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg276/ernie7711/?action=view¤t=P5300138.jpg
Wards Riverside:  Not a Penton, but a Penton front end


Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[TGTech]

Thanks Ernie. Now that you've posted some shots, here's a few I took too.

This first one, is Chicago Jerry after his holeshot on the start.

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/TGTech/?action=view¤t=ChicagoJerry.jpg

Here's one after Jerry tweaked his knee.

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/TGTech/?action=view¤t=ChicagoJerryaftertweak.jpg

Ernie in a tight spot.

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/TGTech/?action=view¤t=Ernie.jpg

Ernie in an open spot.

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/TGTech/?action=view¤t=moreErnie.jpg

Teddy Landers

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/TGTech/?action=view¤t=TeddyLanders.jpg

I didn't take out my camera in the rain like Ernie did, so I don't have any mud shots.

Dane

[Ernie Phillips]

Thank you Dane for the action photos. Now, could you shed some light on the Legend photos below?  Maybe, you could start with the mudole shot in upper left corner and talk us through ... the year, the bike, the event, the result ... and, did you ever shave[)]?

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg276/ernie7711/?action=view¤t=danelegend.jpg

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[TGTech]

Ernie,

The beard has been there since 1973. I just didn't like to shave.

The pics in the upper left corner and lower right corner of the flyer, was from the 1975 ISDT on the Isle of Man. The best 175 I'd ever ridden until the one I rode at the 1976 ISDT in Austria. I think that if it had been as light at my '76 bike, it would have been better. Well, the '76 machine had better suspension on it too. Oh, and it had a better powerband too.

The pic on the upper right of the flyer, was from the 1972 ISDT in Czechoslovakia. 100cc Berkshire in a special test.

The shot in the lower left, was one of my Kawasaki KDX 125's. I know that Kawasaki didn't make a KDX 125, but we did. The KX 125 was the same bottom end as the 175, so it fit the KDX Frame. All I had to do was to make the pipe fit the chassis.

The formal shot, was taken from my election flyer when I ran for my Township Trustee job three years ago.

The shop pic was in the R&D building at 1900 Elyria Avenue in Lorain. That wasn't my bike, but obviously, I was working on it.  If you come to the 40th Anniversary Celebration in September, you'll get to see the outside of the building during the tour.

Dane

[Ernie Phillips]

Dane thanks, now we know.  Interesting about your KDX 125 - it was a time of innovation and talent on display by the racer/mechanic.  Besides you racing involvement, I find it amazing that you have been able to continue in the motorsports business in some manner all these years. And, via Penton Imports you are still helping us with your PVL/MZB ignitions.  Many times, when a hobby becomes a job, it loses its joy.

Since our visit at Tomahawk was cut short, do you have an interesting story you could share (lots of interest, 400+ views so far), something about you cousins, an adventure on the Cycleliner, the dumbest thing you ever did, merits of the Amal carb  ... the keys to success?   Maybe one of the cousins or old friends could chime in ...

40th Anniversary is on the calendar.


Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[firstturn]

Ernie,
Your quote:
Many times, when a hobby becomes a job, it loses its joy.

My quote:
My job was the same as my hobby and it just made me work that much harder. I considered it a Blessing to be doing for a living what I would do for a hobby.

Ernie,
  Thanks for you and your Sons fine showing at Tomahawk and your spy photos.[8D]


Ron Carbaugh

[Ernie Phillips]

Ron,

Passion + Profession  = Blessed.   It seems to me that those who have a "competitive spirit" excel at whatever they choose to pursue.  Those, such as you, who do not burn out, make us all proud.  I spent a very enjoyable couple of years working at a bike shop and getting to race every weekend.  But, even as a youth, I could see that making a career out of it would be tough.  A busted knee got me motivated to get a formal education.  The guys who spent time in Amherst received an education too.  I was re-reading" John Penton" last night  ... looking at photos of Penton ISDT teams.
Wow.  In addition to not liking to shave, Dane apparently did not like getting his hair cut either;).


Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN