Old Three Wheeler Racing

[barnett468]

OOPS, forgot one, Mickey Thompsons Off Road Championship in Pomona?

[manbearpig]

Danny's machine. Was that the Danny Duncan from santee ca.?

yes, one in the same. i have an atc70 built by danny's machine (AKA Danny Duncan, AKA Duncan Racing)

[Joseph Farrow]

I remember you guys back in the day. I would read about you guys and your racing. I kinda feel like I already know ya. Ha. Good to see your still active in the sport. It will keep you young. Im turning back the clock. Getting back into racing. Im lovin it.

Your avatar pic. Danny's machine. Was that the Danny Duncan from santee ca.?

ATV racing was a big part of my life for a lot of years. I got out of the sport but I have always kept up with what was happening even if just passing by a new stand and picking up a Dirt Wheel or 3 & 4 Wheel Action and looking thru the pages. My brother and I were talking about some of our old race bikes, in particular our old 3 wheelers and that is what lead me to 3WW. All of our leads on our old bikes went cold so were wanting to build some early 80's 90/110 Racers. A lot of knowledge and info here on 3WW.

The picture in my avatar is from the High Point National at Mt. Morris Pa. The bike is Danny's Machine Works personal 200x race bike. Danny built our 180 110's when we first got into racing in the early 80's. When Lauren took over Danny's Machine Works and changed the direction and name of the business to Duncan Racing, Lauren started coming to the nationals and we began to talk. Judson and I were both running 200x's at the time and expressed interest in Danny building us a 200x. Lauren was more focusing on two strokes with the new Duncan Racing. He told us about their 200x so Judson and I bought it. The only thing we changed on the bike was we added 350x front forks.

[Joseph Farrow]

Hello xxjessepxx


Sorry, I still only know of the 2 classes I mentioned in the ATV Nationals in So Cal. They might have included a 0-125 class in other states in addition to the ones Shortline and Joseph referred to. They never had an open class anywhere.

Just curious, why are you so interested in the PRO National class only?




Hello Joseph, your last name sounds familiar, did you or your brother ever race the following in So Cal?


San Diego indoor night race during monster truck event.

Carslbad 3 wheeler or quad?

Ascot night race quad.

Corona 3 wheeler night race.

Saddleback short track or TT.

Perris annual GP.

Angel [Anaheim] Stadium night race during AMA PRO MX intermission.

LA Coliseum day race 3 wheeler only.




Do you know or ever meet Jimmie White, Chris White or Donnie Luce or Gary Denton?

Hey barnett468 I dont think I ever officially raced 3 wheelers in California but I know I race Quads. I was out there in '83 and we went to Ventura to the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Pretty cool local TT/Flat track race. We also went to the 1983 Off Road Championships at the Santa Cruz Fairgrounds. Meet all the Old School Super Stars. Dean Sundahl was the man at that time. He was my hero. "King Dean" Team Honda was there in a major way. Dean, Marty, Wax, Steve Wright, Mike Coe, Tom Gain, and Curtis. If I am not mistaken, I think it was Jimmie's first major race on the Kawasaki. He ended up finishing 3rd in the 250 class behind Mike Coe and Dean Sundahl.

Gary Denton was made for a Quad. He was the king of the Hole Shot. In '91 my brother and I were part of a 10 man US team that went to Tokyo Japan for the US Off-Road Grand Prix in the Tokyo Egg Dome. All of the Super Cross guys went, RJ, Jeff Stanton, Damon Bradshaw, Jeff Word....
The US guys competed against the Japanese guys. Pretty cool concept. The US team consisted of Gary Denton, John Scott, Doug Gust, Charlie Shepherd, Barry McCarty, Chad Clemen, Donny Banks, John Lukos and us. Curtis was building our bikes at the time and he was able to come over as our mechanic.

Definitely enjoyed every second of my ATV days. Got to travel and meet a lot of really nice people and made friends for a lifetime.

[Poco Loco]

Yes I remember Danny. He worked out of that converted house on Prospect Ave. in Santee ca. I would bring him projects that I couldnt handle. I was very young then so there were many trips to that ol house. I figured Id ask because I thought there might be another shop with that name somewhere else in the U.S. Loren and Lenny were little chimps then. Many years later I got a few chances to line up at the gate with lenny. I never saw loren on the track. He was the brains of the two, I dont think he raced. At least not to my knowledge.

Are you and your brother doing any racing anymore?

ATV racing was a big part of my life for a lot of years. I got out of the sport but I have always kept up with what was happening even if just passing by a new stand and picking up a Dirt Wheel or 3 & 4 Wheel Action and looking thru the pages. My brother and I were talking about some of our old race bikes, in particular our old 3 wheelers and that is what lead me to 3WW. All of our leads on our old bikes went cold so were wanting to build some early 80's 90/110 Racers. A lot of knowledge and info here on 3WW.

The picture in my avatar is from the High Point National at Mt. Morris Pa. The bike is Danny's Machine Works personal 200x race bike. Danny built our 180 110's when we first got into racing in the early 80's. When Lauren took over Danny's Machine Works and changed the direction and name of the business to Duncan Racing, Lauren started coming to the nationals and we began to talk. Judson and I were both running 200x's at the time and expressed interest in Danny building us a 200x. Lauren was more focusing on two strokes with the new Duncan Racing. He told us about their 200x so Judson and I bought it. The only thing we changed on the bike was we added 350x front forks.

[barnett468]

Hello

Hey barnett468 I dont think I ever officially raced 3 wheelers in California but I know I race Quads. I was out there in '83 and we went to Ventura to the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Pretty cool local TT/Flat track race. We also went to the 1983 Off Road Championships at the Santa Cruz Fairgrounds. Meet all the Old School Super Stars. Dean Sundahl was the man at that time. He was my hero. "King Dean" Team Honda was there in a major way. Dean, Marty, Wax, Steve Wright, Mike Coe, Tom Gain, and Curtis. If I am not mistaken, I think it was Jimmie's first major race on the Kawasaki. He ended up finishing 3rd in the 250 class behind Mike Coe and Dean Sundahl.


Gary Denton was made for a Quad. He was the king of the Hole Shot. In '91 my brother and I were part of a 10 man US team that went to Tokyo Japan for the US Off-Road Grand Prix in the Tokyo Egg Dome. All of the Super Cross guys went, RJ, Jeff Stanton, Damon Bradshaw, Jeff Word....
The US guys competed against the Japanese guys. Pretty cool concept. The US team consisted of Gary Denton, John Scott, Doug Gust, Charlie Shepherd, Barry McCarty, Chad Clemen, Donny Banks, John Lukos and us. Curtis was building our bikes at the time and he was able to come over as our mechanic.

Definitely enjoyed every second of my ATV days. Got to travel and meet a lot of really nice people and made friends for a lifetime.

Thanks for the reply.


VENTURA – Yeah, I raced a Tecate once there in 84 at night. I liked it there.


DEAN SUNDAHL – I as well as all the other Kawi guys had great respect for him as a rider. Kinda like the Marty Smith of 3 wheelers.


GARY DENTON – Don’t know if you know this but he was a local pro MX rider in So Cal in the mid 70’s. He rode for DG and rode the Nationals. Saw him often at Saddleback and Carlsbad on his bike. Raced him in the pro bike class and later in the quad class. He only weighed around 140 lbs, lol.


RICK JOHNSON – I saw him race before he was first signed, I told Kawi to hire him, they said "we don't need him we have Jeff", I said, "yeah but the last time I remember Jeff couldn't ride 3 AMA classes in the same day", morons.


JIMMIE WHITE – He started at Honda but they weren’t enamored with him and he said they gave him little, plus he said he hated it there. He said it was run like prison camp or something and when Kawai asked him to ride he jumped at the chance. Too bad for Honda. Once he was at Kawi he was shocked by the laid back atmosphere. There was basically 0 pressure to win. The race mgr figured, you guys are adults, you’re gonna ride as fast as you want and NOTHING we say will make you go any faster, lol. Pretty simple philosophy. It was the same in the MX dept.


JEFF WARD – Super nice guy, first watched him when he was still riding XR’s. When he got his first full size bike his dad would have to hold it up until he left the starting line because he couldn’t reach the ground. It was hilarious unless you were racing against him, then it was just plain embarrassing, lol. His dad owned a finance company and mysteriously got everyone that applied, a new home loan, including me, and his sister did everybody's escrows, lol.


JAPAN – That place is bizarre isn’t it? I was sent there to do a simple test on the 86 T3 prototype, I ended up having to redesign around 1/2 of it. Got drunk with the president of the company in the middle of town. We walked with our arms around each other singing in the middle of the streets while going from 1 Karaoke Bar to the next. The people all knew who he was and looked shocked, horrified and scared, lol. It wasn’t exactly dignified or culturally correct for him to do that, especially with a blonde long haired American lol.

[Joseph Farrow]

Yes I remember Danny. He worked out of that converted house on Prospect Ave. in Santee ca. I would bring him projects that I couldnt handle. I was very young then so there were many trips to that ol house. I figured Id ask because I thought there might be another shop with that name somewhere else in the U.S. Loren and Lenny were little chimps then. Many years later I got a few chances to line up at the gate with lenny. I never saw loren on the track. He was the brains of the two, I dont think he raced. At least not to my knowledge.

Are you and your brother doing any racing anymore?

I have some pictures of thier old shop in Santee. If I ever get my new computer and scanner hooked up I'll post some pic's.
Lauren raced motor cross on bikes in the 70's. IIRC I think Lauren race some in the dunes at Glamas on their 90. I have a pic of him with the bike and some trophys.

As far as us doing any racing now days its like I tell people that know we used to ride that ask the same thing. I always tell them I couldn't ride across the street now if I had to. LOL I wouldn't mind doing a little woods racing (XC). It may be something I get into down the road. My wife wouldn't want to hear it.

The last several years we have been into restoring Muscle Cars. i.e. Chevelles. My first car was a 1968 SS396 Chevelle, been hooked ever since. Just finished restoring a '72Ragtop. Kinda want to take a break from cars for a while and take a stab at putting together a BAPP replica Racer or even a 70-71 US90.

[Joseph Farrow]

Hello






Thanks for the reply.


VENTURA – Yeah, I raced a Tecate once there in 84 at night. I liked it there.


DEAN SUNDAHL – I as well as all the other Kawi guys had great respect for him as a rider. Kinda like the Marty Smith of 3 wheelers.


GARY DENTON – Don’t know if you know this but he was a local pro MX rider in So Cal in the mid 70’s. He rode for DG and rode the Nationals. Saw him often at Saddleback and Carlsbad on his bike. Raced him in the pro bike class and later in the quad class. He only weighed around 140 lbs, lol.


RICK JOHNSON – I saw him race before he was first signed, I told Kawi to hire him, they said "we don't need him we have Jeff", I said, "yeah but the last time I remember Jeff couldn't ride 3 AMA classes in the same day", morons.


JIMMIE WHITE – He started at Honda but they weren’t enamored with him and he said they gave him little, plus he said he hated it there. He said it was run like prison camp or something and when Kawai asked him to ride he jumped at the chance. Too bad for Honda. Once he was at Kawi he was shocked by the laid back atmosphere. There was basically 0 pressure to win. The race mgr figured, you guys are adults, you’re gonna ride as fast as you want and NOTHING we say will make you go any faster, lol. Pretty simple philosophy. It was the same in the MX dept.


JEFF WARD – Super nice guy, first watched him when he was still riding XR’s. When he got his first full size bike his dad would have to hold it up until he left the starting line because he couldn’t reach the ground. It was hilarious unless you were racing against him, then it was just plain embarrassing, lol. His dad owned a finance company and mysteriously got everyone that applied, a new home loan, including me, and his sister did everybody's escrows, lol.


JAPAN – That place is bizarre isn’t it? I was sent there to do a simple test on the 86 T3 prototype, I ended up having to redesign around 1/2 of it. Got drunk with the president of the company in the middle of town. We walked with our arms around each other singing in the middle of the streets while going from 1 Karaoke Bar to the next. The people all knew who he was and looked shocked, horrified and scared, lol. It wasn’t exactly dignified or culturally correct for him to do that, especially with a blonde long haired American lol.

Barnett468 Just read your entire first tread. Pretty amazing stuff. Sounds like you were in the right place at the right time. It was deffinitely a different world than it is today.
Your insite in the ATV world is priceless. Appreciate the info.

I have a Jeff Ward story for you. My cousin used to race mini bikes and 125 in the early to mid 70's. His name is Gene McKay. Jeff and Gene used to race together all the time. Gene's sister Penny used to date Jeff. LOL

Wendy Oaks MX
Springville, IA Ran from the early 70s to late 80s. hosted a YAMA national in 1974. i saw Gene Mckay on Noguchi yamahas consistantly beat Jeff Ward on his blue xr75s. Tammy Kirk of dalton Ga. was also racing.Had she gone mx instead of dirt track she would have definitely given mercedes gonzales a run for her money. In 1985 wendy oaks held an lorettas amatuer regional here are some the A riders listed. mike larocco, greg bowen, donny schmit, rich halstead along with several from oh, in, wi,mn,mi. Track is pretty much pasture land now.
http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-a...or.r_qf.&cad=b

As far as Tokyo you are correct it is definitely a bizarre place........ I too had an experience which consisted of Budwiser and Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places"......The best I can remember. All I know is I was up for around three days with no sleep. When the plane touched down in Memphis I didn't even know it.

[barnett468]

Hello xxjesseepxx




Hopefully you get more of the info you are looking for. At least whenever someone posts on your thread it brings it back to the top where someone with more info might see it more easily.

Hope you had a good 4th.





JOSEPH

Barnett468 Just read your entire first tread. Pretty amazing stuff. Sounds like you were in the right place at the right time. It was deffinitely a different world than it is today.

You read it all? Lol, lol, lol. I’ve got off the hook Kawi stories. I also worked at Norm Reeves Honda, Kawi, Bultaco, BSA, back in 75 and 76. I raced 125 and 250 and open, we sponsored Jeff Jennings. The races at Saddleback and Carlsbad in the off season were like a National.

Your insite in the ATV world is priceless. Appreciate the info.

Thanks and so is yours! Not many of us around.

In 1985 wendy oaks held an lorettas amateur

Sorry but you lost me here, what is Wendy Oaks?

They had a Loretta race other than at her ranch?

Team Green borrowed me in 84 or 85 to wrench for their riders at ponca city and loretta’s. Eddie Warren was one of the riders assigned to me along with a couple other super fast kids. Loretta’s was in a “dry” town but her care taker “ole red” moonshined us up real good, lol.

As far as Tokyo you are correct it is definitely a bizarre place........ I too had an experience which consisted of Budwiser and Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places"......The best I can remember. All I know is I was up for around three days with no sleep. When the plane touched down in Memphis I didn't even know it.

That’s what you get for drinkin Budweiser when they had Asahi and Kirin, lol. I actually met Kent Howerton over there during my stay, he rode for us then. We took the scary Super Train to Kobe and had a huge steak that cut with a fork and melted in your mouth. In true Texan style he said, “it’s ok but they’re still better in Texas. I just laughed at him.

Do you remember the store signs being just 6” over your head? That’s how they were in Kobe, lol.

[xxjessepxx]

In the early years you had 125/200/250/Open in the pro class. Later on you only had IIRC 200/250. (Pre Quads)

So I would think that the 250 would be two strokes, unless for some reason they would allow someone stupid enough to ride a 250 utility, like a big red,

but would the 200 class be like 200x's, so four strokes, or was it sleeved down 250 2 strokes

and what was raced in the 125 class?

Also, were ppl racing 250r's in the open or some of the custom 500cc trikes?

THANKS for everyting

[barnett468]

Hello

So I would think that the 250 would be two strokes, unless for some reason they would allow someone stupid enough to ride a 250 utility, like a big red,

ANY 0 - 250

but would the 200 class be like 200x's, so four strokes, or was it sleeved down 250 2 strokes

Any 0 - 200 Lot's of sleeved down 2 strokes.

Also, were ppl racing 250r's in the open or some of the custom 500cc trikes?

There was no open class that I know of.




200 CC PRO NATIONAL RACE 1985

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRg3VeEe4HY


250 CC PRO NATIONAL RACE 1983

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ0PuvGfSws





You never answered my question. Why do you want to know such exact things, it's ok but very unusual.

[xxjessepxx]

Just curious, why are you so interested in the PRO National class only?

Sorry i never actually saw this part of your post.

Interested in pro level because any local track could have there own classes that might not be the same as another track.

Local level doesn't have consistency, but the pro level has the same classes at every race.

[Cassmanbearcat]

this is great reading and learning about the old days for barnett and joseph glad you guys are here to give us such great info....thanks....

[barnett468]

Hello xxjessepxx

Sorry i never actually saw this part of your post. Interested in pro level because any local track could have there own classes that might not be the same as another track.

The only discrepancy I see is the inclusion of 0 - 125 class in some areas as Joseph and shortline mentioned. Why is that so interesting?

Local level doesn't have consistency,

They absolutely did where I lived for every year I raced.

but the pro level has the same classes at every race.

The two videos I gave you the links to of National races did NOT have a 0 - 125 cc race that I know of.

[Poco Loco]

Barnnett and Joesph, you guys should dig up some old pics and put them on. Would be nice to to see the old stuff.