Nortons on the Dirt II

The summer 2014 picture posting of "Nortons on the Dirt" from Knoxville, IA 2014 appeared to be reasonably well received here.

http://www.accessnorton.com/nortons-the-dirt-t19629.html

With snow on the ground and the riding season expired here in MN, thought it might be fun to reflect back on the season past. To that end here is the next installment - "Nortons on the Dirt II" from Wauseon, OH 2014.

Note Kelly George' sweet all original Triumph pit bike in the back ground




Many Maney goodies on the black 7F




















The 2 bike feature - Norton Vs state-of-the-art GNC XR - Joe Roeder vs Jay Springsteen respectively


Many lead changes in this 3 lap race and XR by 1/2 a bike length at the flag


Norton hole shot - Roeder on the #66 George Norton


And the feature winner is.....


Now I am hard pressed to explain this final image. Although I've heard of these new so-called digital cameras, of course I was shooting film with my early 1970's vintage Olympus OM-1 and had the portable darkroom along in the pits. Developing film in the wee hours of the morning all blurry eyed, I could hardly believe my eyes when I noted this unusual apparition appear just behind the gas tank, that I can assure you was not there when I snapped the picture. I thought perhaps I'd stacked 2 negatives together when printing, but no that was not it. Still scratching my head on this one but the apparition has a striking and remarkable resemblance to hobot. Could it be? Was he there ghosting around the pit area? We'll likely have to bring in NCIS to do some image analysis and get to the bottom of this one, unless someone on the forum has an idea what transpired here.

Great pics! Thanks for posting. I had a John Hatley ex-factory Norton flat track bike for a while, and every time I see pictures like these I kick myself for letting it go. Reminds me of the good old days here at Ascot.

Ken

Was there a factory Norton running at Ascot? I remember the Nick Deligiannis Norton, first ridden by Frank Gillispie, later by David Aldana and the Ron Woods Norton, ridden by Alex Jorgenson. I seem to remember Little John Hately was Triumph mounted.

Great pictures. I love the fact that a Norton took the feature and barely lost out to a modern Harley and an AMA champ rider in the 3 lap race. Hogslayer deja vu.

Way to go Norton!

I looked at that last picture before I finished reading and said to myself that guy looks like Hobot...freaky

Naw that's Rossi's big ears sticking out at each end of the grin still ringing from these beasts Loudness.
The light colored frames did inspire me to do Peel's frame in white with sky blue-pink with brackets highlighted in loud orange.

JimC said:

Was there a factory Norton running at Ascot? I remember the Nick Deligiannis Norton, first ridden by Frank Gillispie, later by David Aldana and the Ron Woods Norton, ridden by Alex Jorgenson. I seem to remember Little John Hately was Triumph mounted.

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John did ride mostly Triumphs, but also rode the Norton, as did Aldana. I don't know if John ever rode it at Ascot. I was just commenting on how the pictures here reminded me of those days. When NVT folded, they gave the bike to John, who put it up for sale. I bought it from him (in '77 I think) to get the short stroke engine for my road race bike. I sold the rolling chassis to George at HPI, and it eventually ended up in the hands of an ex-racer in Texas, Bill Milburne, who is restoring it, along with other factory flat track bikes. These are the only pictures I have of the bike. It's as I bought it, except for my paint job on the tank, and the silencers I added so I could ride it around the neighborhood without too much attention.





Ken

They all look like the prefect mc's to me. Anyone here done nutzo x-up antics like these beasties allow and lived to tell? Even the century old direct drive manics hit the turns WOT to throw em low and sideways into flexing fits of loud glee. Pilot said Only reason Kelly's Norton didn't take the XR900+ National level was a missed line and traction exiting last turn so XR hooked better but in final event the mostly factory Norton put down power enough to lead the XR and rest of the field about a dozen lengths behind on pure power to weight hooked up dragster response. All the other races were neck and necks. Btw who rode Kelly's Norton that night?


The rear brake low on Rh about where normal shifter peg is on street Commando threw me a few minutes hitting it hard in panic to catch 3rd before powerband wheeelied over hooking up on firm surface which let my highs down quick. I'd think one of these let loose on the street with flat track tires would be a wheelie hand full unless ya strapped or cut it down 2" in fron, then would be a pavement tracker. Canon A-1 with machine gun drive and data controler backplate was end of my chemical photograph days.

hobot said:

Btw who rode Kelly's Norton that night?

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Joe Roeder http://www.roederracing.com/History.html

The family that races together ... what a life and times. Peel's got 15' more fork swing in case I get that itch too. Still getting bounced off seat and chin into bars rough off roading may be more my style.