Gene Romero famous quote, "I live for wine, women and song."

I wanted to flat track growing up..I was14 and this was my goal...I motocrossed till I 17..My folks said no😢... thanks for the memories..

Gene Romero, Dick Mann, and Mert "The Squirt" Lawell, those WERE the days.

I raced in southern Oregon in the early 70's...loved flat track...I wasn't of these quality of riders, but it sure was a fun time!

RIP Gene, you will be always remembered. A true childhood hero!

I believe that flag man is Bouncing Bob Malley. Used to love watching him doing cartwheels and flips with the flag a foot away from the riders as they zoomed by. San Jose Mile was my favorite, climbing up the trees (olive I think) along the first turn to get above the fence for better pictures. Gene "the Burrito" Romero, a genuinely decent man who loved racing and will be missed.

There's no sweeter engine sound than that of a well-tuned parallel twin.

The riders in this clip are legendary in flat track. Haven’t heard a lot of them in years

Gene smokin a cigarette before the final....Ahhh the good ole days.

My grandfather raced flat track in SoCal in the 60s before he packed up and moved out east and started a bike shop, I’d have loved to have been around back then

That checkered flag waver at the end was the best ever😂

Nixon, Lawwill, Burrito, Mann, Brelsford were the champs from 68 to 72. 73 marked a changing of the guard as these guys phased out and Roberts, Scott, Springer took over. Harley was always looking over their shoulders at Triumph and Yamaha until straightening out the OHV motor in the mid 70’s. Competition was at its peak in the 60’s-70’s. On any given year at least 3-4 guys were capable of taking the title. Far different from the 90’s.

I was at this race and many others also. I lived close to San Jose, CA. 1971 was when I became a fan of Dirt Track and Motocross at Carnegie in Livermore, Ca.

memories of m'cycle racing on ABC's Wide World of Sports in late '60s and early '70s. And vague memory of magazine article about these wild men. "As he was passing another rider, he would reach out and hit other fellow's kill switch." Or "reach over and turn his throttle off." I remember Jim Rice, Gary Nixon, Gene Romero, Dave Aldana, Dick Mann, Skip Van Leeuwen and others. Thanks gentlemen for all the thrills.

Rest in Peace Gene, Godspeed:)

1971 was the year that AMA really dropped the ball. Instead of Veteran Racers being able to keep their long time established National Numbers that both Fans and other racers were use to seeing for years. They assigned numbers in accordance to how the rider finished points wise during the 1970 season. Racers like Gary Nixon who had #9 for years and likewise Neil Keen who had #10;had each others numbers. Racers who Fans identified by their long time owned National Numbers had to adjust to the new numbering system which was both strongly objected by Fan and Rider alike. AMA must have gotten the message because the following year they went back to the original format and veteran riders got back their old long time established Numbers.. Sometimes things are well enough left alone.This was one of those decisions by misinformed AMA Higher-ups that really came back to bite them....

Thanks for the vids! My history includes building XR750's for Mert at Terry Knights shop in Hayward along with hundreds of TT's, Shorts and recumbent bikes. It was my first welding gig out of trade school, Terry knew all the racers and they would often come in when the San Jose and Sacramento Miles were running. Good times!

They didn't care about money or the front page of flat tracker. It was the battle and the thrill.

I was at that race! Cool! Dick Mann, Cal Corothers, Gary N., loved watching them ride the dirt!

Rest in Peace Gene Romero

Great names from the past. Flint Michigan is famous for more than automobiles and bad water...... Bart Markel.....Cycle Magazine named him the "Most ferocious dirt tracker in history".

I just saw Jim Odom and Jim Rice last night at Barnaby's...

James McCandless nice to see some of the guys we use to race with. Awesome that you could save those videos. I raced Ama district 36 back in the late 60's and early 70's. Started out on a honda 160 scrambler, levis and a patched up old helmet. Back then the hot shoes in the 250 class where Jim Foley, Johny Hlebo wo later became black plate 1 ,Pat McCal geesh so many age 64 now and still go to the Hollister tt track. Loved Hayward speedway would sure like to see some video of Hayward! Thanks for saving and hunting down these awesome videos!

I go back even further. Late 50's/early 60's at the Ascot 1/2 mile in Gardena with Al Gunner, Don Holley, Sammy Tanner 'the Flying Flea' and 'Bullet' Bob Shirey.

Im having Flashbacks! How sweet it...was

Without Gloves....incredible...

"Damn" ... those were the Day's !!!! :)

Too good to be true, Phillip! Any video of these guys from back in the day is great but this was even better. The San Jose Half-Mile and the San Jose Mile, two of the greatest venues ever, are now long gone. It was great seeing Gene Romero, smoking the cig and getting some tips from his Dad! But the best part of back then was hearing Roxy on the microphone!

Outlaw racing in the latter 60's was the best of times, 650's and 1000cc Sportsters on fuel, no brakes, run what you brung.

That's where I nomed my skill.loved it.😊

This is back when my grandpa raced

The flag guy at the end really sums it up nicely.

No gloves!! If you can believe that! To this day it just boggles my mind when I see guys riding on the street with no gloves. Totally nuts.

Thanks for the video! I raced there in 1971 as a novice in a 125cc class race. Only half mile I ever got the chance to do; all the other tracks we went to were 1/8th mile or 1/4 mile at Hayward or Vallejo. The SJ half mile was the most fun!

That's the way it was. Good to hear line-up of riders.

Watched those guys race short track on the old Astrodome for years.

I went to the AMA road race at Pocono and Romero was smoking a cigarette at the start line as they were waiting for the race to start.

They were sending it way harder back in the day

Greatest names ever I wonder how many are still alive

RIP Tom Rockwood , a good guy.

So Kool! I Loved Doing This.

Brilliant stuff! when I was a boy....

This would be the year after On Any Sunday was filmed. Camera work looks real Bruce Brownish

I gotta get 3rd or go to the hospital. I dig Carnations man. Burrito.

Roxy! I miss you back in the day at Ascot.

Meet Gene at LA Trade Tech. His wrench . Pat Owens was one if the teachers there.

Thanks for the vid... brings back a lot of good memories

I guess 2nd place didn't mean much because it was #16 Dick hammer a great racer who was riding a Harley. He had an entire house full of over sized trophies and boxes full of them in the rafters of the garage. He has also been gone for many years , Sammy tanner ( the flying flea ) is still Kicking in Artesia ca one of the last greats of that era .

Superb!!! Love the background music

Great racing...

extraordinary quality

Sorry MR. Reyes you were correct , I was 5 YO at that time and Dick was laying on the couch with half his body covered in terrible road rash He earned racing . Very traumatic for a young child to watch a grown man in agony . Not sure how the numbers were assigned but that was Definitely Dave Sehl # 16 and not Dick Hammer who was # 16 at an earlier date . I stand corrected guys, Both men great racers indeed .

WOW, I'm old and it's a TRIP. 🤣☠

So many familiar names. Love this vid. One thing though, the bikes look so slow- I know they were doing 100+ down the straights, but they still look slow compared to to days bikes.

Gloves? Oh hell no.

TOTAL HARD MEN NO GLOVES COS IT TOOK AWAY THE FEELING THROUGH THE BARS .THIS SPORT IS Y LAWSON RAINEY AND CO DID SO WELL IN GPs.

Some great pals here!!

I cherish this stuff.

No Bullshit. When men were men. ✊

RIP BURRITO///

love it..

Hell yea brother

Rest in peace Dallas Baker.

I enjoyed your video.

1:12 - is that rider using a carpenter's plane to cut his tyre?

Pretty sure most of these riders appeared on “On any Sunday”

So cool!

My son went to grade school with Bouncing Bobs son.

Groovy music! :D

Icebergs aren't half as cool as the late great Mr. Gene Romero!.

DUDE! GLOVES!

Is surprising to see how flat track races are ran at USA and how in Europe. Notoriously in USA is used heaviest and biggest bikes. I started to watch expecting the classic (at least for us at Argentina) highly slant style of dirt track races like speeway and what i found is higly thrilling, bikes slant just a bit and then drifts quite vertical. One thing surprise me, how often pilot didn´t gets up after a fall and have to be supported by paramedics or track personel. But i know this is YT and blood do big sales.

Hey there, You really know what you're talking about. When you going to have more of these type of videos? Race Hard!. Russ

GOOD STUFF

Nary a single sissy on that day.

flag waver is awesome

that's "TIGER" Gene Romero

2:25 ... not everyone wore gloves those days.

I was there.

California dreamennn😍🥰🥰🥰

Romero with no gloves!

Anybody out there remember Tony Gutierrez Santa Paula Richard arnaz used to ride for p number 16 z AJ Herrera Santa Barbara California

Anyone notice that Gene isn't wearing gloves? Would've been interesting to hear his thoughts on that.

Wear they a mixture of different bikes but same cc and did Bultaco Astro take over as flat track few years later

What? No Aldana?

Who was 9?

Cool

Bet those guys slept all night after working on their own shit

Bondo file on your tires...awesome

Same basic format back almost 100 years now

0:47 No gloves?... 2:29 I guess, not. Fuck, ditch the helmet too while you're at it!

reading fair grounds half mile flat track motor cycle reading pa

Does anyone know anything about Mike Coakley

Just can't believe how foolish it was to not make it mandatory to ware clove. Its not as if they weren't invented!

No gloves!

Mm

They race these in my home town ,across the street from my house on a unused 1/2 mile horse racing track. Thanks to a ex Mich. Governer who stopped funding harnis horse racing. Thanks for ruining that.

M.p.h.

1/2,mile is the best..mile too long ..short track...nope

That Cardi B ad makes me puke!!! I hate that bitch.