Page 1 of 1

THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND

With the invasion of the American lightweight market by the Japanese

motorcycles, Harley Davidson was forced to abandon their stateside
manufacturer of the two stoke line and look about for a more competitive
product. William Davidson a brilliant man and president of the Harley-Davidson
company spent a great deal of time in Europe hoping to find a product that
could be purchased and eliminate the time loss of setting up a new factory. He
finally accomplished that with the purchase of fifty percent of the Aermacchi
factory, one of the oldest manufacturers in Europe, located in Italy. The
company had experienced a string of bad investments and was in great financial
trouble. Mr Davidson was able to purchase the deal for only two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars.

They first brought in the 250cc OHV single and named it “ The Wisconsin”. The
name lacked pizzazz and was later renamed the Sprint. It was just what the
factory needed however the majority of the Harley-Davidson dealers who were
so totally buy American and leave foreign products alone, which many of them
did just that. The dealers that welcomed the line and promoted it were very
successful.
As you might assume those that did not offered and got very little from it.
The most successful selling dealers were the ones that promoted them on the
race tracks all over America. The old automotive line worked here as well. “Win
on Sunday and sell on Monday”

As time went on they added a complete line of two strokes from 50cc to 250cc
which due to the high performance Japanese and Spanish bikes placed them in a
highly unfavorable light. By 1974 just when Harley-Davidson had developed a
350cc street bike of the highest quality the total market sort of went dead.

The 250OHV Sprint that started it all remained and is today the favorite of the
AHRMA flat trackers in all its forms, flat track, road race, scrambles, M/X.

Over a long period of time it proved that William Davidson knew what he was
doing.
 MIKE CONNELL
AHRMA HIGH POINT WINNER
2003 AT DAVENPORT,IA

DECORA, ILL
WHEN NOT RACING OPERATES A CHARTER AIR SERVICE
 THE THREE AMIGOS
RON LANCASTER, TOM COLE
AND SEAN COLE

THESE ARE THE GUYS THAT MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AT THE

LANCASTER SPRINTS SHOP AS WELL AS THE TRACKS
7
 MARK BRELSFORD
HARLEY FACTORY RIDER SHOWN ON A
JIM BRELAND SPRINT

JIM BELLAND WAS KNOWN FOR HIS ABILITY TO MAKE A

HARLEY PRODUCT GO. THERE ARE STILL A COUPLE GOOD
ONES STILL RUNNING ON THE CALIFORNIA SCENE
 DAVE ATHERTON
WHITE PIGEON MICH
MR SMOOTH ON A SPRINT

DAVE WENT ON TO WIN A TON OF RACES AND LATER

SWITCHED OVER TO A TUNER FOR A LOT OF THE MICHIGAN
MAFIA RIDERS.
 CAL RAYBORN
SAN DIEGO EXPERT IN ALL VENUES
CONSIDERED THE MAN TO BEAT AT
ANY ROAD RACE OR MILE

CALL WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT IN AUSTRALIA WHILE

TESTING FOR KAWASAKI
 DAVE ESTEP
ORIENT, OHIO

OHIO HALL OF FAMER, STATE CHAMP HILLCLIMBER IN OHIO AS

WELL AS W. VA. LIKED BY ALL AND CONSIDERED ONE OF THE
BEST ANTIQUE RESTORERS AFTER RACING RETIREMENT
THE WHOLE HOLLINGSWORTH FAMILY
WITH BIG SMILES AFTER SON DON
WINS DAYTONA 1968

IF THERE EVER WAS A FAMILY THAT WAS A CREDIT TO THE

SPORT OF RACING SPRINTS THS IS IT. IT WAS A COMPLETE
FAMILY EFFORT.
 DOUG DUBUQUE
SEATTLE WASHINGTON

WON THE CANADIAN NAT CHAMPIONSHIP LGT WGT CLASS

AND ALSO WON THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX IN WESTWOOD
THE NEXT DAY IN THE 250 CLASS
 GEORGE ROEDER
MONROEVILLE,OHIO

GEORGE SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE IN THE PURSUIT OF M/C

RACING PLEASURE. NO RACE WAS TOO FAR. IN ADDITION HE
FATHERED A TEAM OF HIS OWN RACERS.
DICK HAMMER
LAKELAND, CA
JOEY DUNLOP
 CRIS KERBER
OREGON AHRMA ROAD RACER

OWNED AND MAINTAINED HIS OWN EQUIPMENT AND WAS

VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE SPRINT ROAD RACER AND
WAS WILLING TO HELP ANYBODY THAT NEEDED IT
 500CC LINTO SPRINT
DESIGNED BY LINO TONTI BY ACTUALLY
JOINING TWO 250CC SPRINT ENGINES
SIDE BY SIDE

THE BIKE WAS RACED WITH SOME DEGREE OF SUCCESS IN THE

EUROPEAN CIRCUITS INCLUDING THE FAMOUS ISLE OF MAN
 RONNIE RALL AND BART MARKEL
GETTING IT ON AT ASTRODOME
1969

SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING RACES EVER HELP WERE AT THE

FACILITY DURING THE SIXTIES. RONNIE MANAGED TO GET THE
ONE ON A SUPER HOT BULTACO
250CC SPRINT BUILT AND RIDDEN WITH
GREAT SUCCESS BY ROGER MCGINNIS

THIS BIKE WAS COMPLETELY REDESIGNED BY ROGER. HOME

BUILT FRAME, FORK YOKES, MANY ENGINE CHANGES AND
IMPROVEMENTS. A HUGE SUCCESS
THIS WAS INCLUDED JUST TO SHOW THAT THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH
CERTAINLY A BEAUTIFUL RESTORATION
RONNIE RALL DOES IT ALL AT PEORIA SECOND
REIMAN AND THIRD BILLY HOLCOMB
ARTICLE SAYS IT ALL
HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE
HOME OF THE FACTORY THAT MADE
THOSE FINE LITTLE MOTORCYCLES

NESTLED IN SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

KNOWN TO MAN. WHAT THEY LACKED IN FASHION THEY
MADE UP IN PASSION FOR A SPORT
 THE ASSEMBLY LINE WHERE ALL THE
SPRINT ENGINES AND TRANSMISSIONS
WERE ACUALLY ASSEMBLED BY HAND

CRUDE BUT EFFECTIVE, WHO WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT

THAT THESE ENGINES WERE BEING ASSEMBLED IN HOPE OF
RECEIVING $500 FOR THEM AND TODAY $6000 SOUNDS
CLOSER TO REALITY
 BART MARKEL
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST HARDEST
RIDING RACERS THAT EVER LIVED

HE COULD RIDE ANYTHING THAT HE GOT ON FROM ROAD

RACE TT, MILE, HALF FLAT TRACK AND THE EARLY ON GUYS
WERE HAPPY TO SEE HIM TAKE HIS BSA SINGLE AND GET OUT
OF SCRAMBLES AND GET IN TO PRO RACING
 BUTCH DUVAL
WISCONSIN SPRINT
FLAT TRACKER
 CARROLL RESWEBER
PORT ARTHUR ,TX

ONE OF THE GREATEST RACERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE ASSN
UNBEATABLE ON ANY VENUE
 DAVE ESTEP LEADING AN INDOOR
CONCRETE FLOOR ARENA IN
COLUMBUS, OHIO

IN THOSE DAYS YOU WOULD RACE ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME

YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. SAFER WALLS? WHAT SAFER
WALLS/
 DON HOLLINGSWORTH ST.AUGUSTINE
FL ON #94 LEAVES THE LINE AT LACONIA
NEW HAMPSHIRE

DON WON BOTH RACES THAT DAY, BROTHER DAVE IS 83

 EDDIE WOOD
RICHMOND, VA

EDDIE RACED FLAT TRACK ON THE MID ATLANTIC CIRCUIT

ALTERNATING BETWEEN A SPRINT AND A YAMAHA
HE IS NOW RETIRED AND OPERATES A VERY SUCCESSFUL
AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR BUSINESS WITH HIS SON AND A
BOATLOAD OF GRANDCHILDREN
8
HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S ORPHAN CHILD
HOW THIS LITTLE MOTORCYCLE IN A PERIOD FROM 1961 TO
1974 EXCITED A MOVEMENT THAT IS STILL HOLDING ON 36
YEARS LATER

THANKS TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTED

INFORMATION AND PICTURES TO GET THIS TOGETHER AND
FOR THOSE THAT ARE KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE
FROM THE COLLECTION OF
EDDIE BOOMHOWER
 JOHN TIBBEN
CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA
BEGAN HIS FLATTRACKING CAREER
IN 1957 ON A HARLEY WR

HAVING BEEN A CLOSE FRIEND OF CARROLL RESWEBER FOR A LONG

TIME HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE OVER THE #1 SPRINT WHEN CARROLL
ENDED HIS RACING CAREER IN 1962. HE SUCCESSFULLY RAN THE BIKE
TILL 1970. IN 1970 HE GAVE MOST OF THE PARTS TO MIKE CONNELL
AND IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF RESTORING THE BIKE BACK TO
ORIGINAL. IF YOU HAVE ANY CR PARTS YOU CAN CONTACT HIM
THROUGH ME.
 SPRINT ROAD RACER
BUILT AND OWNED BY
KRIS KERBER

HOME BASED IN OREGON CRIS HELPED A TON OF SPRINT

FANS WITH HIS BOOKLET ON HOW TO DO ALL THE NECESSARY
THINGS TO RACE ECONOMICALLY. HE WAS A GREAT HELP TO
ME PERSONALLY.
 BART MARKEL
FLINT MICHIGAN
RIDING A BUBBLE ENGINE

THIS SHOT WAS TAKEN AT THE FIRST RUNNING OF THE HORSE

TRACK SHORT TRACK RACES AT RICHMOND, VA. BART WAS
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST RACERS THAT EVER COMPETED.
 MARVIN WELLS
PETERSBURG, VA

MARVIN POSED WITH HIS NEW SPRINT ROAD RACER AT THE

UPPER MARLORO RACE TRACK IN MARYLAND. MARVIN WAS
VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING
SEVERAL YAMAHA DEALERSHIPS IN VIRGINIA.
 MERT LAWILL
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPION

1969
PACK OF SPRINTS IN THE FIRST TURN AT
WINSTON SALEM, N.C. 1966 LED BY
BOB MCCORMICK ON THE INSIDE
RESWEBER, MARKEL AND JOE LEONARD
IN TIGHT COMPETITION BATTLE AT THE
SANTE FE SHORT TRACK OUTSIDE

CHICAGO
THREE OF THE VERY BEST IN ONE ACTION SHOT
 ROBBIE ROBERTSON
OCEAN SPRINGS, MS
SPRINT RACER AS WELL AS KR’S

AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER ROBBIE OWNED AND OPERATED

ALL THE HD DEALERSHIPS IN MISSISSIPPI
NEVER MISSES ANY MOTORCYCLE ACTIVITY AT THE RIPE OLE
AGE OF A YOUNG 77
 RON JAY
FISH HAVEN, IDAHO

HOW COULD A GUY NOT SET RECORDS WITH A PIT CREW LIKE
THAT. HE JUST WANTED TO GET THE RUN OVER WITH AND
GET BACK TO THE PITS.
 RON LANCASTER AND SOME
OF HIS TOYS

RON OWNS AND OPERATES THE VERY SUCCESSFUL

LANCASTER SPRINTS OF TAMPICO, IL
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW DOMINANT THE
SPRINTS WERE DURING THE MIDDLE
60’S

DURING THEIR HAYDAY THESE POSTERS WERE MAILED OUT

BY THE FACTORY EVERY WEEK REPORTING THEIR VICTORIES
 THE FORCE BEHIND THE LANCASTER
RACING PROGRAM
PICTURED AT THE ANNUAL
DAVENPORT, IA SHOW & RACE

RON MUSIC, RON L./WIFE KAY, BRIAN FRY, DAVID CURLEY,

RONS GRANDSON, TOM COLE, RON&KAYS DAUGHTER DENISE
AND THE FRONT ROW THE SEBBY FAMILY
RICKEY ON HIS WAY TO VICTORY AT
THE SHIPPENSBURG, PA REGIONAL

RICKY NEVER SAW THE BIKE BEFORE, GOT ON IT AND WON

HEATS AND FEATURE. HE CAN RIDE ANYTHING
 KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY
RON & HIS GRANDSON BRIAN

IN LINE FOR PRACTICE SO THE OLD DOG CAN SHOW THE NEW
DOG SOME OLD TRICKS
 RON JAY
#225 BONNEVILLE RACER
RECORD HOLDER FOR 250CC SPECIAL
CONSTRUCTION PUSH ROD

STRETCHED AND RAKED CR FRAME HOLDS 6 RECORDS ON

SALT. CURRENT RECORD HOLDER A/PG GAS AT91.25
RACES OUT OF FISH HAVEN IDAHO AND WINTER QUARTERS IN
SAN CARLOS , MEXICO. MUST BE TOUGH
THE GREAT RONNIE RALL GEARING UP
TO DO SPRINT BATTLE