Jim Pomeroy, a great guy, a fast ex-racer and the first American to win a motocross Grand Prix in the modern era, has died. There's more information here at Racer X Online, as well as a retrospective written by Budds Creek Raceway owner Jon Beasley, that originally appeared in Racer X Illustrated in 2002. Motocross Action online also has a very good writeup here, that includes the picture you see above.
Godspeed, Jim. And thanks for racing for us.
6 comments:
Rest in peace Jim Pomeroy, you were great !
Through a very good friend of mine I met Jimmy Pomeroy. I was able to meet him on a social level at the Jeep Bowl in Yakima, WA where both guys were long standing members. This took place shortly before his demise. What a character and truly a stand up nice guy Jimmy was. When I got the call he had died, I grieved as much as if I had known him for many years. Jimmy you are missed by many whose lives you touched.
G.J.T. formerly of WA State
I was a kid back in the early 80's and took in one of his clinics. He was a genuinley nice guy and didn't treat me as just another kid. He treated me like a peer,just another bike racer. God Bless his family and nothing but respect for a fine man.
How is it that I just discover Jim's demise at this late date? In spite of only getting a retorted comment over a fence in Daytona's infield at the Bultaco pen from Jim and being a fellow 73 Pursangist, when one of your heroes passes like in a seemingly senseless manner as this, I grieve deeper than with the passing of a distant relative or a top Hollywood icon. RIP Jim, no doubt you roosted your way to the pearly gates. Let the squids clean off the dust.
Better late than never may sound like a cliche, but in this case it's true.
I met Jim Pomeroy at the Swedish GP at Ulricehamn, oh dear - '73-'74? Time dulls the memory. He sold a lot of Bultacos with his win in Spain! Nice bikes to ride, but not GP bikes. I think he signed the first contract waved under his nose, just to get to Europe, knowing he needed the experience and to be seen, and was actually hoping for an offer from a more predominant factory. But they had signed their teams and Americans were still looked upon as being 'amusing', as far as being real MX-racers was concerned. He really needed to move to Europe and buy a privat HVA, and race all the internationals, as everyone else did, aiming for a contract the next season, but this takes money. It's the same for everyone, there was no sponsorship in Sweden the years I raced, we paid all the bills ourselves. Test-rider for HVA on the cards? Nope, WE were the test-riders for HVA. And paid big money to do that. That's why HVA was so good. I'm sure Jim was good enough to make it, but it takes guts and hard work to take that chance. Jim had it too easy in his career, was too soft, to take that chance. Lackey did it, and it paid off. But Jim was a nice man, very personable. Shame he died that way, but that's life.
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