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Remembering: The Big Bang – Marion Owens and Elmer Trett’s Unforgettable Day

Marion Owens
Comments (7)
  1. TONY NICOSIA says:

    Marion was a TRUE SPORTMAN.It was always fun to watch to mame a pass .He would smoke the hell out of the tire .

    1. There is one tangent I think may have been overlooked.Harley heads bolt to the cylinders.They bolt to the casings. TO many small bolts instead of more efficient longer bolts created havoc. Of coarse, as always just a thought to consider….

  2. RED MATTHEWS says:

    I to was member of the BIG BANG CLUB , to the point once in Atlanta ,,, JIM McClure , ask if I would pit not to close .lol! I met Elmer at Cincy Show. After his passing I met his wife at Atlanta. She stood in my pit and told me how to use gas in a jetted SurShot that would supply enough gas to start and idle to insure the bike would start.idle and warm up before turning the NITRO on. It was a engine saving tip .
    Lots of great memories in the short time I raced AHDRA. This is just one of many and its been almost 15yrs Ago ! Wow what a ride it was !

  3. Jim Bachman says:

    I got the chance to travel with Marion Owens racing. We were in Florida. Every time he rolled the throttle hard (down track) the fueler would spit the industrial drive chain out the back. With little hope of getting the double down track under full throttle Marion cold welded every link in his next chain. He ran in the sevens after that. Marion said if your not innovating your backing up.

  4. Vic Force says:

    Finally after 36 years I read exactly what happened that day. I was in the left side stands near the starting line when I heard the explosion and saw parts flying everywhere. Of course I found out it was Owens bike and all 4 heads were gone but never did know why it happened.
    Marion always put on a memorable show. Later I watched as the fully enclosed bike went full length on the Gainseville track with flames coming out of the back.

  5. S.C. Hickey says:

    I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a race day with Mr. Owens and hais family at a summer “WorldFinals” race at my local drag strip. I watched this gaint of a man roll that twin-engine shovel around like it was nothing, I sussepct that after 13/14 years with the same frame it would look easy.The year was ’85 I think, and after a full day of racing it came down to the finals and as I recall the lane choice was not his. So after the ritual of between rounds of draining the oil, adjusting and lubeing the chain and a walkaround it was time for the man to put his leathers back on and go to work. On to the rollers, fire the beast up, pedal it to the bleachbox. Then into battle with what sounded from the pits to be the crowd favorite that day, some longhaired Italian prettyboy on a factory colored fully streamlined Kawasucki of some indeterminite size. Both staged, tree starts and that old tractor left the hotshot in the dust. I askeed the man of the hour to autograph one of his 8×11 pen and ink drawing that I had bought that morning from his wife and son. Still have it around here somewhere almost 30 years latter.He scribbled in the et and mph and managed a signature, 7.7 et and 176+ mph.I was congratulating him and his wife when I damn near got into a brawl with some confused fan of the loser, however the presence of the Great Big Man himself standing behind me put the calm back in the moment. Great memory from a time gone by… SCH in WA. State

  6. Charles Kerr says:

    I was there at Atco in ’78, racing my ’75 FX in Experimental Stock. I was in the pits next to Kerry & Marv Jorgenson. I heard the boom, turned around and saw shovelheads in the air higher than the light poles!

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