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A fter a consistent string of Day- tona 200 finishes that includ- ed nine top 10s and three podi- ums in nine of his 10 visits, former AMA Grand National Champion Gene Romero came to the 1975 Daytona 200 as a factory Yamaha rider, but he was far from the top dog on the team. "I was the third wheel, er, I mean rider," Romero says with a laugh. "It was Kenny Roberts, Don Castro and myself. We were all on twin-shock TZ750s, and then the prototype [monoshock] came out, and Kenny received that, and Don and I got the twin- shock variety." The stacked field also included defending Daytona 200 and multi- time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, factory Suzuki rider Tepi Lansivuori of Finland, teen- aged Venezuelan GP star Johnny Cecotto and American contend- ers Steve Mclaughlin and Steve Baker. English GP hero Barry Sheene was supposed to have taken part in the race as well, but a horrendous 170 mph crash on the banking after a tire failure had left him hospitalized, and in the aftermath, Dunlop withdrew as a tire supplier to the race. Despite the tragedy, Romero recalls that the atmosphere surrounding the event was incredible. "It was beyond electric," Rome- ro remembers. "When Ago came over, they started chartering 747s to have people come over from Europe just for the race. But what was really bitchin' was all these wind- up, powderpuff Italian chicks running around dressed in tight clothing. It was perfect. [Laughs]." The pre-race hype was that this would be the year of the famous Roberts vs. Agostini duel. There was little mention of Castro or Romero. ''And I guess that was to be expected," Romero says. "That's just the way it was. Kenny and Ago were both major players. Ago had won it the previous year, and with his background and the successes that he had... He was maybe getting a little long in tooth. And Kenny was the up-and- coming star. In many ways it took a little pressure off Donny and I, but we were still expected to pro- duce. We were hired to do a job." By the time the checkered flag fell, Romero would get the job done. Lansivuori took the early lead, gapping Roberts before the young American lion caught and passed the Finn on lap three. Roberts appeared ready to set sail, but after pitting on lap 16, Roberts suddenly rolled to a stop, out of the race with a counter- CN III ARCHIVES P102 from Europe just for the race. But what was really bitchin' was all these wind- around dressed in tight clothing. It was was that this would famous Roberts vs. Agostini duel. There was little mention of BY SCOTT ROUSSEAU NO- NAME WINS THE BIG ONE ROMERO AND THE 1975 DAYTONA 200 Gene Romero celebrates an unexpected win at the Daytona 200 in 1975