As someone who on his first attempt in 1949 at the tender age of 20 then again in 1951 and 1952, Dick will forever be associated with the Daytona 200.

He was the first three-time winner – there have only been 3others.

And he has been the driving force behind a project to place a monument on the beach to commemorate the years of the old beach circuit. 

Dick started riding when he was 14 around the farm where he grew during the early 1940’s.  He started competing in local enduros and dirt track events on a Harley but was spotted by a local Norton dealer and moved to a camshaft Norton single in 1947.

On this he started competing in earnest in dirt track events then competed at Daytona for the first time in 1948, coming second in the amateur race.

By the following year he had his national plate and was back at Daytona in his first 200 mile expert race.  In the company of so many other experienced riders Klamfoth’s pace was sure and steady in the sand but once on the tarmac straight, the speed of his Norton paid-off.  In the end, the first three home were all camshaft singles – a Norton benefit.

Later in 1949 Klamfoth notched-up wins at the Langhorne (Pa.) 100-Mile National, and winning an International race at Wasaga Beach in Ontario, Canada.  In 1950 there were further successes and a 2^nd place at Daytona.

But in 1951 came the 2^nd Daytona 200 win, and national wins at the half-mile ovals in Richmond, Va., and Shreveport, La., and winning the Laconia Classic road race.

The 1952 Daytona win was notable not only for being this third but also because he almost didn’t get there in time!

Wet weather before the event meant it looked like being postponed a day so Klamfoth went on a fishing trip instead.  Luckily, someone who knew him stopped him en route and asked why he wasn’t at the race.  Klamfoth replied that he must mean tomorrow. The fan then produced a newspaper headline reporting that conditions had improved and the race was back to the original date!

Klamfoth hurried back to the Norton garage in town but the team had already left believing he had gone AWOL. Klamfoth put on his leathers, got on his race bike and sped off arriving just in time to start!

Klamfoth wasn’t as successful in the 54 event, something that was attributed by the press at the time to his riding a swinging-arm framed bike, when all the other works riders were using the special rigid frames designed by Roland Pike that were 30lbs lighter.

Klamfoth retired in 1962 and finished in the top ten in all but two of those years. He finished his racing career with a total of 12 AMA national victories and one international win.

After racing he ran a successful Honda dealership and retired in 1989.  He is still attends races, actively promotes the sport and was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.