Ed Kretz Jr.

Ed Kretz Jr.: The Legacy of a Racing Pioneer

Born on May 3, 1932, Ed Kretz Jr. grew up surrounded by motorcycles, racing, and the legacy of his father, legendary racer Ed “Iron Man” Kretz. While his father was one of the most famous racers of his era, Ed Jr. forged a respected racing career of his own through talent, determination, and a lifelong dedication to the sport.

From a young age, motorcycles were a central part of his life. Ed Jr. began working in his father’s motorcycle shop while still in grammar school and was riding by the time he was a child. By the age of ten, he was already riding his father’s large Indian motorcycle—though he had to pull up next to a curb when stopping because his feet couldn’t yet reach the ground. He spent years working alongside his father in the family shop whenever either of them wasn’t traveling to race, and he continued operating the business until selling it in 1985.

Ed Jr.’s racing career began at age sixteen when his father asked if he would like to try competition. Although his father never pressured him, he was always there to offer guidance and encouragement. In 1948, Ed Jr. entered his first races riding the same Indian “45” Scout that his father had used to win the very first Daytona 200 in 1937. As a tribute to his father, he raced as an amateur with the number 38R before later earning Expert status and switching to number 33, which he carried throughout the peak of his career.

During the height of his racing years, Kretz competed against many of the best riders in the world and pushed machines from Indian and Triumph to their limits. He was also among the first American riders to race a 250cc Honda and even wrote a review of the emerging Japanese motorcycle for Cycle World magazine, offering early insight into a brand that would soon transform the industry.

Kretz married his high school sweetheart, Elaine, in 1953. Elaine was a familiar face at the racetracks as a trophy girl at many of the events where he competed.

His racing career was briefly interrupted by service in the U.S. Army, where he spent two years stationed in Germany working in the motor pool maintaining tanks and jeeps. Even while overseas, motorcycles remained part of his life. Through connections arranged by his father with the Triumph factory, Ed Jr. received a motorcycle shipped in a crate, which he assembled himself using only the small set of tools included with it.

After returning home in 1955, Kretz resumed racing with renewed focus and soon found his niche in TT racing, a discipline that features both left and right turns along with jumps. He appreciated the added technical challenge compared to traditional flat track competition.

That same year, Kretz achieved his most notable victory at the prestigious Peoria TT National in September 1955. Taking the lead around the fifth lap, he went on to win the event ahead of future AMA Grand National Champion Brad Andres. He continued to perform strongly at Peoria with additional top-five finishes in 1956 and finished tied for sixth in the AMA Grand National Championship standings that year. Among his other accomplishments were a victory in the 200cc class at the Catalina Grand Prix and earning the title of Northwest Motorcycle TT Champion.

Ed Kretz Jr. retired from professional racing in 1961 after building a respected career of his own in American motorcycle competition. Though he carried a famous name, his achievements on the track ensured that he would be remembered not just as the son of a legend, but as a talented racer who helped carry the sport into a new generation.