Jim Bernat earned his nickname of “smiling” Jim Bernat because that grin (or a bigger one!) is always on his face, even today. Right after he was crowned the 1975 World Champion, he couldn’t resist letting this young person try on the prize.
Jim won after a hard fought battle with team mate Don Omdahl in race that saw Gordon Rudolph qualify his strange looking home made machine. Having Polaris power in the machine and an independent front suspension that worked got him noticed (big time) by the crew from Polaris.
But all that would have to wait, as the party celebrate the new champion would go on.. at least it was time to get on the plane and fly to the next race.
