FULLERTON, Calif. — Gene Romero, the 1970 AMA Grand National champion and the 1975 Daytona 200 winner, died May 12. He was 71 years old.

The California native was a star motorcycle racer, competing for 16 years in AMA competition. In addition to the 1970 AMA Grand National title, he earned 12 AMA national event victories during his career and was voted the 1970 AMA Most Popular Rider of the Year Award.

Best known as a flat-track racer, Romero’s biggest victory of his lengthy career came in 1975 when he won the Daytona 200 at Daytona Int’l Speedway. Riding a factory Yamaha, it was his only victory in the legendary motorcycle event in 14 attempts.

Romero was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.