[2][6] One of his second-place finishes came at the Daytona 200 where, he rode a Triumph Trident to take the pole position with a record setting lap time of 157.342 mph, four and a half miles per hour faster than second place qualifier, Mark Brelsford.
[2] Despite not winning a single race, Romero ended the 1969 season ranked second in the nation behind Harley Davidson factory team rider Mert Lawwill.
[2][5] The peak of Romero's career came in 1970 when he battled BSA teammates Jim Rice and Dick Mann for the national championship.
[9] Romero continued to post consistent results and, his first victory of the year at the Sedalia, Missouri Mile race catapulted him into second place behind Rice in the championship.
[9] With only three races remaining on the schedule, Romero clinched the national championship with a victory at the Sacramento Mile while, Rice suffered a serious accident.
[7][11] With the Triumph factory struggling financially, Romero received fewer parts and assistance than before and, his performance began to suffer as a result.
[15][16] Romero began the race riding conservatively as early leader Kenny Roberts retired with a mechanical failure.
[3][17] Despite his Daytona performance, he was released by Yamaha after the 1975 season as, the 1973 oil crisis precipitated a drop in sales of recreational vehicles, which forced motorcycle manufacturers to reduce their racing budgets.
[7] After retiring from motorcycle competition, he briefly raced cars in Super Vees and USAC midgets before becoming the manager for the Honda factory dirt track team from 1984 to 1987.
[1][7][8] During that period, he guided Honda riders Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert to four consecutive Grand National Championships.