I knew Mike Neel as a rider in the Northern Chicago/WI area and saw him race the 100m board track in Detroit in the mid-'70's. He was good! I don't know what he is up to these days.
We used to drive down to Turin in Chicago from Milwaukee and buy Clement #6's by the bundles and all kinds of parts. A few of us would pool our cash, drive down, buy the parts at a small discount and then sell them out of the car at races in WI. I once saw a bike at Turin that I'll never forget. It was the most beautiful black Pogliaghi ever!
Sometimes on our trips to Chicago we would go over to the Schwinn factory and get to watch them build the Paramount's. I have a custom '73 P-13 in white.
Andy Bohlmann
Colorado Springs, CO