He is the son of well known rider Editor Kretz. Kretz, Junior. was born in Pomona, California. He grew up going to races with his father and worked in the family-owned motorcycle dealership in Monterey Park, California, from an early age.
Kretz Junior. rode bikes as a child and began racing at the age of 16 on one of his father’s Indian Scouts.
He is known primarily as a TT and roadracing specialist, but he also was a leading off-road rider in the 1950s. The bike’s engine seized with half a mile to go on the Daytona beach course and he coasted and then pushed the bike to the checkered flag, ending up in 12th. During his amateur racing career, Kretz wore the number 38, the same number that his father wore during his racing career.
By 1951, Kretz was a rookie expert and became national Number.
33, and that year he finished third in the Peoria TT National. Kretz missed a few seasons of racing while serving in the Armed Forces in Europe.
As a pro during the 1956 season, he twice finished in the top-five at Peoria, and finished tied for sixth in the final American Medical Association Grand National Championship standings. He was again a top-10 rider in 1957 and earned one podium spot at Peoria.
While not racing the national circuit, Kretz was a leading off-road rider.
Kretz Junior. was inducted into the American Medical Association Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2002.
Kretz Junior. raced in the 1950 Daytona amateur event, and led all but the final half mile of the 100-mile race, riding the same Indian on which his father won the Daytona 200 in 1937. He then went on to win a 50-mile road race at the Santa Ana Naval Blimp Station, riding a Triumph. Kretz won the amateur portion of the 1950 Laconia (New Hampshire) Classic. He returned to full-time racing in 1955 and earned his only national victory in the Peoria TT in September of that year riding a Triumph and winning over eventual American Medical Association Grand National Champion Brad Andres.
