GP blowover

[GP199SD]

Here's my GP boat. Auburndale, FL. I think about 1978. Class GP. I was in 3rd place behind Randy Tilton and Mickey Garrett (both running Hydrostreams). I tried to get out but physics wouldn't let me. You can just make out the helmet through the mist. The boat ended up right-side-up with the engine still running. I just waved to the officials and took off again and never lost my position.

[tthibodaux]

Here's my GP boat. Auburndale, FL. I think about 1978. Class GP. I was in 3rd place behind Randy Tilton and Mickey Garrett (both running Hydrostreams). I tried to get out but physics wouldn't let me. You can just make out the helmet through the mist. The boat ended up right-side-up with the engine still running. I just waved to the officials and took off again and never lost my position.DANG!!:eek: Looked like one hell of a ride!;)

[GP199SD]

Correction --- I found the newspaper article. Date for this was April 1979 and the first place finisher in GP was Phillip Bond, Biloxi, MS. not Randy Tilton. I guess I spent so much time behind Randy and Mickey that I just got used to it. :-) Also, while browsing this site a couple of days ago there was a question on another thread about when OPC v-hull classes changed designation from "Family" to "Production". My "1975 APBA BOAT REGISTRATION" card lists my class as "FG". My "1976..." card lists the class as "GP". Randy was killed testing a SJ boat near his home in Jensen Beach and I'm trying to find the article for the date.

[Ted March]

Wasn't Randy keilled in the spring of '76 after winning both the FG & SG national in Miami in 1975 with the Viper? Correct me if I'm wrong.

[GP199SD]

Wasn't Randy keilled in the spring of '76 after winning both the FG & SG national in Miami in 1975 with the Viper? Correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm quite sure it was much later than that. I have one article with race results listing Randy in the GP class in July 76. He may have finished that season in GP and then at some point moved to SE in a Hauptner boat and he ran that class at least for much of the next season (maybe into the following year?). I think it was the same hull that Paul Heathman ran earlier in SE. Somewhere around this time Mickey Garrett moved up to SG in a Gann boat. I ran GP at least into 1978 then moved to SD class. Randy was testing another Hauptner hull for SJ when he was killed. I don't think he ever got to drive it in competition. He was one of the good guys. BTW- Mark Hauptner pretty much dominated SG class during that time.

[Ted March]

Stand corrected:

National Champions

1974
FG Tom Toth
SG Mark Hauptner

1975
GP Rayner Blair
SG Mark Hauptner

1976
GP Randy Tilton
SG Mark Hauptner

[raynerblair]

Randy was killed testing a sj boat , not sure what year. I ran against him for many years, he was a good friend.

[TBuck2003]

Stand corrected:

National Champions

1974
FG Tom Toth
SG Mark Hauptner

1975
GP Rayner Blair
SG Mark Hauptner

1976
GP Randy Tilton
SG Mark Hauptner

Just saw Tom Toth a couple of weeks ago, he stopped by the shop.

[raynerblair]

Thanks Ted..Please tell Tom the next time you see him, That I said Hi. Im on face book under Walter Rayner Blair. He and his brother were good people, I miss those days.