Inside Scoop...Parker Division II Winners 2008

When the concept of a GENTLEMAN'S 300 came up last year, I was all for it... I assisted with the rules, for the outboards, as I consider myself an "OUTBOARDER" and always have considered myself and "OUTBOARDER"...

I bought two boats for the Enduro, last year and in all seriousness, planned to run the 34 boat with Chad and Pat. I had consulted with several people and it was agreed that having the props shaft 2 inches below the bottom should slow a MOD VP to about 82-84 MPH.

Well, Chad's first run last year was 87 mph....scared the crap out of me, as we had promised Pat Bowman a seat in this boat in the Enduro... Last year is history, but Pat and Chad ran 45 laps, last year before they broke...Gearcase came loose and they melted the motor...

Fred Bowden had radar'd the boys and they never went over 82 in the race...But all year that 90 Plus number haunted me...When I mentioned our speed to the Rules Committee, they said, "Well, you didn't finish, so it really doesn't matter how fast you could have got..."

We'd busted the powerhead pretty good....I'd stored the boat in Apple Valley...and I thought, out of sight was out of mind....As the "300" neared Pat and Chad asked what was the plan....???? I said we need money for Ruck to fix the block, need new pistons...and frankly, I don't want you going that fast....If you'd just RUN the Enduro, I'd be fine with it, but I know you two want to WIN the Enduro. Running is easy, winning isn't....it's more dangerous, more everything...

Pat and Chad still wanted to race the BLUE WATER CASINO 300.....I finally told them, I just didn't have the money for the engine repairs, entry fees, gas and everything else. That we'd raced about 9 times this year, and I just wanted them safe at home.....

I should add, right here, that MAXIMUS, offered to sponsor the BOYS.....When I told him we weren't running....I sort of mentioned this to Chad.........when he couldn't hear me...

The next day, after I told Chad we weren't running, Chad called Fred Bowden, and told him, the story I just told, Fred said, "I'll sponsor you guys....I want to win this race, again!!!" Well, when money isn't the issue, and the boys want to run...I got Jim Ruck to "Rush" the block, I went to Apple Valley and got the boat...Pat worked on the boat, every evening after work for two weeks... and it was agrteed we'd run Division II and just race to WIN, our class...

Chad assembled the motor, Wednesday night, Thursday we headed to the river and the first thing they did was run the Division V gearcase....This WAS NOT the plan, but Chad wanted a speed reading...Well, when they came in they'd twisted the prop shaft....and I said they'd have to run Division II as this case would NOT last 300 miles....

We spent all day Friday trying to get water to the Motor...Ted Kolby, came to our pit at about 5:30 Friday and we were grinding on the water intakes and he just said, "Good Luck"....(Soares, Roth and Lane)...All helped with our water problem...Thanks again for being HONEST with us....

We really never went very fast, Pat scared the fire out of us on his first lap, he had the in-button confused with the out-button.....something you don't want done... Later, Chad gave Pat to 10 to go sign, but held it upside down and Pat stopped thinking he had one lap to go before pitting...

We'd planned two pit stops but made three, that last ten minutes lasted, a lot longer than ten minutes....John Lane, Boat 17 were catching us, boat 211, we weren't sure where was...a ton of pressure... Fred Bowden had had told me to keep my mouth should and "Let the kid drive".....But Fred....I tried to say..."Let the kid drive, we can win this."

On the way home, I said, "That gearcase we twisted the shaft on cost me $2,500, but where did I get the one we won with?" Chad said, don't you remember, Rod Audiss sold it to you for $50.....three years ago, and we had it on Jessica's ski boat??? And he added, when I went to flush the oil, before the race, there wasn't any...which usually isn't a good sign...

It was OUR DAY.... We'll be back next year, but it will be in Division IV with a V Hull....Had Foster not broken, he'd have won it, I feel...I like them V Hulls... Jason Miller was third overall and they ran with two in their V Hull ALL DAY...Maybe, just maybe, I'll ride...next year...

Hell, maybe, I'll drive the Bat Boat (007) we hit 11 on the GPS with her this year...Elvis called, he'd like to Co-Drive next year....

ADD: The reason we had a sign board, this year, was someone managed to TIP OVER on the PARADE LAP at San Diego, and toast our radios.....We won't ask Chad how he did that....My dad would have just said, "Why'd you do that?"

Congrats to all you guys! Ain't life grand ? :)

I called Jim Ruck, this morning to thank him for his great machine work on our block. He acted surprised that the weld held up......When I told him we'd twisted the prop shaft , on the first run, on our CLE Gearcase he said, "Well, the engine was probably more powerful than last year," which Chad and said it was...as there was a crack in number six....cyclinder that wasn't caused by running the engine out of water....

I asked if he had Dave Strickbauer's (Gearcase Master)..phone number and he said he did. I called Dave and asked if he'd put a FAT SHAFT in our CLE. He said the price of parts wasn't worth it, if we were going to run an S-3000, as he didn't think the gearcase would stand up to the power...even with a Fat Shaft... He said we needed a Sport Master...

I said, "Dave...(I knew Dave when he did the gearcase at Mercury) how long will a 200 HP gearcase from a 1995 V-6 Mercury stand up on an S-3000?" He said, "About a hundred miles..." I said, "Oh my god, we just ran that gearcase for 300 miles and won the Blue Water Casino Enduro." I said, "In your opinion what are the odds of running a 28 pitch prop on an S-3000 for 300 miles and finishing....?" He said, "ZERO...Not possible."

I consider, Dave the best gearcase man in America...and he just said our gearcase shouldn't have lasted 100 miles....

You must have some kind of pixie dust, cuz he said I'd break my driveshaft...and I did on lap 7.

In 1977, I was Region 12 Chairman of APBA. My brother had run for President in 1973 and lost, so I kind of had it in my mind to make a run at APBA politics myself...I didn't have a vision for APBA really, but knew my brother's ideas were about 20 years AHEAD OF HIS TIME, so I figured I'd ust use his ideas...

Somewhere about June of 1977, Brad Miller's secretary called me and invited me to lunch at Mr. Miller's office. I'm not sure I really knew who Mr. Miller was but never turned down a free lunch. When I got there, I assumed we'd go out for lunch, but Brad's office had a Chef.....Cool, but half way through my lunch I was beginning to wonder if this Mr. Miller guy was going to ask me to "KILL" someone or "ROB" a bank...because, he hadn't come in the dining room yet...but I was wolfing down my steak anyway...

Brad came in and explained he had heard I made propellers and he wanted some. I felt relieved, at least I knew what he wanted...I made some "SCIENTIFIC" calulations on a napkin...and boldly said, I' think you'd need a mold and at least 12 props....Total of ($300 per prop plus $1,400 for the mold)...And even $5,000. ( In 1977, I don't think I made $12,000 a year teaching....). I figured Brad would give me some song and dance about something.

He just said, he'd like to have the props by August 1, he reached into his back pocket and wrote me a check for $2,500 and said he'd pay me the other half on delivery. He added, I hear you are in Boat Racing politics, I'll help you with money and mailers for anything you want to run for, but I've heard you are too honest for real politics....

Free lunch and $2,500 check...two months teaching salary....I farted around and got the props done on Chad's birthday...August 2nd....1977, is when Chad was born.

Some of those style props ran this weekend. Last year the old Brad Miller, 888, was on Danny Doige's tunnel that led the first lap...Ken Wilcoxen now owns that prop. I made three copies this year for RUSHER AIR...

NOW, TO MY REAL STORY:

Brad was pretty happy with the props and sold two to Rocki Aoki for $2,000...and sold two to Johnny's Speed and Chrome...(Robert Palm for $2,000) and he still had 8 props and a mold for $1,000......

February 12 is like Birhtingtons Washday (School Holiday)...Anyway, I had the day off and nothing to do...I get this call from Brad Miller and he wants me to come over, right now...like 9:00 A.M. on my day off... By this time I've become pretty good friends with Bouncey and Bud Gilbert, who are basically working for Brad. So, I figure he wants me to do some more prop work and I think, COOL...($$$).

When I get in Brad's office, he says, "I want to win Parker"..... I say, "Everybody does." He says, "I want to win Parker this year"....I say, "Brad the race is March 5th and today is February 22th...." Well, he says, "I can send a truck out today, let's buy a Mercury." I said and Evinrude and a Molinari is best. He says, "You know those guys at Mercury call them." I call Garbrect at Mercury, knowing that my friend, Fred hauenstein is Driving a FACTORY EVINRUDE at Parker. Garbrecht, explains that he has nothing for sale before Parker. My heart jumps..

I call Jack Leek at OMC, it is almost his lunch time....He says, "He has a new CCC and Jimbo's Paris Molinari and he wants $15,000 for the boat motor and trailer, but he won't rig it as they are leaving for Parker with their "FACTORY" stuff in a day or two and are too busy to help...Brad says, while I'm on the phone, find out how to wire the money, I'll send Chuck Newton out now... It isn't noon yet and Chuck is on the road and Brad has wired the $15,000....

I call Freddy Hauenstein and tell him Brad just bought a CCC for Parker...He says, "It's a DOG, but I'll go get it, slip it out of the box and "WARM IT Up" for you... Nersrtom can help me.... (This is a new CCC Evinrude in a box....).

Chuck goes to Chicago picks up the boat and motor and drives home....He takes the boat to John's Custom Marine (Future home of Stoker Boats)...John, Chuck, and another mechanic (I can picture him but can't remember his name) go to work rigging the boat.....John Stoker and I argue all the time, then and now....John says, "That's a new motor, never been out of the box....Hauenstein, never touched"... First thing I do is make them turn the Molinari over and sand the bottom flat, as I was and am a NUT on flat bottoms. Many of Renato's boat had hooks in the bottoms because Renato was 100 pounds lighter them me and needed to keep the boat on the water...

I'm sanding the bottom and Freddy calls...It is Tuesday and he's leaving for Parker and wants to know what I'm doing....I said sanding the bottom...He said he figured I'd do that...and added there is a note on the carbs, and some jets, inside the motor cowling.....Please don't fire the motor until he and Jim Nerstrom are there...He said, he'd see us Friday...

The Stokers and Chuck Newton had the boat rigged by Thursday and I left town in my motorhome for Parker...John had to admit, that FREDDY had reworked he motor, once he saw Freddy's note.....The note just said, "Don't fire this motor until you see me."

I started the 7 hour race with no Co-driver. I think Freddy was to drive with Bobby Herring, but Herring or Renato hit bottom at the start and wiped out about 4 or 5 boats.... BK has the pictures somewhere. The race was stopped for about an hour and half....During that time, my dad found that Freddy Hauenstein's boat was totaled and he could drive with me.

After the second pit stop, my crew, John's Custom Marine, had run the gas tank over and when I lit the motor, the boat went into abut a 50 foot ball of fire. I jumped out and John Stoker put the fire out. I wouldn't get back in...John told me if I didn't get in he'd kick my ***...I got in and said I'd run one lap....as I didn't know it was my exhaust that had cause the fire.....

Anyway, we ran all day and won the 1978 Parker Enduro...On the way home, Chuck Newton was getting gas and noticed gas flowing out the drain holes...He traced it down and found the line between the tank and the fuel pump was burned bad enough that is was now leaking....but the race was over....Al Stoker was first MOD VP....His first MOD VP win...

PIXIE DUST??? I've been lucky all my life....

ADD: We made the back cover of Sports Illistrated for May of 1978, in an Evinrude ad....

Congrats on a great race. I raced with the 34 boat for about 4 or 5 laps in the 25 boat. He was behind me and I was very suprised when I was running 85 plus and couldn't shake him. I finally decided to let him go by but when we got to the bottom turn, he slowed and put his hand up and I drive by never to see him again. What happened? It was great fun again and we plan on doing it again next year, Thanks!

I really need to get with Lonnie Fluent (Boat 25) and write some history about him....


As far as Chad slowing and raising his hand, I think when he came around and saw the 17 without a driver, and he saw Gary H. swimming, Chad wasn't sure that the red flag wasn't up and he slowed to let the officials know he saw the "Accident"....but he sure as hell didn't want to get a penalty....as you guys still remember penalties don't you....????

It was a damn fast STOCK OUTBOARD....but I doubt we could run that fast, that long ever again with that set up....

Did the 25 boat have some problems? After your last stop, she didn't sound that good when you roared off...That "Sucker" is usually NASTY sounding. I thought maybe she was on 7....

The incident that I was talking about was much earlier. At the time Gary was thrown from his boat, lonnie was driving. It was when I was driving about 45 min. before that, and at the other turn. You can get Lonnie at the Nordic factory in Havisu. The boat had some overheating problems and would not let us drive over 90 without starting to go into limp mode, so we had to stay just below that speed for most of the day. It was still a whole lot of fun and we look forward to next year coming after you guy's again. We didn't have any penelties on the water this year, Yep-e :)

Anyone have pictures of Robert Palm's GN???

This Baker with a 2.5 will be a Division V boat this year, I think!