For Part 3 I am going to take the easy road and use the information from Ted's emails in his own words. (results of working in the racing shop too late tonight)
In future “a little history” series we may come back to Ted as he has covered a lot of ground in his racing career. I planned on doing this “a little history” series for awhile alternating Canadian and American drivers every other week. My concern was running out of Canadian drivers since I have been away from the Canadian racing scene for 45 years. Thanks to Ted he has come up with several names and contacts that known the history.
Ted Abel: (2nd of 4 Generations of Abel boat racers)
4 generations of Abel Racers Now including my Dad who Ran KG Johnson and Evinrudes in Tororto
With Haryy “Red” Mitchell, Des Simonds and Charlie Turnbull all raced with the RCYC Yacht Club (Royal Canadian Yacht . Son Eric & Gary were both Racers Gary In JSH, Eric ASH, BSH, CSH, DSH nd now ASH Sdewinder. (He is fast and still going. Now teams with Ross Webster) Granddaughters Valerie Races ASXH, Tiffany 19 now ran JSH and now AXSH. Wife Jeannie ran JSH once in early 70’and won a basket of apples. Tiffany is one hell of a driver and pretty too. Eric also won CSH Kilos with a bandaged leg injured at Silver Lake New York when outfront in ASH his boat broached and caught live prop in leg from ankle to knee for 1.600 stitches. He has also won several CBF Nationals & High Points ASH
Ran APBA Top 5 in USA in ASH. Ran offshore twice in Ontario Place Event and was also President of CBF.
I don’t look back much but won NE Divisionals in CSH 10’ 6” Marchetti first time in 1967 at age 23 (17 firsts out of 21 races and missed a 1-Us by fractions. Should never have gone over 15 race limit. Also was Top 5 in USA for almost 10 years in CSH & DSH. I have over 43 CBF Nationals and High Point Plaques In Classes ASH, CSH, DSH including 4 Formula Grand Prix Titles (with a 55H Mercury that was fast) Usually always beat Rick Hall and Roy Alexander with it) I also drove Ray Ogier out of CSH with his Koenig with my Merc. I never lost much racing him. (He is still going and was Mike Lundy’s brother-in-law. I never raced Valleyfield as water was always rough with no relief. Was Director of CBF for over 40 years and President of CBF for 11 years and great friendships and business withMercury Legends Fred Hauenstein, Charlie Strang, Edgar Rose, Bob Wanamaker plus boat builders I raced with, mechanics that made me what I was etc. etc.
So many gone now and miss Mike Lundy (wife Edith also gone) the most as he was like a brother to me and we travelled the APBA Circuit together for a long time. I can count over 125 racers that are gone and too soon. Always go to the Fishers Landing Race at Crystal Lake 2nd week of September every year when I can. Lots of old timers also show up. They always schedule Stock & Modified. Son Eric and Ross Webster travel a lot together so the tradition goes on. Still in weekly contact with Dick O’Dea and several US racers. Harry Bennett still alive at 91 and just lost wife Lois. Ruth Webster live 6 km from us. I do miss John a lot. Ron France still goes to races and 86 or 87.
I started the CBF Hall of fame around 1990 as it was always a dream of mine. That and doing Para Mutual Betting and Racing like they do in Japan with 5 stadiums. (Never Happened) Revenue would have been fantastic and a fixed site would have done the trick.
I now spend most summers at Island Cottage in Port Severn 90 miles from Toronto and would have only raced for 5 years but too much friction in the family in those days. Planning on going up this weekend as Virus Ban was just taken off marinas.
