Elmer Grade sure respected the Quincy Flatheads
Back in 2001 I spent an afternoon just talking to Elmer Grade in Florida. Though their team ran some Quincy, a lot of Konig and some Yamato, he said if you had a D or F Flathead what would you want a Konig for??? At least the Flatheads stayed together crank and all with good maintennance, not so D or F Konigs. He was dead serious. :)
My previous post regards Waldman" D Record
For whatever reason, some seem to think I have made light or inferred that the D record set by Gerry Waldman at Alexandria in 1971 was done unfairly or outside the rules. THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT MY INTENT. My post was to relate how impressed I was with the apparent ease (very little run up to the Kilo trap) that he made in setting the record, and to repeat those impressions to anyone not fortunate to have been there to see it. I did not know Gerry well, but my interaction with him, primarily talking to him at the races, and being on the recieving end of gratis AC plugs was great, and I had the utmost admiration for him and his accomplishments, of every kind, not just the Kilo record he set that day that I witnessed. Also anyone who knows or knew Carl Rylee would know if there was ANYTHING that was not above board about the run, Gerry would never have been awarded the record. As you might remember, I related the part of the story about Rylee making him rerun the record attempt, for no other reason that he (Rylee) didn't believe it was possible to go that fast with that boat and motor combination.
Hindsight being 20/20, I probably should not have even mentioned the use of Nitro by anyone at that time in Quincy flatheads, much less in the telling of the the story of the runs I witnessed, but because that was the time frame of Nitro usage in Flatheads (and it was widespread, perhaps not by Gerry but certainly by others and Qunicy themselves as Gene and Paul attested to) I thought it would add something to the story. If anyone thinks that I was purposely besmirching Waldmans memory, YOU ARE WRONG. I was simply telling a story like I remembered it and the other things that were happening with the same type motor he set his record with. As to Gene East's comments about "rumours" that his motors were "better" or different than anyone elses spending money with Quincy. I never said that and have never heard it. I did say that he had a close association with Christner and Quincy, and I doubt anyone could argue with that assesment. I DID NOT say he recieved any special treatment or engines, as I have no knowledge about that. IN MY OPINION, he certainly did extend the useful racing life of the flatheads against the Konigs and keep the Flathead competitive longer than it might have been, if Gerry Waldman had not been setting that boat motor combination up, propeller wise and driver wise. Of that I think there can be little argument.
Whether he used Nitro or not is and was not important to me in the telling of what I saw at Alex that year. IT WAS LEGAL, and if he wanted to or ever did use it or not, personally it would not make the slightest difference to me and my recollection of him and his statue as one of the finest boat racers not only of his time, but ever in the PRO category.
If ANYONE thinks I mentioned it to taint or otherwise make less of his accomplishment that day or ever, you are mistaken. I hope that makes clear my admiration for him and his many accomplishments. If anyone thinks I mentioned it for any other reason, they are badly mistaken.