In memory of racers no longer with us:

[Ron Hill]

It is with great sadness that I have to share the news that Hall of Fame boat builder and designer Ron Jones Sr. passed away this morning. Please keep Ron and his family in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Plans for a memorial will be announced soon. When Ron Jones was in Costa Mesa, California, I'd see Ron at least once a month. His dad, Ted Jones, and my dad had been friends since about 1954. I had a twin Jones that I dearly loved. Once OPC Racing went to single engines, I actually loss a lot of interested in tunnel boat racing. Rest in Peace, my friend.

[Ron Hill]

http://autoweek.com/article/car-life...k-jr-1936-2017

The name Edelbrock has always been in my vocabulary. I can't recall when I started making props for his ski race boat and for Jerry Herbst. Those were great days for ski racing Jerry and Vic would pull somebody in every race. They'd come to the races with a spare engine and about five drums of AV gas.

NASCAR did a cool tribute, yesterday. They said, "Vic took his dad's 1/2 business a half billion. Every NASCAR engine has an Edelbrock manifold."

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I can remember back before I started racing Ron, and I would ride my bicycle down to the corner store to buy the latest issue of Boating News. Edelbrock was always a part of the news in the magazine. My first knowledge of Edelbrock was Boating News, but it continued on with Hot Boat, then Powerboat. They always featured some really good looking SK's, and Blown Fuel Hydro's, etc,, but they always were equipped with Edelbrock. Lots of ads. Gives me fond memories, and even though we never had any need for their products, I always remember that they had top of the line products. I didn't know they were into Nascar. God bless Vic Edelbrock and may he rest in peace.

[A/B Speedliner]

Vic was a real car guy. There were 199 of us that purchased Z06 Corvettes in 1963. I remember talking to him at Daytona. I still had my Z06 but he had sold his only to buy it back some years later. One the day I spoke to him he was back out on the track having fun with his daughters. Rest In Peace and thanks for contribution to racing.
David Van Weele

[Ron Hill]

About 10-12 years ago, the APBA had their National Meeting scheduled for Los Angeles. On their printed agenda was a visit to Edelbrock's Shop in Torrance. The year before, I had attended the APBA convention to cheer for Plan B's owner, Ben Marrone and driver Paul Grichar as Paul was getting into the APBA Hall of Champions for the second time, 25 years apart. I had made their propellers for Plan B, so I went to the convention. While in Detroit we went to Jack Roush's Museum for dinner and free tour.

I thought the tour was very specail, especially seeing the airplane that almost took Jack's life.
So, I called around to see how we were to get ticket's to Edelbrock's "Show Room" and no one seemed to know anything about the tour. So, I called Vic, now this is two weeks before the APBA Convention.

I ask to speak to Vic Edelbrock, I got his secretary. Then his secretary asked my name, I said, "Ron Hill." The next sound I hear is Vic asking me how the prop business is?
I say very good. What I'm calling you about is the tour scheduled during the APBA Convention. He said, "There is no tour scheduled, in fact, we are just loading the last car in here to take to a show in Pomona. The show lasts a month or two weeks. Who said we were having a tour?" I said the APBA's printed schedule said tour and dinner.

Vic said, "I wish I'd known, I'd love to have you boat racers here and for dinner.

I said I sure miss the Ski Race days when you a Jerry raced those GREAT JERRY GILBREATH prepared V-Drives.

The racing world lost a good one!

[Ron Hill]

I just heard that Max McPeek passed on the 4th of September. I will see if I can find some stuff about Max. The movie "BLUE MAX" came out while Max was racing and I called him "BLUE MAX", not because of the movie but because of his love life.

His family had the greatest cottage on Gun Lake, Michigan. Such a wonderful place.

[Ron Hill]

I lived in Bellflower, California and I think Howard did too. He was unbeatable in D Hydro from about 1952 til he retired, about 1956.

Howard dated and then married the United Speedboat Association's Commodore, daughter. The Commodore was named Rich Job.

How borrowed Rich's "A" DeSilva and won the 115 Mile Colorado River Marathon, in 1955. In 1956, he built his own runabout and again won the 115 mile marathon.

Howard build quiet a few boats in his garage in Bellflower. He used mahogany and monel anchor nails in all his boats.

My brother had one of his C-D Hydros in 1957.

My brother is on the inside, driving his Thompson Hydro. Larry Adams is "CUTTING HIM OFF". This picture caused many arguments. The term "Racing Room" came from this picture.

I just heard, yesterday about Howard's passing.

[A/B Speedliner]

This past Monday, 12/18/2017 we lost a dear friend, Anker Petersen . Anker and I with my brother Alan grew up together in Oakdale, NY. In 1955 Alan started racing BU and shortly Anker would be part of our crew. He finally got the urge to race in 1966 after returning from Vietnam we built him our first 36 class Speedliner style boat under the Aeroliner Race Boats name. He raced with Eastern Outboard Racing Club for years. He started with an Evinrude until Alan sold him a new Chrysler engine. He was a very quiet person but he was also a lot of fun, I remember once when his father and mother returned to Denmark for vacation he and his brother Paul had a house party, we were in our late teens at the time. Our group of friends purchased a quarter keg of beer. We could not find a place to set up the keg until someone found the grand piano, left the top and there was a perfect location. Needless to say it destroyed the piano.
Anker's racing number was 69N, he was very proud of the number, wonder why? Anker lost his wife only three weeks before he passed so I guess he had enough of us and wanted to be with his wife. He leaves behind his brothers John and Paul, his children and his many friends.

Rest in Peace my friend, see you on the other side

David

[Ron Hill]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forum...nt-Fred-Bowden

I knew Fred has been "Under the weather" since October. We have emailed for more than ten years. When I had not received one of his emails, a month ago I called him. He said, "He'd had water on the lung and heart, but was doing better."

Last week I called and didn't answer, so I called Bowden Development. Todd Bowden called me back and said, "His dad was making progress."

On Thursday, I'd driving our old Ford 250 truck, no blue tooth, and I get a call from Fred. (I have 4,000 pounds of steel on a F250, so I let it go to voice mail).


When I listened to the voice mail, I had to laugh. Fred said, "He'd seen me going down the freeway." I assumed he was heading for Parker, I figured I'd call him Tuesday and Tuesday's are easier for me to call and we could shoot the breeze.

I guess he made it to Parker. He felt tired, Saturday afternoon. He took a nap and never work up.

Fred was always good to me, he was a good sponsor for my son. When Fred would give Chad sponsor money, he's always make the check out to Chad, AND REMIND ME THE MONEY WAS FOR CHAD.

God Speed, OLD FRIEND!

[Karen Cadle]

Just received an email from Kay Pond that Dick had passed. I truly can't remember a time when Dick wasn't part of my life. He raced for my Grandfather in the 50's and early 60's. There is a nice memorial video on the obituary page and several good photos. http://www.dejongsfuneralhome.com/ob.../Charles-Pond/