Wayne Baldwin's Amazing Story: Baldy's Eual Eldred Baldwin

[Master Oil Racing Team]

We all got a good nights sleep. Carl Rylee ran as good of a race as was possible, so we knew there were no surprises. We didn't have anything to fix and Clayton and I had only one class each to race today....and it wasn't the same class. So we had some leisure time to eat breakfast, visit with some of the other racers coming, going, and in the middle of eating breakfast like we were.

There were lots of people that knew Baldy by now, and he had a grin that people who know him can envision right now. He was really feeling great about the upcoming races.

I was out of my league in C runabout and C Hydro, but Clayton was looking good in C and D Hydro. And Clayton also qualified in the tough D Runabout finals. Jack and Clayton were part of our team, and we were all happy with whatever events we made it into, and were totally dedicated to finishing as high as we could. We were both in the C Hydro finals, and as much as Baldy would love for me to win, he knew Clayton could amongst this crowd. If I did, it would be because of a bunch of gun jumpers, or some other fluke. The only thing that mattered to Baldy was in his mind, I had already won in some respects. All he had to do was look at the finals roster, and see the crowd we were in with to be happy with the results.

October in South Texas can be some of the best weather for racing, and it was turning out this way on Fort Buhlow Lake. We loaded up into the Chrysler, drove up McArthur Drive a little way then made a right into the traffic circle, blending with the traffic to move right and exit onto 165 North to Pineville. This one was easy. Crossing the Huey P Long bridge over the Red River you could see parts of Fort Buhlow Lake easy. With butterflies in my stomach we approached the south turn into the lake. There was a lot of traffic making a left in the last couple of days, so there was usually a short wait on traffic, both oncoming, and waiting to make a left.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

When we first started racing, we went out early. Somewhere between the first and second ball dropping.

After the five miute cannon for C Runabout fired, we tramped into the water. Pit men got the boat off the sawhorses and let it float as we looked toward the clock. I sat on the edge of the cockpit, and we always silently looked on for the balls to go down. Most of the time our Konigs started right up. But we still were apprehensive. One ball down. Wait....wait.....wait.....Baldy looked at his watch....wait, then we would get impatient and I would nod my head that it was time to go.

It was me more than them. In later years when we knew we could crank up and be gone, we would wait until the three minute ball dropped. In 1967 though, I couldn't wait. The butterflies were coming in waves and we had to get the boat on plane, the wind under the helmet and turning to the right in order to clear the butterflies. Once water sprayed out of the tattletell tubes and the hull lightened underneath, it was time to think about racing. This was the first time we raced at an NOA World Championships and felt fortunate to make it into the finals with such a large and talented group of drivers. I don't know how I finished in C runabout because I didn't write it down. But it was a priveledge to make a start with such legendary racers.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I talked to Clayton Elmer this morning about the 1967 World's because in my research I found info conflicting with the notes I had taken a couple of years earlier regarding his C hydro World Championship. I think the years have gotten him a little mixed up, because a number of factors point to a different story. He remembered we went on his head in C hydro after winning the first heat, and had motor trouble the second heat until the last bit of water cleared out then it took off running again. And they finished the second heat the next day and he scratched everything but C hydro because he was too sore. According to the roster for the finals, C hydro was run Sunday, and a Roostertail Ad Baldy placed several months later had the D motor that Clayton dumped for sale. So I think Clayton got the two classes mixed up in some ways and had parts of each story in the C hydro race which was Sunday. He did crash Saturday, and C hydro was Sunday. Also, I was in the C hydro finals with Clayton and did not see the flip. The first heat of C Runabout was right before the first heat of D hydro, so I would have been back in the pits fueling up and getting ready for the second heat. Where we were pitted we could not have seen Clayton flip the D hydro, but I remember something about a roar from the crowd and not knowing it was Clayton So I am going to write it down like Clayton originally told me along with additional facts he added this morning, but I will change it to D hydro instead and I think that is more likey the way it was.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

After I got back into the pits, it was time for Clayton's first heat of D hydro. He had a 4 carb short stack Konig mounted on a Morton hydro. Clayton got a bad start, but when he got the the first turn, Jerry Waldman was on the inside and took everyone way outside. Clayton cut back in and came out of the turn just behind Jerry. The raced all out to the next turn and Jerry just barely had an overlap on Clayton, but he left just enough room for Clayton to squeeze through.

Jim Morton was a cabinet builder in Baytown, living right next to the Baytown Boat Club. A lot of members there drove Morton hydros and runabouts, but nobody outside of Texas, and maybe Louisiana owned one. In fact, as far as I know only Baytown Boat Club members ran them. Jerry thought that Clayton could not come inside at that speed, but he didn't know how well that Morton could turn, and stay on track without hooking or sliding. Clayton zipped in and out of that turn so fast he left Jerry behind, Jerry might have jumped the gun, because he did not score second. That went to Billy Seebold who was hot on their heels.

Clayton had to press hard because he was being chased. Then just as he straightened up for the race to the finish,he felt the back end wobble and felt squirrely. His first thought was that the nuts on the mounting bracket had gotten loose.. He just kept the throttle down. When he crossed the finish line he looked over his left shoulder and saw the steering cable and pulley laying on the deck. "Oh S#!+....Man!" he said to himself. He knew he was in a bad situation and the only thing he thought he could do was try to slowly back off the throttle. He did and made it close to a hundred yards before the torque and prop rotation turned the motor. Clayton's hydro gave his right leg a good whop as they tumbled across the water. The canvas deck also got torn up.

From where we were in the pits, we heard a collective roar from the crowd, but had no clue as to what was going on. We saw a lot of people at the point where the cove opens onto the lake start running toward the other side of the judges stand, but we didn't know it was Clayton who flipped. We would shortly though. And looking at that pulley we could see where the "S" hook had broken after being straightened out a little, then hammered back into a S when Roland Pruett's 44 Looper was fitted onto Clayton's hydro.

ADD: This is the start of D hydro. Inside is Dick Pond driving for Marshall Grant, Kay Harrison, Clayton Elmer, Ray Olmos, and you can't see the number on the hydro on the outside, but the way the driver is kneeling, I'm betting it's V-45....Billy Seebold.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

After Clayton and his boat got back to the pits, the gun was fired for the second heat of C Runabout. Motor revved and ready to go, the pit crew shoved me on my way and then began to work on Clayton's D. They dumped all the water out and began to clean out the motor. After most of the water was gone, they began to crank the motor through with a rope and fingers over the spark plug holes to get more water out. They finally got enough out that they put spark plugs in and tried to fire it off. It took several times of that, changing plugs, pumping water with the rope and fingers when it finally fired off. Then Jack quickly patched the deck with duct tape across the framing to seal off the opening in the canvas. They were able to get all this done in time for Clayton to make the second heat.

Clayton was able to get out of the pits and make the start, but it was not running good. The motor would blubber a little bit, then come on. But when the little bits of water still puddling around in the crankcase got picked back up when the flow increased, it knocked a plug out again. This went on a couple of laps until the motor was finally cleared out for good and then it ran very strong. By then the race was over. On top of all that though the boat had no lift. All that duct tape perpendicular to the air flow caused enough turbulence to kill the lift. Clayton ended up in eighth position which was good enough for a second overall.

ADD; After the races were over Dieter came down to our pits. He stood there looking at the 4 carb Konig that Clayton had outrun Billy Seebold with in the first heat. After studying the motor hard for a moment he stated "Impossible!" Then shaking his head he repeated "Impossible! It cannot beat a rotary valve". Yet he had seen it with his own eyes. He found out Jack was the motor man and proceeded to quiz him what he had done to the motor. I don't know what Jack told him, but Jack and Baldy were so impressed with Dieter's statements and how the rotary valves were so superior to the 4 carbs that they retold this story many times over the years at Baldy's house and other gatherings of boat racers.

[Gene East]

After I got back into the pits, it was time for Clayton's first heat of D hydro. He had a 4 carb short stack Konig mounted on a Morton hydro. Clayton got a bad start, but when he got the the first turn, Jerry Waldman was on the inside and took everyone way outside. Clayton cut back in and came out of the turn just behind Jerry. The raced all out to the next turn and Jerry just barely had an overlap on Clayton, but he left just enough room for Clayton to squeeze through.

Jim Morton was a cabinet builder in Baytown, living right next to the Baytown Boat Club. A lot of members there drove Morton hydros and runabouts, but nobody outside of Texas, and maybe Louisiana owned one. In fact, as far as I know only Baytown Boat Club members ran them. Jerry thought that Clayton could not come inside at that speed, but he didn't know how well that Morton could turn, and stay on track without hooking or sliding. Clayton zipped in and out of that turn so fast he left Jerry behind, Jerry might have jumped the gun, because he did not score second. That went to Billy Seebold who was hot on their heels.

Clayton had to press hard because he was being chased. Then just as he straightened up for the race to the finish,he felt the back end wobble and felt squirrely. His first thought was that the nuts on the mounting bracket had gotten loose.. He just kept the throttle down. When he crossed the finish line he looked over his left shoulder and saw the steering cable and pulley laying on the deck. "Oh S#!+....Man!" he said to himself. He knew he was in a bad situation and the only thing he thought he could do was try to slowly back off the throttle. He did and made it close to a hundred yards before the torque and prop rotation turned the motor. Clayton's hydro gave his right leg a good whop as they tumbled across the water. The canvas deck also got torn up.

From where we were in the pits, we heard a collective roar from the crowd, but had no clue as to what was going on. We saw a lot of people at the point where the cove opens onto the lake start running toward the other side of the judges stand, but we didn't know it was Clayton who flipped. We would shortly though. And looking at that pulley we could see where the "S" hook had broken after being straightened out a little, then hammered back into a S when Roland Pruett's 44 Looper was fitted onto Clayton's hydro.

I know one racing team outside of Texas and Louisiana that had a Morton boat. That was QW. In fact Jim Schoch set a CRR record at 84 MPH driving a Morton.

It was well made with a plank bottom rather than plywood. It was easy to keep the bottom straight. Never had to worry about a hook. This boat was later sold and lived the rest of it's life under a D-MOD Mercury in the Quincy-St.Louis area.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Wow Gene! Thanks a lot for the history. I can't think of a better place for a Morton to be outside of Texas. Is it too much to ask how it came to be that QW bought that boat? I never heard of Mr. Morton advertising.

[Gene East]

As was often the case, Chris took this boat on trade for a motor. Remember, this was 40 years ago. It seems to me that we got the boat through Curtis Dumisnel, but I'm not positive about that.

The one thing I am sure of is this. When Jim made the return pass through the traps, the steering wheel came loose in his hands. Knowing he had a "good run" going, he just rode it out. His course of travel was diagonally across the traps. Had it been straight ahead, the speed would have been greater.

I remember Gerry Waldman telling Jim after the run, "You've got big balls"!

Can you imagine Waldman talking about anyone having "big balls"?

Who could have been more qualified to make such a statement?

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'll bet you're right that is was Curtis, Gene. Now that is an interesting fact I never heard before.

It is an ironic statement that Jerry made, but in my opinion, if Jerry was doing something like that he would not give it another thought. When he watched someone else though, he was very impressed.

ADD: I added a picture and some commentary to post 427, and I had to leave last night before I completed 428, so it's finished now.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

We were all disappointed in the turnout of events, and how that simple little gesture of goodwill toward Clayton could have changed events. Had Roland not offered Clayton his motor to qualify for the F hydro event, and had Clayton declined, or the "S" hook fit in the first place, Clayton may have been the D hydro World Champ. But you really never do know. A thousand things conspire to make even the smallest part of a contest go wrong. Everyone who has raced has had that happen. And there are many drivers who won one heat only to have something that may not have mattered at any other time happen just then to deny them the championship. It has happened to me. It has happened to many of my boat racing friends. This time it was Clayton's turn. I'm sure Roland and his pit crew felt bad too, but that's just the way things go, and we all remained friends.

Clayton's leg was sore that very same day, and did not sleep well because of it, but by the next morning he had aches all over his body as happens when you cool down. He could barely walk due to the leg, but he knew that his C Hydro had what it took to win. Clayton was scheduled to run in the first heat of D Runabout which was up right after the final heat of C Hydro. Clayton scratched D Runabout. He felt he only had enough in him to race the one class.

It's not clear whether or not Clayton went out to test the C hydro Sunday morning, or if Jack just kicked the motor out a little to compensate for the tape on the deck messing up the lift. Clayton clearly remembers racing C Hydro on Sunday and had a hard time of it bending his leg as well as being bruised and sore all over.

Clayton and I were both in this same heat, and I imagine I was sent out first so Clayton would not have to mill around too long. I did not like to mill with a crowd so I usually just turned left past the start/finish line then down the back straight past the turn bouy and halfway up the gut toward the Red River, then turn back to start back over again. Seemed half the field always like to mill in circles from the safety bouy, way back to the southwest where the train tracks were and watch the clock from there. I'm not sure where Clayton was milling, but he made a legal start.

Since Clayton was mixing up parts of C and D Hydro, I'm wondering if this wasn't the heat that he made a bad start and Jerry Waldman took everyone out in the first turn. There are a couple of things that don't seem to add up. The photo of the start I posted above was defintely D hydro because Kay Harrison was in the picture, and Clayton's deck was still intact, so it WAS the first heat of D Hydro. I looked like Clayton made a good start in that picture. Secondly, Jerry Waldman only won X hydro with a reduced field. Jerry won 5 NOA World tiles in 1965, just as he won 5 APBA Nationals in 1970. Clayton clearly remembered Waldman taking the field wide, and I think that maybe Jerry that did that in the first heat of C Hydro. The results show that Clayton won with two second place finishes which would give him 700 points with Armand second with 400 points, winning the second heat and 0 points from the first. Third went to Ray Olmos with 394 points from third and fourth place finishes. That leaves out the winner of the first heat with 400 points who would have bested Ray by 6 points. I don't think the scorers made that many mistakes. I think most likely that instead of two second places, Clayton won the first heat, which he clearly remembers, and that Jerry Waldman was actually second which would give him three hundred points thus not show in the results published in Roostertail. I have puzzled over all this, but that's the only way I figure everything fit.

I don't remember how I finished, in either heat, and Clayton didn't remember exactly how he finished either, but he said by the second heat it was all he could do to keep pushing the hydro. He said he finished just enough to win. I mentioned he had a second in the second heat, the he said "Yeah, I do remember something about a second". Results do not show who finished third in the second heat either. Clayton may not have known how many points the drivers chasing him had. Maybe Jerry jumped the gun in the first heat and Clayton did not know. Anyway, I guess we'll never know exactly, but I think the scenario I laid out is closer than not, given our memories against what is in print.

We were all happy though that Clayton won C Hydro after all that. Clayton was bruised up and hurting, but him , Doris, Jack, Baldy and myself were well contented with Clayton's first and second place finishes.

Following the second heat of C Hydro, Charlie Bailey answered the five minute gun for the call of the first heat of D Runabout. He was driving T-30, Clayton's Morton runabout. After Clayton had scratched D Runabout Charlie asked him if he could drive it which Clayton agreed. As Gina Mishey wrote in her excellent writeup ""In the first heat of D Runabout, Charlie Bailey of Houston, Texas staged a spectacular flip coming out of the south turn.. Charlie was taken to the hospital where a check-up revealed no serious injuries." Not quite the same result for Clayton's runabout though. The deck was blown out, but otherwise everything else was okay and Mr. Morton fixed it.