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Thread: Chicago River: I can't believe this picture is still around....

  1. #21
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    I don't know who drove this boat, but I thought I would post it here as it is definitely the same 1975 Chicago race as the previous posts.
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    The 1970 Chicago PRO race was going on at the same time as the Stock Nationals in Beloit WI. I was pretty new to racing and had a horrible elimination heat at Beloit in DSH so when I missed out on qualifying for the finals, I turned my attention to the Chicago race. Being just a kid then, it was a challenge just to get there. Driving along on the subterranean Lower Wacker Drive towing a race trailer felt like driving through catacombs. I don'r remember what classes I raced besides F Hydro and B Runabout. The prize money was $ 99 first place per heat so the money was really good. I came home with over $ 300 more than when I left home and thought this boat racing was a pretty good deal

  3. #23
    BoatRacingFacts VIP John Schubert T*A*R*T's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hydroplay View Post
    The 1970 Chicago PRO race was going on at the same time as the Stock Nationals in Beloit WI. I was pretty new to racing and had a horrible elimination heat at Beloit in DSH so when I missed out on qualifying for the finals, I turned my attention to the Chicago race. Being just a kid then, it was a challenge just to get there. Driving along on the subterranean Lower Wacker Drive towing a race trailer felt like driving through catacombs. I don'r remember what classes I raced besides F Hydro and B Runabout. The prize money was $ 99 first place per heat so the money was really good. I came home with over $ 300 more than when I left home and thought this boat racing was a pretty good deal
    Sam, The pro or as they were called then Alky nationals were in Depue. I was there finishing 4th in AOH & COH.

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    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Homer Kincaid was A True Gentleman

    Quote Originally Posted by Gene East View Post
    I have been watching this thread to see if the Alky race in Chicago would come up before I added my 2 cents worth.

    Larry Latta told me the Coast Guard would not sign off on the sanction permit until the Admiral was told Mayor Daley #1 supported the race. Such was and still is the power of the Daley name.

    I echo any negative comments about the Alky race in Chicago. Terrible pits, tight course. A Navy (Reserve?) ship was moored just off the first turn. I kept waiting for somone to swing wide and crash into the ship.

    The tight course did produce some action that the spectators enjoyed.

    As mentioned in an earlier post Homer Kincaid went out of the boat there in C-hydro.

    He had some help!

    Jim Schoch and Homer put on quite a show in C-hydro that day swapping the lead several times.

    They touched on the last lap and Jim's steering bar poked a hole in the side of Homer's boat. The crowd cheered wildly as Jim crossed the finish line and Homer slowly sank.

    As I recall, Homer wasn't nearly as thrilled about the results as the crowd was. However; being the gentleman he was, Homer came over to our pits and congratulated Jim.

    Interesting note, both drivers were piloting white Schultz 4-point hydros.

    Has anyone ever seen a Schultz that was not white? We never did paint ours yellow like all the other Quincy boats.

    It took forever to find the setup on that boat. When we did, it was never very fast but it performed very well in rough water and went through the turns like it was on a rail.

    So did Homer's!

    Homer Kincaid was a super star! If my memory serves me correctly Homer is the only man in history to win every heat of every class of a sanctioned regatta.

    Hopefully someone can confirm this statement and provide the details of this amazing accomplishment.
    I wasn't too happy with Homer Kencaid when I broke the C and D Runabout Kilo Records with Harry's new VC Konigs and Homer didn't approve the records because the motors weren't available til 1968 or some such BS. Harry Bartolomei, my sponsor, applied to UIM and both records became World Records, not APBA records. But, truthfully, HOMER DID THE CORRECT THING BY OUR RULE BOOK. There weren't as many classes in those days, but it was always said that Homer was only driver to every win ever class at a race.

    Homer was always a real gentleman!
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 01-26-2018 at 11:16 AM.

  5. #25
    BoatRacingFacts VIP John Schubert T*A*R*T's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hydroplay View Post
    The 1970 Chicago PRO race was going on at the same time as the Stock Nationals in Beloit WI. I was pretty new to racing and had a horrible elimination heat at Beloit in DSH so when I missed out on qualifying for the finals, I turned my attention to the Chicago race. Being just a kid then, it was a challenge just to get there. Driving along on the subterranean Lower Wacker Drive towing a race trailer felt like driving through catacombs. I don'r remember what classes I raced besides F Hydro and B Runabout. The prize money was $ 99 first place per heat so the money was really good. I came home with over $ 300 more than when I left home and thought this boat racing was a pretty good deal
    Sam,

    I owe you an apology. I thought that you meant the Alky nationals that were held there. Gene East's post opened my eyes & brain. Sorry.

  6. #26
    Team Member racnbns's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Schubert T*A*R*T View Post
    Sam, The pro or as they were called then Alky nationals were in Depue. I was there finishing 4th in AOH & COH.
    John

    The Chicago race was a reg. 7 race and as Sam said had good prize money. The pits were in an old railroad yard, rocky and steep but for the big bucks nobody complained.
    When you would shut off a LOOPER you could here the echo bouncing off the sky scrapers. A once in a lifetime event!
    Bruce

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    Default Frank Freeman

    Quote Originally Posted by brichter View Post
    I don't know who drove this boat, but I thought I would post it here as it is definitely the same 1975 Chicago race as the previous posts.
    I was told that this #329 boat was driven by Frank Freeman in UJ class.

  8. #28
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    Name:  NavyPier-1975.jpg
Views: 760
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    This is a great pic by Sam Labanco of the MOD 90 Class that Mark Nelson sent me, Old Navy pier in the background. I can see Bill Richter Sr. behind the Blue Checkmate(?) that appears in the lead and Terry Leatherby is off to the left.
    I thought this should go with this thread.
    Thanks Sam and Mark!
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  9. #29
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    Yes that's correct - that's him standing on the boat. It's my Dad.
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    Quote Originally Posted by brichter View Post
    I don't know who drove this boat, but I thought I would post it here as it is definitely the same 1975 Chicago race as the previous posts.
    The driver of this boat was Frank Freeman-- that's him on the boat. He's my Dad.
    Thanks brichter thanked for this post
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