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Thread: Minnesota Boat Racers

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    Team Member Tim Chance's Avatar
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    Default Minnesota Boat Racers

    This is a photo from Steve Wilson taken August 1, 1981 showing some Minnesota boat racers from the 1960's. One of the group is still racing. Want to try and put names to all the faces??

    I'll come back in a day or two and name the whole group.

    It's been a couple of days.

    Clockwise from top left: Steve Wilson, Son of Floyd Wilson, Nephew of boat builder George Wilson, ran A Runabout. Del Compton, an Engineer at Honeywell and ran a then new 75-H on a Wilson cabover. Wally Roman, an entire book could be written about Wally, mentor to many kids that were starting their racing career. Wally worked at Scott-Atwater on the “Green Hornet” project, a class B racing engine. When asked by Mr. Scott or maybe Mr. Atwater why he raced a Champion Hot, Wally honestly answered because the Scott wasn’t any good. Mike Franck, Mike ran D Alky then, and runs D mod today. Jim Nash. Al Crary, his son, Lloyd ran B Hydro and Al worked for Lyle Swanson (Swanson Hot Rod) and was Commodore of Midwest Power Boat Association. Stan Doseth, Stan ran C and D, best remembered for his skill with an Ashburn Runabout. Hank Franck, father of Mike, and a respected boat driver in his own right. Floyd Wilson, father of Steve and a fierce competitor with a George Wilson built D Ben-Hur. Art Welsh, another C-D Driver, won man-a-race with a DeSilva Runabout.
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    Last edited by Tim Chance; 11-12-2008 at 08:49 AM. Reason: added names, correction

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    Default Minnesota

    I see Mike Franck in the back row.

    Wally Roman??

    Cooper

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    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    How's about this for a try.

    Front row: Art Welsh, Floyd Wilson, Stan Dotseth ?Carl Eids?.

    Middle: Hank Franck (Mike's Dad)

    Back row: ???, Del Compton, Wally Roman, Mike Franck

    It helps to have a little info in your archives.



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    Team Member one eight-w's Avatar
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    Default Just a guess

    Back row first on the left=Leyde

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    Team Member Tim Chance's Avatar
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    Default

    I added the names to the original post.

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    Red face Minnesota Boat Racers

    Hi, I am Stan Dotseth's daughter, that picture was taken at my parents home in 1981. You have gotten all the names correct. My dad ( Stan) still lives in that same house with my mom. Dad just turned 86 in October. I was his # 1 fan and pit man (girl). I could lift those boat with the best of them and also took the infamous Ashburn runabout for a solo spin when I was 19 yrs old. Dad went out in the boat with me first and we made about 4 laps around, then he let me take it out on my own, with a big old screaming D Merc engine on the back. Only thing he forgot was telling me how to shut it off when I came into the pits. He was real worried about that and was down on his hands and knees on the dock motioning me to shut if off, but he didn't have to worry, I had been around racing for so long I knew where the kill switch was, Lucky for me huh? It's fun to talk about the old days, we had so many races with Midwest Power Boat Assoc, every weekend both saturday and sunday. Maybe saturday in Minnesota and the next day in Iowa. Fred Petter sure could get us the races. Those were the good old days, now my son Joe Franck is following in his Grandpas and dads footsteps. I love to cheer him on now. Till next time, Sharon Dotseth Kalmen

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    Wink Minnesota Boat Racers

    I forgot , that is Al Crary in the front row, father of Loyd Crary.

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    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    That's a great story Sharon. I knew and raced with some top of the line racers from Minnesota, but the Hey Days of the races Fred Petter promoted were before my time. I do have, however, a few issues of Midwest Power Boat Association publications from those days that Johnny Dortch sent me. I will try to get some of the articles posted here soon.



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    Team Member Tim Chance's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by leadpencil View Post
    I forgot , that is Al Crary in the front row, father of Loyd Crary.
    Sharon, You're right. Al was the father, Lloyd the son, there was also a daughter, Beth. Beth was married to another Minnesota boat racer, Pete Kroll. I was Best Man at their wedding.

    I'm going to correct my original post, thanks.

    See you and some of the others at the USTS race at Winona this next summer?

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    Here are a few items from the pages of Outboard Racing MODIFIED, the official publication of the Midwest Powerboat Association. It is the November 1962 issue.
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