Homer Kinkaid and Bud Wiget

[seacow]

Did anyone know these legendary drivers? Please share some stories about them.

[Aeroliner]

Going through my old data last week I found a large collection of letters between Ralph DeSilva and Bud Wiget. If anyone would like to post a few let me know.

Alan

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Going through my old data last week I found a large collection of letters between Ralph DeSilva and Bud Wiget. If anyone would like to post a few let me know.

Alan

Alan:

I for one (an I am sure there are others) would love to see letters between these two legends

I knew Homer Kincaid, and know his son Jack and grandson John. I have sent an e-mail to John telling him about this thread and asking him if he and his Father would contribute to it as there is much history there from just before WWII to the 70's.

Homer was closely associated with Harry Pasturczak, and Harry fabricated the first set of ZAK stacks (expansion chamber exhaust) for Homer for a 4 carb C Konig that Homer had and had campaigned for several years before the rotary valve motors came out. When the rotary valve was introduced, Harry converted that motor to a rotary valve also, doing away with the 4 bing carbs. Homer won the APBA Nationals with that engine, but not sure whether it had the ZAK stacks and rotary valve on it yet.

As most know who were interested in boat racing in the time frame that Homer raced, he once won every heat that was run at a boat race. Don't know if anyone ever did since, but he was the only one at the time. He retired from his job as a metallurgist (think he worked for John Deere or one of the other similar companies in the Quad Cities area) but did not get to enjoy his retirement for long as he passed away not more that a year or so after retirement.

He was a threat to win right up to his retirement, and in addition to his accomplishments on the race course, he was very active in the PRO Category of APBA serving as PRO Chairman or VP, whatever it was called at the time. He won many championships and set many records, and shortly after he retired, he purchased the Yamato 80 that Eileen had used in the Formula 350 class (she retired from driving after 5 years) for his grandson John. John competed in that class for awhile, then went to RB and up to several years ago was still racing with a 3 holer JohnRude in the MOD category.

I hope my e-mail address is correct for him so he and his Father can know about this thread and are able to comment on his fabulous Boat Racing career.

[Mark75H]

Yes, please post them. Kincaid is one of the little known legends who deserves more notoriety

[Aeroliner]

Hi Sam,
I will start posting them tomorrow. Will have to pick a few and scann them.

Alan

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Was fortunate to hear back from John Kincaid very quickly this evening. He has not been racing for a couple of years but plans on getting back in next year.

He is going to contact his Dad and see what documents, information, pictures, etc., he may still have regards Homer's racing career. Even though John in in his 50's now, he was just a small child when Homer was active so he does not remember first had a lot about his career. Homer also was not the type to "toot his own horn" that much with other people, from what I remember of him, so hopefully Jack has some things still left from his boat racing in addition to his memory.

As mentioned, Homer passed away shortly (within a year or so) of the time he retired from his work career. He also retired from boat racing at the same time. Harry ZAK, who knew him well, always said he thought one reason Homer did not live long was when he stopped doing everything he loved, speaking of his work and Boat Racing, all at once, the reasons for living went away also. I often wondered if Harry was correct, as I had occasion to be around Homer almost until he retired, and he was very full of life whenever I was around him.

[Gene East]

I totally agree with Bill's assessment of Homer Kincaid. I never really knew much about Bud Wiget, but Homer was always a true gentleman on and off the race course. I can still see him in the white coveralls that were the "uniform" of many veteran drivers.

While Homer did own an "A" Quincy Looper, for the most part he ran Konigs and could have been considered the enemy. That was not the case!

Homer drove a white Schultz hydro and Jim Schoch drove Quincy Welding's white Schultz hydro. Homer and Jim gave midwest fans many thrills. Often it was hard to tell who was in the lead since the boats were identical even to the point of each having a "V" #. Often the spray hid the motors making it even more exciting!

Although Homer often beat the Quincy boats, I had the highest respect for him.

The most disgusting incident I can recall during the years I was a part of the Quincy Welding team involved Homer as an innocent party.

Homer had a very fast "B' runabout that he hauled on a cartop carrier. Some low life SOB unloaded the boat in the middle of the night and burned it on the hotel parking lot.

As far as I know the culprit was never caught.

I certainly hope no boat racer was involved. If you can't beat a man on the water, shake his hand and try harder the next time.

[Aeroliner]

I have started to scan the info I have and will post the data as time permits.

Alan

[Aeroliner]

Additional info. I also have some info on Bill Teeney if you would enjoy that. There appears to be about 60 letters total.

Alan

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Additional info. I also have some info on Bill Teeney if you would enjoy that. There appears to be about 60 letters total

Alan

Alan:

Your first post with the receipt for fuel from Bud Wiget is very readable, but the letters/documents posted in your second post are very small and the print is not readable, unless there is some way to magnify them by the viewer that I am not aware of. If the problem is on your end it would be good if you could correct it, as they are not readable the way they are, and your kind effort is being wasted.

Perhaps Sam has some suggestions??



Regards the Bill Tenney letters. They also are our history and especially if there is anything in them regards the Anzani engines, it would be very interesting.




Added after Alans post I was referring to as being too small to read. All of a sudden now they are larger and readable.