Likes Likes:  0
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 30

Thread: 1974 PRO Nationals

  1. #1
    BoatRacingFacts VIP racingfan1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Bradford , Illinois
    Posts
    1,329
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default 1974 PRO Nationals

    Here are some images and race information rom the 1974 PRO Nationals on Lake DePue. Special thanks to Wayne Baldwin for sending me the information.
    Attached Images Attached Images        

  2. #2
    BoatRacingFacts VIP racingfan1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Bradford , Illinois
    Posts
    1,329
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Does anybody know if the original John Ward Trophy still exists today and where it might be ?

  3. #3
    BoatRacingFacts VIP racingfan1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Bradford , Illinois
    Posts
    1,329
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Race info

    Here are the heat sheets and finals information for the 1974 PRO Nationals on Lake DePue. Again thanks to Wayne for sharing this information.
    Attached Images Attached Images       

  4. #4
    Team Member Jeff Lytle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Toronto-Canada
    Posts
    467
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    That's Henry "Shakey" Shakeshaft Jr. driving the C Service hydro on the cover.

  5. #5
    Team Member F-12's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    USTS, FL
    Posts
    299
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    As soon as I started looking here, the first thing I recognized was Shakey doing his thing. Thanks for all who help get this stuff posted................and I think we need to go spend some time at Wayne's house to really see some history in pictures............(might not make the Mrs. too happy, but they can both cook up a storm...........they both were lucky enough to learn from Baldy.......)
    Charley Bradley


  6. #6
    Team Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    33
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by racingfan1 View Post
    Does anybody know if the original John Ward Trophy still exists today and where it might be ?
    The UIM John Ward Trophy is still on display at the UIM's offices in Monaco. I had to go there to see it because they have not let it travel for many decades.

    Fred

  7. #7
    Team Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    559
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default These score sheet bring back a lot of memories, some kind of painful

    1974 was probably my best year for a finish in the Nationals at DePue until the 80's after being back racing for 6 years. I had a great Hydro built by Bob Rhoades and Jim Daniels from Seattle, and my C Konig had all Harry ZAK's modifications. In addition the Konigs had not quite caught up yet as far as pipes, and even though they (ZAK pipes) did not slide, the combination of the ZAK mods to the engine, especially the cut rotary valve disc, and the terrific turning ability of the R&D boat that allowed it to go thru the turns almost as fast as it would run down the straighaways, made it a very potent combination. I had done well in local and other Midwest races with this rig, and felt I had an excellent chance for a good showing if I did my part.

    Long story short, I did what a lot of drivers do when they have a good finish in the first heat (Nationals was a 2 final heat affair in that time frame) and I lost sight of the "big picture" as far as total heat points were concerned, and since there were only two boats ahead of me, one of which was Danny Kirts who if I could beat him would be a real feather in my cap, I continued to drive as hard as I could. The continued hard thrust on the side of the lower unit finally got the best of the Merc clamp bracket set up I was using instead of the Konig bolt on type, and about the third lap of the final heat while trying to get around Danny on the outside (you were not going to pass Danny on the inside), the clamp finally gave up and all the side thrust on the lower unit caused the motor to kick up sideways, losing thrust immediately, and causing the boat to broach and pitch me out the side before slowly rolling over. My immediate thought was about all the boats behind me and I kicked down with my feet trying to get back on the top of the water so I could be seen. That was the first time I realized Lake DePue was only about three feet deep in the 2nd turn area, as I popped out of the water at least knee high. The bow of my Hydro must have dug into the Lake DePue mud in that shallow end, as it was covered in that black gumbo silt that makes up the bottom of Lake DePue.

    Because of my "brain fade" and not keeping track of where I was score sheet wise, all I would have had to do was finish in the order I was running, and I would have won the "C" Hydro National Championship on points, as the boats in front of me had not finished the 1st heat or their finish in the first was not better than mine as I had finished second in the first heat. You live an learn and that was foremost in my mind when I finally did manage to win 2 Nationals in 1986 on the same course.

    I loaned the same boat and motor combination to Danny Kirts for the John Ward race that same year, as he was in the middle of one of the famous Kirts "family feuds" and did not have access to the family equipment at the time , but he got watered down in the first turn, first heat, and was not able to come back from that DNF. One of the builders of my boat, Bod Rhoades, with a twin to my ZAK Konig, won the John Ward race that year. I don't think the John Ward race i has ever been held in the US since, but could very well be mistaken about that. Perhaps Freddie Hauenstein will chime in regards that.

    The following fall I busted up my hip, which 2 years later resulted in a total hip replacement. I took a ride in one of Billy Seebolds tunnel boats, testing at George Winter Park in St. Louis, and that ended my competitive driving for about 6 years except for the following season when I ran one more year of C Hydro, and won the first race I entered at Lake Springfield Il., against much of the same competition I competed against at that Nationals, which as you can imagine made me feel really good after the accident. You always wonder whether you will have the same desire and fortitude to drive hard after a bad accident, as you do not forget how bad it hurts very easily. The one thing I had going for me was I did not get hurt in my normal racing equipment, so I was able to chalk it up to inexperience and a case of "dumb-***" on my part getting too happy with the "up button" on the wheel of Billy's tunnel boat.

    I started back racing again when the PRO Commission started the RB class about 6 years later when Eileen had completed her eligibility in Formula 350 Hydro and her two Yamato 80's became available for modification, and started back racing again, albeit a little slower speed at first. We eventually did get the speed in the class about where C Hydro was when I had to quit because of the injury, (82-85 competition speed depending on course length) with a lot of hard work engine wise by Harry Pasturczak, and lots of dollars spent on props.

    A good lesson to learn even today is the race is not over until its over, so keep your cool and don't overdrive either your boat, or your, capabilities. That is hard to do, but all the Champions that are luck enough to have good equipment, family support, and able to herd it around the course capably, learn it well. Either that or they are never fortunate enough to be able to call themselves a National Champ.

  8. #8
    Team Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    19
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I still can remember the 74' Nats, probably due to the fact that 4 heats were needed for all the AOH's (43 boats). This meant that only the top 3 places from each heat would go on to race in the final. This was one of the few times I can recall seeing my father (Roy Conklin) actually appearing extremely nervous before a race. Probably also one of the few times I've ever seen him "triple check" all of his electrical connections too, he even ended up changing his lower-unit oil twice in the same day (he was so nervous he probably forgot if he did it the first time around).

    I remember watching Tim Butts win with his new Aerowing, and was impressed with how it floated & turned seeming so effortlessly.

    Not sure if we'll EVER see 43 PRO boats register for the same Class again (with no step-ups). Yep, those were the days...

  9. #9
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tustin, California
    Posts
    3,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default John Ward Trophy

    Quote Originally Posted by Fred Hauenstein View Post
    The UIM John Ward Trophy is still on display at the UIM's offices in Monaco. I had to go there to see it because they have not let it travel for many decades.

    Fred
    Are the winners names on the trophy? Is there a list of the winners somewhere? When I become important, I'll go to Monaco and see the trophy, too!
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 02-13-2013 at 10:44 AM.

  10. #10
    BoatRacingFacts VIP racingfan1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Bradford , Illinois
    Posts
    1,329
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Do they still have a John Ward Trophy race every year ?

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. 1974 Starbuck Tunnel
    By 74starbuck in forum Boat Racing Encyclopedia
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 06-10-2013, 04:24 AM
  2. 1974 Vixen
    By sheuninck in forum Boat Racing Encyclopedia
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-27-2008, 01:46 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •