1974 PRO Nationals

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

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

You may be able to access this information, plus more about past winners and where held on the UIM website.

[Ron Hill]

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!

Ron:

I'll be in Bakersfield with my gear!!!

I'm going to a UIM Board meeting on restructuring the UIM. I go over on the 22nd - arrive the 23rd. The World Champions Gala Dinner is that night; the BoD meeting is the next morning and I fly home the 25th. Two nights in Monaco and one on an airplane.

Strang is getting an award there, too.

Fred

NOTE:


Fred is APBA's UIM representative. A lot of travel here for such a short stay. Thanks, Fred from BRF, American boat racers in general and from me. You have spent a life time working for boat racing and many, including me, probably don't give you half the credit you deserve.

We will have the B and H that I'm buying from Kenn Christy, to race C Hydro, ready for you at the 2013 Winter Natioanls at Bakersfield, March 2-3, 2013. Be sure to turn in your entry early, or you'll pay a late fee!

[racingfan1]

As I was looking at heat sheet I noticed Bill Seebolds name next to boat R-12 in D runabout. Does anyone know was this a typo or did Bill run Howards boat or what was the circumstance ?

[jrome]

I talked to Billy today about this. that is the last time he drove a alky boat.

[racingfan1]

So Bill did run Howards equipment in that race ?

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Yea! They were good friends. I have a photo from the 2006 reunion when they hugged each other after 32 years. Joe called me after talking to Bill and said that Billy thought that his last alky race was at DePue in 1972. He was driving for Marshall Grant then, and that's what I remembered also. Then as Joe went on... Bill thought.."I did run one more time after that. I drove Howard Anderson's D Runabout. That was the last time I ran alky!"

[Master Oil Racing Team]

John Ward Race. John Ward was run at DePue at the behest of my Dad Baldy Baldwin. We were promoting international racing, and no other country applied, so it came to the USA and Clyde and Charlotte Queen were glad to add that prestigious event to the 1974 Pro Nationals. There was not a John Ward race in 1975. In 1976 it was held at Valleyfield, Qeubec, Canada. That was the last John Ward trophy race. I was there along with Fred Hauenstein, Tim Butts, Jimmy Aderholdt, George Anderson, Jerry Kirts and others. Jerry ended up winning.

After that, there were no more applications as far as I know to run the John Ward trophy except for the 1980 race at Yelm, Washington. It was advertised on the race circular that there would be a John Ward race. There was a drought. The 1 2/3rd mile record course was reduced to the 1 1/4 mile course. Somehow, in all the goings on, the John Ward race was pushed back or forgotten. Bob Wartinger might remember. I was there. It wasn't run, and according to Mike Ward, the John Ward race was discontinued after 1976.

The last John Ward race then would have been the one at Valleyfield, Quebec Canada and the previous one was at DePue.

[Ron Hill]

What or where are there details about John Ward? My brother always felt the John Ward Trophy Race was really the 500 CC World Championships.....but then again!

[racingfan1]

Thanks Wayne and Joe for filling in the blanks.

When I first started collecting the programs from past DePue Nationals I never thought it would turn into a hobby , I guess I would call it. I never intended to post what I received but after doing the trivia thing at the reunion last year , than staying around and listening to all the stories that were being told I decided to start. While a lot of this information may be posted on the history tab here at BRF , and thank you to Ron and everyone at BRF for allowing us to use this forum , I would ask everybody if you see something that I post that jogs a memory , feel free to go ahead and share it.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Thanks Wayne and Joe for filling in the blanks.

When I first started collecting the programs from past DePue Nationals I never thought it would turn into a hobby , I guess I would call it. I never intended to post what I received but after doing the trivia thing at the reunion last year , than staying around and listening to all the stories that were being told I decided to start. While a lot of this information may be posted on the history tab here at BRF , and thank you to Ron and everyone at BRF for allowing us to use this forum , I would ask everybody if you see something that I post that jogs a memory , feel free to go ahead and share it.

Dale, we need you to keep the history going. Who else will do it, besides the next reunion chairman is you. Remember? Yeah, I'll help you with details.