2002 PRO Nationals

[racingfan1]

It does look like Denny's boat is going down but he doesnt seem to excited. And I don't think Ralph has changed a bit since 2002. Thanks for the pictures Jean , they are very much appreciated!!!!

BTW - Todd do you still have all your equipment????

[PhotoGirlGA]

Todd,

That was Denny during the race. In the next frame his boat is sinking and he is laying across the bottom of it.

I love the pic of Ralph and Steve, they logged many miles (and years) trailering together. I have some old shots of both of them racing, I am sure.

I was definitely more selective in what and how many frames I took back then (it was quite a change in mindset when I went digital).
Film and developing was so expensive.

I have had fun going through old pics for sure and enjoy sharing them!

[1100r]

I thought that was when Denny was hit. Glad he was ok as it could have been alot worse.

Yes Steve and Ralph were quite the guys and I enjoyd talking with them each time I was back to race. Somehow the name of rainbow bread boat comes to mind as Ralphs boat resembled a rainbow bread package. It was really a neat boat.

Jean - I can only imagine the expense of buying rolls of film but I am very thankful there are those like you and others that have done this and still do, as I and all of the racers truely enjoy them. Thank you for the last picture of me and my boat above as I mentioned was my last time in a boat or ever to drive a boat again. I remember meeting you and Buddy at Constatine I believe that same year. Everyone headed to a nice restaurant by one of the Great Lakes in Mich and when we got there it was packed and along wait. So we went back to town and got pizza and seen you and Buddy so we talked a bit. Talk about someone who I watched when he raced going for all Championships in a row wow.

Thanks again for your time adding the pictures here for me to enjoy

Todd

[1100r]

It does look like Denny's boat is going down but he doesnt seem to excited. And I don't think Ralph has changed a bit since 2002. Thanks for the pictures Jean , they are very much appreciated!!!!

BTW - Todd do you still have all your equipment????

Sorry Dale I did not see your post and question to me about my equipment. Answer Yes I do!

[racingfan1]

I will agree that digital is much easier but I really think those years of shooting film makes for a better photographer. Wayne and Jean , you both have some amazing film pictures. I still have my old Canon Rebel film camera but even film is getting hard to find for it.

I had a science teacher in junior high that enjoyed photography and he started a club for students that were interested. It was not just taking pictures but we also developed our own film in a darkroom that he made in an old closet. He took us on trips to different places at different times of day to learn what the different daylight conditions did to change the look of a picture. We even did a couple a of shoots at night to learn about exposure and such. A lot of the stuff he taught us I still use today , even tho we all use digital. Thank you Mr. Rittenhouse!!!!!!!!

[PhotoGirlGA]

A lot of the stuff he taught us I still use today , even tho we all use digital. Thank you Mr. Rittenhouse!!!!!!!!

How awesome to have worked with such a wonderful mentor Dale. I got involved in photography much later in life and am very appreciative of those who have provided support and inspired me to be a better photographer (Wayne Baldwin!)

Todd - I have some pics from 2000 of your boat sporting a very lightweight mystery deck rider

Here are a few more from 2002. Marion Jung and Pete Kelly at the finish line decide to make it a bit more exciting. Thankfully they were both OK.

[1100r]

Jean - Im grinning from ear to ear about the 2000 picture you might be speaking of and that deck rider is still around lol. If it is the one your talking about it definately is light as air. Im thinking there were a couple different ones from that year but the Ca guys and Krier and his pit crew Tadych played a lot of jokes between us fun ones though. The best one they did to me though was 1999 when they hung my boat between 2 trees in the Thirlby camp. Klemm, Borges got me side tracked as Klemm and I had a bet before we left for Depue who's boat was the lightest 1100r. We both had bought Lee Tietze's hardware and had hardware in very light grams. Klemm told me when he seen my boat in the trees I guess yours wins its light as air. We all got a good laugh.

The pictures of the 2 boats that blew over I was in the patrol boat at that turn. You could see that one coming as neither of them was giving an inch. Your right Jean they made it more interesting and glad they both were ok.

Thanks again for sharing your pictures they truely are awesome!!!!

Todd

[Tim Weber]

The green boat that J-Dub had at Kingston is not Howard's. I asked him if it was and J-Dub's response was " Are you crazy? I would never paint Howard's bloat."

Tim

[1100r]

Glad to hear that J-Dub left the color the same as Howard had it. One of a kind for sure. It looked liked the same tower but hard to tell so I thought it might have been. Those towers were made by Harry Bartoleme (SP) so there were not to many of those on other boats. Not to say Howard didnt have more of those towers as Mark Borges drove for Harry for a long time and Mark is Howards son in-law. I wonder how old that boat is now and if thats the same boat that Howard picked up at the Bakersfield Nationals years ago. It may be a different boat but I remember Howard telling me he had a boat built and he picked it up at Bakersfield.
No matter what, that boat was always fast and competitive along with the capsule hydro!!

Todd

Todd

[racingfan1]

Maybe I will go with 2000 next just to see Jean's 2000 pictures!!!!!!!!

I am also glad to hear that J-Dub did not paint Howards runabout. As George Carlin's character Philmore said in the Disney movie Cars , " Respect the classics man. "