Originally Posted by
Ron Hill
It became painfully clear, that the inboard's day at the Parker 9 Hour were over. So, I wrote runs for five Divisions, and offered to buy trophies for the 1973 Parker 9 Hour. Parker, was reluctant to divide the race into classes, but with my "Smooth talking" they agreed with me.
So, 1973 had 5 Divisions: Division V was any V-Drive and any outboard with full shifting lower unit (Not gearcase yet). And also VP APBA and any MOD VP outboard boat (First time MOD VP's name was used). John Stoker had Rich Hallett, himself, put a deck on some heavy V Bottom outboard and they put an new Evinrude V-6 200 HP on it.
Well, the 200 Evinrude ran like a "SONG" ALL DAY!. Stoker pulled in right at the 9th hour to get gas and was on the trailer when the race ended. They put the boat back in the water and ran the last lap winning Division V (Outboard full shifting lower unit and any V-Drive class).
Well, the V-Drive guys protested Stoker saying, "The rule says you have to be running at the end of the race."
The race committee up held the protest. The next year MOD VP had their own class and the V-Drive class was Division VI. That was the beginning of MOD VP.
Bookmarks