An Amazing Story

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Here's a couple of the drivers who joined the Pro Crash Bash.

Joe must have said he wasn't going to change clothes anymore. If I couldn't drive back to the pits, I would have to push the boat myself.

[David Weaver]

Since that was the only time I ever raced at Hinton, I was wondering if there tended to be a lot of crashes. There were many in 1977, and a lot of them had to do with the angle boats approached the start. It was very deceiving when milling for the 1 minute gun, then lining up. I only went into the open water on the right once and I could see a problem with a dogleg if you were in the wrong position. I made the rest of my starts from the inside.

Wayne,

I believe that the 1 2/3 mile survey course was only used for the 1976 Stock Outboard Nationals and the 1977 Alky Nationals. There was a push to have a record course for the nationals in those days. My recollection of many races at Hinton was 4 lap races on a mile or 1 1/4 mile race course. Over 1,000 boats competed in those two nationals.

One of my early races was at Hinton in a J stock hydro. That race just went on forever!! I do not believe the large course was ever used again following the Alky Nationals. I believe that the SO's had their nationals at Hinton 3 or 4more times, but the PRO's just did not like the experience. We had some good PRO races (local) in the mid 1980's that attracted drivers from Florida and Georgia headed home from the Nationals in DePue.

DW

[Jeff Lytle]

Hey Glenn........I just spoke to Henk Engels, he's going to look us up and register.

Do me a favour Wayne? Could you have a peek at your negative files from Hinton and see if you have any pics of Henk??

Slipstream Racing Team, A hydro, boat 97

Thanks

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'll look after I get back from the valley. What I have been thinking of and would really like to do is have someone start a thread on Hinton. There are quite a few more photos I have that I don't plan on posting here because it doesn't relate to the 700cc hydro. But, in the past I have posted some off and on at the Action and Random Shots threads that have created lots of interest. Hinton is one of those historical racing venues that can generate a lot of stories. Joe started one on Alexandria a couple of years ago. I think the famous race courses should have their own thread.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Hey Jeff, you misunderstood me. The Hinton stuff we already posted was part of the Amazing Story. I just haven't gotten to the 700 hydro stuff yet. The little sidetrips are just part of it.

When I was going through my pics to pick out the ones that would go to the story, I saw a lot of them that I know members would like, but would not fit here. And there has always been a lot of interest in the Hinton stories. The Stock guys have much more to put on than the Pro guys, but I thought it would be a good place to find all things pertaining to Hinton. I just do it that way because I can't always remember where to find something I had seen earlier. I was wanting to put some of the other Hinton pics on a Hinton dedicated thread.

Here's what I was really thinking. Not just the 1977 Pro Nationals. I already did one like that. But something like this. Maybe a google map of the race course, old programs, rosters of drivers and results from past racing, pics from all the categories that raced there plus the stories that go with racing. Maybe some funny tales from restaurants or hanging around the pits at night, T shirts, tales of travel to and from , etc. Kind of like we were doing with Alexandria.

BTW...You should have been with me today. I was looking down about 6 feet from a beautiful specimen of a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake nearly 5 feet long.

[David Weaver]

Hey Jeff, you misunderstood me. The Hinton stuff we already posted was part of the Amazing Story. I just haven't gotten to the 700 hydro stuff yet. The little sidetrips are just part of it.

When I was going through my pics to pick out the ones that would go to the story, I saw a lot of them that I know members would like, but would not fit here. And there has always been a lot of interest in the Hinton stories. The Stock guys have much more to put on than the Pro guys, but I thought it would be a good place to find all things pertaining to Hinton. I just do it that way because I can't always remember where to find something I had seen earlier. I was wanting to put some of the other Hinton pics on a Hinton dedicated thread.

Here's what I was really thinking. Not just the 1977 Pro Nationals. I already did one like that. But something like this. Maybe a google map of the race course, old programs, rosters of drivers and results from past racing, pics from all the categories that raced there plus the stories that go with racing. Maybe some funny tales from restaurants or hanging around the pits at night, T shirts, tales of travel to and from , etc. Kind of like we were doing with Alexandria.

BTW...You should have been with me today. I was looking down about 6 feet from a beautiful specimen of a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake nearly 5 feet long.

Wayne,

I imagine it is better to be 6 feet away from a 5 foot rattler than 5 feet away from a 6 foot rattler....I will have to get into my father's collection of photo's from Hinton races. He and Pop Augustine were the race directors for the 1976 and 1977 Nationals at Hinton.

DW

[jrome]

Here are a few pictures that I found of Hinton.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That's exactly right David. Even when I pulled up next to the dude and looked him straight in his beady eyes, I kept my arm inside the door. He didn't exactly like my looks either and curled up but didn't rattle. After we checked each other out, he turned and slowly slithered back in the direction he came from. It was still too cool for his girlfriend to be out and about anyway.

Too many pics from Joe to be covering at one sitting and I will be out of pocket now for awhile. It looks like one of our kid's old Power Rangers nemesis fixing to jump Joe in the deep water . And Big George and his wife Susan are talking some serious stuff. I don't know what Alan Ishii is doing, but it must be plotting something with the North Dallas gang. That's some great shots of the pits and river. I hope Jeff can bring the Hinton stuff back that was part of this story and that we can add a Hinton thread that you can put your stuff on David.

[Jeff Lytle]

Paul Guerin, aka Slipstreem Guy has just registered.

I called Paul and told him about this thread since he was in Hinton as well, helping to pit for the Slipstream Team.

He told me tonight, he thinks Greg Hall and Vic Pede were the drivers there--He wasn't sure if Henk was or not.

Sooooooooo, the Canadians that were there:

Greg Hall...............500ccH #153 Aerowing
Vic Pede...............250ccH #88 Homebuilt
Glenn Coates.........500ccH #41 Schutze
Doug Thompson.....350ccH #42 Marchetti

and possibly, Henk Engels.......250ccH #97 Rawsoncraft

One year I hurt my back bretty bad, and I asked Paul if he would drive my 350cc rig. He was a natural, winning his 1st race back in a boat in years. This was the 78 Hinton Nationals winner I bought from Doug Thompson. That's Paul driving.......Notice it says Lytle / Guerin Racing on the side.

Welcome Paul!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Jeff---according to my roster of elimination heats Greg and Vic were signed up in 250 hydro and Greg and Glenn in 500 hydro. No mention of Doug or Henk at all. Hey...good job of recruiting.

Glenn, here is one of you chasing the late great George Andrews, Jr. in 500 hydro.