An Amazing Story: Part 2

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I was looking through my negatives and came across two that were very, very underexposed. This is an extremely rare pic of Bruce Nicholson in a hydro. I think it might be a Yale. I had never seen Bruce drive a hydro before. When I started racing, Bruce won the first race I ever entered. That was B runabout. Runabouts were very strong then in Texas and at many races A&B hydro were run together and CDF hydros were run together. Now in 1979 the tables had reversed. We didn't combine runabout classes, but hydros were by far more numerous by now. We had been putting on some good hydro races and I think it was Ray Yates who finally talked Bruce into getting back into a hydro after many years absence.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

The starting clock was on a barge a good distance from the banks of Lake Casablanca. The VFW Lodge overlooked the pits and the pits were exactly perpendicular to the race course. The horizontal base would be the pits and the race course would be the vertical line. It was the same set up as we had at Diamondhead in Arkansas for the initial Invitational North, south, East, West Challenge Race and the two following Waldman Memorial Cups. The boats would be coming head on to the bulk of spectators on a hill overlooking the lake. The first turn would be the closest the boats would get to the pits and the crowd while scrubbing off speed and bending the turn to head away in the opposite direction.

The LSBRA Safety Crew can be seen on standby in the second pic. They had their motor runing every time a heat was up. They were not just watching races, but during the whole time they were at a race course these guys would spot potential trouble areas. Additionally, if there were new drivers or some that they were not familiar with that came from out of state, they would observe how the boat handled. If it looked loose, they would keep an eye out. These guys weren't paid professionals, but they loved boat racing.....and they were good.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You can see by the start of a heat of Formula 350 that some took a wide approach. There was plenty of milling room.

As we approached the start of the first heat of 700 hydro we were running around 100 mph. Not airing it out, but everyone had the throttle on "GO" and not backing off because of an early approach. I think someone was to the inside of me where I wanted to be, maybe Bruce Marionaneaux, and I was close to Bruce Nicholson who was to my outside. I'm not sure where Artie Lund or Steve Jones were along with the others, but we were all within a few boats lengths at the start except for Don Nichols. He was way outside and had a line to the pin.

I was looking to my right and ready to grab the rest of the motor's power when the collision occured. There was a big explosion of water and Don Nichols rocketed skyward in his brand new Butts laydown Aerowing. Don had gone back in a pocket to start on the outside and when he saw our roostertails show we were going for the start, he went as well. He was further behind and so he had a full head of steam when he got to the line with the rest of us. Don had probably 10mph or more and ran up Bruce Nicholson's tailpipes before anyone knew what happened.........expecially poor Bruce.

Bruce was going probably faster than any of his runabouts would run and suddenly his chest smashed against the steering wheel breaking it. He skipped across the water and finally came to a rest and confused as to what had happened.

When Don Nichols ran into the back of Bruce's hydro, he was launched straight up into the sky. I was looking at the clock to my right when I saw the collision and I didn't watch Bruce. Don started up so quickly I kept my eye on him because I wasn't sure where he was going to come down. As I watched him gain altitude I checked over my left shoulder, then when I saw it was clear, I turned into the infield to keep out of the way. All this was in split seconds, but it seemed an eternity before Don fell out of his boat then the boat started to fall.

The Lone Star Rescue Team saw the impending collision just seconds before impact and immediately gassed the idling 75hp OMC motor. The got to Bruce first. Pec Christiansen grabbed him by the life jacket collar and pulled Bruce up to his face to gaze into his eyes. Although Bruce's eyes had a pleading, but confused look, they were clear and Pec hollered to Burl McBride in the driver's seat to go the the other driver. As it turned out, although bruised and shooken up, neither had serious injuries. They had to drag the lake with a grappling hook to recover Bruce's Konig. I don't know what happened to Bruce's hydro, but as far as I know he never got into another one again. Don repaired his laydown Butts to run it again shortly.

Don had been driving for years before I started and continued to race after I quit. I would never hesitate to go into a high speed corner with Don on the inside or outside. I don't know why he so misjudged his start and place and I never asked. I'm just thinking that his first race in a laydown had probably played a factor in what happened.

Here are a couple of pics taken by the newspaper photographer. He was watching the start and quickly snapped the first frame. I don't know how many frames he was able to squeeze off, but the second one was way after Don reached his zenith and was well past his boat on the way back down.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'll try this a second time. The satellite is giving me fits.

[denny henderson]

WOW!!! It was the most frighting boat racing accident I have ever seen. Bruce said he was certain he was going at least 100mph, and Don was quite a bit faster than that. It is amazing that neither one was hurt seriously.
There is a video of this crash. I can't remember who has it, but I have seen it and it is chilling to watch. The day it happened, I was watching Don as they came around for the start. I could see the crash coming just before it happened. I believe that Don was lined up on the center buoy and was not on the same line as the rest of the field. The collision caused Bruces boat to nose in, sending him into the streering wheel and launching him forward into a very high speed cartwheel. I still can't believe that a human body could experience what Bruce did that day and not be seriously injured. He said every part of his body hurt for the next few days.
Bruce lived in Louisiana and worked for Exxon, and somehow he made it back to work on Tuesday after the accident. That picture and story that was in the Laredo newspaper also made it back to Louisiana and into his bosses hands. I think Bruce had to promise his boss that he would quit racing.
From 1992 through 2000, Bruce and I teamed up and ran 250 hydro. During that time we did a lot of testing and we had a really good safe boat. I lost track of how many times I tried to get Bruce to take a ride in that 250 hydro, mainly so I could see it from the bank and critique the set-up. He always said "NO", I made the Good Lord a promise down in Laredo when I was flippin through the air, that if he would just get me out of this alive I will never get back in another hydro. He kept that promise.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

For me it ranks up there with watching Bob Hering blow over at 130 and skipping forever across the water. The difference in this one was that I was just inside the boats when the accident occured. You can see the MX logo on the cowling. I had backed off and started turning a little bit left because Don came in at an angle and when he shot up, it was hard to tell where he was going to land.

In the first pic, that column of water shooting up above the tree line is what I think came from the first impact when Bruce's bow struck the water sending up that massive plume of water. In the second pic I think most of the water behind my boat came from Bruce ploughing through the water. It looks like Don actually must have landed not too far from where Bruce stopped skidding.

Someone from Artie Lund's crew shot that film Denny, and they sent me a copy. About 5 or 6 years ago I had it transferred to VHS. Now I need to get it made into a DVD so it can be posted on BRF. I showed it to the neighborhood kids a few years ago and they couldn't believe Don or Bruce weren't seriously hurt.

[shenders]

Yes sir that was some weekend. I was cat fishing on that lake about 2 years ago when my son lived in Laredo. That little lake was great for racing. If I remember when they pull Don’s boat on the bank the only thing left was the bottom. I have picture somewhere if I can find it. It’s seems like both race’s at Laredo started out so good but turn bad so fast. If you remember there was a young man with a 500 hydro that had blown over on Saturday and had to go to the hospital. He pit next to me and I think his name was Bill Walkord out of Oklahoma. I never saw or heard from him after Laredo. He was hurt pretty bad with 7-8 crack ribs and a busted shoulder. I didn’t get to
run because I started have engine trouble Saturday morning. Later found out the bottom bearing was coming apart.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That's right Stan. That was the only time I remember Bill Walkord as well. It's a shame because he drove a long way to support our race, then got busted up like that. You're also right about the way both races started out and ended in disasters. (1980 meet will follow later). The pit area was good. Spectators had almost a bowl type view, the city of Laredo gave us great backing, very good press coverage, and for the first time we got interest from across our southern border.

[wboxell]

wow can't wait for the video although i'm still waiting for my 77 OD video

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Believe it or not Bill I actually burned one for you, but it doesn't work. It has all the indications of receiving the info, but no DVD players will accept it. Out of three DVD's I burned for Debbie only two work. My Son in Law Will said sometimes the discs just aren't any good. He gave me some different ones to try, but I haven't gotten back to that project yet.

After the ambulance got back and the course was clear we were ready for the continuation of the program. With two top contenders out and an already small field, it was decided to run just one heat of 700 hydro.

We had tested for the first time since the previous season just before heading to Laredo. Our "D" ran good, and seemed to be OK after rigging up at Laredo and making a quick pass around the course. During the race though it showed its age on the piston rings. It had been too long since the last overhaul, and the rings were too worn. The motor had speed, but no acceleration. Also the upper seal started leaking and we were getting water in #4 cylinder.

I got a late start, a little behind Artie Lund, but I came out of the turn on the inside and picklefork to picklefork with Artie. We went through the bottom turn about even, but he went wide and was able to out accelerate me. It was all over then. Artie won and I finished second. Don't have results for any of the others.

A number of us drivers donated our prize money to the Elks Crippled Children's fund, and we had a great party afterwards. We already had started planning on next years events with the blessings of the Elk's Lodge and the city of Laredo.