An Amazing Story: Part 2

[Jeff Lytle]

Joe was one of my boat racing heroes when I was a teen. When attending races during that time, we went to every event in Eastern Canada. During that time, Inboard racing was super hot up here, with races held from early May, till late September--Every weekend. It didn't take long to make friends with the drivers and crews. Joe Gimbrone and his wife Joy were the type of people who would stop and talk to you, whatever they were doing.
During my influentual teen aged years, that was really important to me, as I still remember him fondly.

Joe lost his life behind the wheel of a GP hydroplane doing what he loved best.

Thanks to Steve Soldaceski for this great photo............

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thanks for the info Jeff. I always loved inboard racing too...hydro's especially. As I have mentioned on other threads, whenever that B&W Bardahl ad of Jim Musson came on TV, I stopped what I was doing every time. And on ABC's Wide World of Sports I can vividly remember Bill Sterret driving for all he was worth in a 7 liter. It was very impressive. Those slo-mo shots of inboard hydros blowing down a turn are as good as it gets. If I didn't have my journal to look at, I wouldn't have remembered some of this stuff. I immediately recalled the Gimbrone's as top of the line inboard racers, but until you filled me in I couldn't make the connection. If it weren't for my Dad, none of this would have ever happened. I am so grateful to have crossed the paths of so many fine people during my short 17 years of boat racing.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I don't remember exactly when Tim Butts sent his 48mm OD Konig to Ron Anderson, but I just came across the notes from his tests. On March 3rd Tim came to our house to test. I think he must have delivered our lay down boat "Vibora de Cascabel" at this time.

When Ron ran Tim's motor on his dyno it was sluggish and had slow throttle response with a "small" rotary valve disc. Maximum horsepower of 116 was at 9,000 rpm's. After Ron went through the motor, it put out 150 hp at 10,000 and would go to 10,500. Ron also built some pipes for it that would slide. Ron wanted feedback after testing and wanted Tim to send the cylinder block back...I guess for him to study something after it had run. I don't have any results of the testing on the water recorded.

On another front I noted that same day that Mel Kirts, Jerry Petersen and Fred Schletty were working on the Pro Nationals scenario. There was a lot of grief over racing on the Mississippi at LaCrosse that had not yet been resolved. Fred and Jerry had said that you can see a barge coming for two miles and that the races would have to be paused for the barge and some bouys moved. It was advertised as a 11/4 mile surveyed race course. There was the question of how good the survey would be having to remove and replace bouys as barges came down. There was also a perceived problem with the number of boats on the course. They thought 12 700 hydros could be dangerous. And Fred thought a 1 mile course would be better. There was a current in the middle of the river and although the pit area was good, there was rip-rap down the pits to the water.

There was concern by some parties about the time it would take to get all the elimination heats in and also the number of heats from the North American Championships. There was talk of switching the North American OD Championships with the Pro 700 Nationals and bringing that back into the fold at LaCrosse. Hydroplanes International was planning to put down $2,000 for the North American OB, and OC North American Championships there as well instead of Alexandria. When they started to hedge on the number of heats and UIM format we said we would withdraw our bid rather than toss UIM rules. I talked with Steve Jones the following day and we decided to discuss the idea of switching the 700cc Nationals for the OD Continental Championships at a Hydroplanes International meeting next week.

[Jeff Lytle]

When Ron ran Tim's motor on his dyno it was sluggish and had slow throttle response with a "small" rotary valve disc. Maximum horsepower of 116 was at 9,000 rpm's. After Ron went through the motor, it put out 150 hp at 10,000 and would go to 10,500

INCREDIBLE!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'm going to try to get ahold of Tim later on today to find out what he remembers about that Jeff.

In the meantime I went to my correspondence and found that Pro Spirit America, Inc. was the conducting club for the Pro Nationals. Hydroplanes International was getting opposition from some racers, and here are a couple of four pages I sent to Fred Schletty outlining our goals.

[wboxell]

INCREDIBLE!

How does 150HP compare to the current motors? bill

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I can'ts remember exactly what Jim McKean told me recently, but his 700cc VRP is around 180 or maybe more.

[T2x]

Joe was one of my boat racing heroes when I was a teen. When attending races during that time, we went to every event in Eastern Canada. During that time, Inboard racing was super hot up here, with races held from early May, till late September--Every weekend. It didn't take long to make friends with the drivers and crews. Joe Gimbrone and his wife Joy were the type of people who would stop and talk to you, whatever they were doing.
During my influentual teen aged years, that was really important to me, as I still remember him fondly.

Joe lost his life behind the wheel of a GP hydroplane doing what he loved best.

Thanks to Steve Soldaceski for this great photo............

Jeff:

That photo brought back memories.......

The "Joy Boy" was really something and I remember Joy wearing the vinyl Carbureter cover (It was a stock 7 Liter hydro) as a hat when Joe was out on the race course. I, too, was a charter member of the NACC, representing U.S. and Canadian tunnel boat racers, and attended the first Directors' meeting in Mexico City with Joe and Joy, Charlie Strang, Bob and Ellie Nordskog, and Don Lostumbo.

I haven't thought about that in years......

Thanks for the memories and God Speed to Joe Giambrone.

T2x

[Jeff Lytle]

I, too, was a charter member of the NACC, representing U.S. and Canadian tunnel boat racers, and attended the first Directors' meeting in Mexico City with Joe and Joy, Charlie Strang, Bob and Ellie Nordskog, and Don Lostumbo.

And Al Lytle.........he was there too.

The "Joy Boy" was really something and I remember Joy wearing the vinyl Carbureter cover (It was a stock 7 Liter hydro) as a hat when Joe was out on the race course.

Remember that too! I posted a pic on the Vintage site a few years ago of a pit shot from Picton.......It showed Joy on the boat, but she wasn't wearing the "hat"! I'll see if I can find it, and post it.

I'm going to move these few posts over to the "In memory of racers no longer with us" thread..........Look for it there.

[T2x]

And Al Lytle.........he was there too.

Jeff:

I might be incorrect, but I believe that Al replaced me on the NACC. I think he came on board at the Toronto meeting a year later, which was my last, as I was getting out of OPC and going into building Offshore hulls.

If he was in Mexico City, perhaps he told you about the dead Mariachi dancer in Garibaldi Park?

T2x