An Amazing Story: Part 2

[Jeff Lytle]

This is part of a thread Glenn posted on some months ago..........

The OC500 Tunnel Boat experiment/project. Pre-internet the exchange of information around the world was slow to non-existent. Only after having designed and built this boat did I learn of other's attempts to build a low-profile tunnel on which to run a Konig and it would seem that much of their experience was similar to mine.

At Dayton the tunnel was only about 3 weeks old and I was pretty low on the learning curve. Add to that I had just received my latest 3 blade cleaver from Phil Rolla in Switzerland. For all the things that were wrong with the boat and set-up it actually ran pretty well. It took about another month to get it to the point where it was competitive. Some small changes to the bottom, and for some reason my engine would run way too rich with the engine cowl on the boat. Very smooth ride on rough water, and loved single pin turns, a semi-controlled hook. Smooth water and wide turns it did not like, too much over-steer. Would have required major surgery to re-profile the sponsons. Having sent my frame patterns and drawings to europe it has been interesting to watch over the last 30 years the continued development of the now Formula 500 tunnel boat.

[Glenn Coates]

Thanks Jeff, saved me some keyboard time

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I had forgotten about that. But it was fun to go back and look at all those old posts and pictures. Thanks Jeff and Glenn. Was there a particular name you had for your boat style Glenn? Such as the Butts Aerowing, or the Chapparal, or Craig Lawrence's Ardvaark boats?

[Tim Chance]

The photo of me is in a 13' hydro that designed and built myself. I ran a C and D Konig on it. I won a North American Championship with it. The air fences were, as Wayne said, to keep the air flowing over the airfoil of the boat and keep it from spilling off the sides. I did a lot of odd things with the deck and bottom and didn't know if it would work or not so I used cheap wood when I built it. By the end of the season the plywood had started to come apart and I used the boat for kindling in the fireplace that winter.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

to continue....I had mentioned previously there was a lot of discontent. The bad weather helped foment that. Many drivers who had no place to test before a nationals were very unhappy that they were not allowed on the water because there were no pickup boats or saftey crews. Fred Petter explained that with the continuing rain and wind, that there was no point in paying for ambulances, safety crews etc. while the weather would only afford brief opportunities to get on the water.

Then there was the matter of entry fees and prize money. There was an announcement previously that a 15 dollar penalty would be assessed for late entries. The drivers took that to mean signing up at registration. Many had sent in an early registration, but without the money and they were told they had to pay an additional 15 dollars because they were late. A rebellion was brewing. No prize money, a race course with vicious currents, more money to pay to race, and the promise of a safer race course to move to that was not that far....but no deal. There was a lot of discontent in the pits.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

This was only the second time since I began racing that the racing commission was called into emergency session. The first time was at DePue in 1974 when there was only a few feet of water. This time we had too much water. Wind, rain and floods had hampered everything. We could have worked with the wind and rain, but the flooding brought increased currents and debris on the race course.

We had three meetings on Saturday. When Ralph Donald explained that the sanction, fees and the rest of it had been done according to APBA rules, we would be looking at a lawsuit if the course were moved to another nearby site. As far as entry fees goes, Fred Petter said that anyone that had sent in an early form would not have to pay the penalty. I'm not sure what went on with regard to prize money.

I think no finals were held on Saturday, but I could be wrong. A couple of classes might have run a heat. Joe seems to think that Todd Brinkman, Jr. went up on the rocks because of the bad conditions. But, the Saturday finals did not come off. It was decided to try for Sunday and starting at 10:00 a.m. all classes would be run with a one heat championship race.

Here are some photos of one of the several Pro Racing Commission meetings. All commissioners present are pictured except one. Then there is a photo of an effigy I found hanging in the pits Sunday morning. I never saw anything like this during my racing years. I don't know who did it, but feelings regarding this race ran very strong. The local newspapers picked up on this and did interviews of a number of people that intended to boycott the race. I was among those that did. It was unsafe. I had spent time in the hospital twice because of accidents, and this race course had a lot of potential for trouble.

[ProHydroRacer]

"I think no finals were held on Saturday, but I could be wrong. A couple of classes might have run a heat. Joe seems to think that Todd Brinkman, Jr. went up on the rocks because of the bad conditions. But, the Saturday finals did not come off. It was decided to try for Sunday and starting at 10:00 a.m. all classes would be run with a one heat championship race."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The RB Class was the only class to run at that location. My son Bob was very young at the time, all you see coming out of his boat was a head. He ended up blowing a hole in bottom of the boat from the rough water.

LaCross was a dump!!!!

We drove thru LaCross headed out west on a Vacation that year. We picked up the local radio station, they went on and on how the area didn't want the boat race or the racers.

[Tim Chance]

Then there is a photo of an effigy I found hanging in the pits Sunday morning. I never saw anything like this during my racing years. I don't know who did it

I know who did it.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

So you can tell me at Florida Tim.

Bill, the RB class is one of the two Joe and I thought might have been run. They ran up to the start a little early in the first pic. Rough water. Bill....might the last two pics be Bob?

[ProHydroRacer]

So you can tell me at Florida Tim.

Bill, the RB class is one of the two Joe and I thought might have been run. They ran up to the start a little early in the first pic. Rough water. Bill....might the last two pics be Bob?

No it isn't.
This I believe was Bob's first race in RB. We had gotten an old 250 Rod Walk boat and painted it black at the nationals.
Bob had a bad start I think. He finished with a large hole just after the driver position. He was trowing a rooster tail from the hole and thru the boat for a couple of laps. He was so small at the time,the only thing you could see was his head and that rooster tail. After the race we tore the boat apart and kept the hardware.