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Thread: Jackie Wilson..

  1. #11
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    I've never met nor talked to Jackie Wilson, but from what I've read he's a class act and you also have to factor in the media. I think there are quite a number of racers out there that have said things that were misunderstood or misrepresented by the media that they wished they could clarify. I don't take it this day and age that he meant that he was cheated out of the win because he was from overseas. And I truly regret bringing up the point. It was just a part of the story, and I, like John thought Parker was pretty open. So I was confused as to why spend all that money to come to America in the first place with a motor that was not American made if that was a requirment and also why was he not informed before racing, if so. I figured that everyone in the race would have stopped by to check the rig out before the first flagged dropped, if not to acquaint themselves.

    I never met the editor of P&W ,Rosalind Nott, though I did have a few articles published there and she traveled to the U.S. and did some great articles on some OMC and Mercury teams. So in my opinion it was an article published for overseas consumption with no animosity toward any racers, officials, or anyone and came at the end of a glorious career. Whatever the misunderstanding was, I hope this ends it and I know the people here at BRF will welcome Jackie Wilson with open arms, and thanks again Tim for bringing him aboard. One thing I have been wondering about, and maybe knew at one time....is Mark Wilson his son?

    Would like to hear from you Mike Ward. Saw a number of great P&W articles you wrote while looking up some stuff about Jackie today.



  2. #12
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    I didn't take it the wrong way John and I'm sure others didn't also. Tim brought up the point point of offending someone and I couldn't figure it out. So I posted my two cents worth. I think Tim took the qoute "un-american" in the context of today's political climate in a quote that took place 27 years ago. Remember, in England a "hood" is a "boot" or is that the trunk? I forget. A truck is a lorry so who knows what the context of that phrase was all about back then.

    But you are right John. This is a part of not only boat racing history, but the history of Parker. Which it and Havasu are institutions in their own right.



  3. #13
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Seems I Got A Good Memory...

    As I RECALL, the Cosworth ran all day and was not disqualified at all. It placed about 7th. I called Karon May today and asked her to get a hold of Brett, as I told her on her voicemail...we wanted to "DISCUSS" the Cosworth and other items...

    My brother was the President of Drake Engineering at this time and they were trying to build a V-8 Offy to compete with Keith Duckworth's Cosworth...

    I was driving for Brad Miller, who owned Crazyhorse Campgrounds, The Del Taco Chain and a few other ventures, and I was trying to get Brad interested in buying a Drake V-8 to run in our Crazyhorse tunnel boat....

    I'm going to say this was 1979, but recall, like yesterday, that Keith and my brother got along very well and both agreed that the BEST racing would really be with one engine and one car....but both agreed that no one would ever go there....Hmmm...Seems NASCAR is getting closer...

    Anyway, at the 1970 Enduro, I talked Brad into having a party at his campgrounds and I invited everyone at the race...We had a seriouly wild party...Havasu wasn't the CITY it now is, and that is the night that Fred Hauenstein and I decided to see if Brad Miller's Turbo Charged Porsch would go 150....We found out it would, on the Havasu City run way....

    I remember talking to Keith Duckworth, that night, he was quite disappointed that my brother wasn't there...

    Bottom Line, the Cosworth didn't really have a lot of TORQUE and wasn't really a "BALL OF FIRE"...and Cosworth could see that they weren't going to be selling too many motors to BOAT RACERS.....

    The thing I remember, was at pit stops, they pulled the damn boat out of the water, drained the oil, or at least checked the oil and fooled around like it was lunch break...15 minut pit stops knocks hell out you when the other guys are making 1 minute stops...

    This was a Gary Garbrecht, Mercury Racing deal...and as I always accused Brett May, was this: I told Brett the only reason he was driving this MACHINE, was he had a damn good looking sister and Gary Garbrecht liked having her around.....Of course, Brett thought they liked his driving STYLE!!!! Not to MENTION, George May was Referee at all these races in those days....


    Ok, Brett...come after me!!!! Tell me where I've gone wrong!!!!

    ADD:

    When Brett was only about 18, Gary sent Bert Serra's Schutz with a T2X on it to California for Brett.....Brett didn't have enough money for gas or entry fees... I tell Brett, "Get off your ***, go to you local dealer, tell him you've got this Factory Ride and you need $1,000 for the next race..." Well, Brett goes to Nautal-Stryus (Mercury dealer in San Diego)...and gets $1,000... Brett shows up at the first race with this SPONSOR's name on the side...

    Brett says, "Hey, that was a good IDEA you had..." The dealer sponsored him for several years...

    Gary sent Brett a new Molinari...and I happened to be talking to Gary (I was Mercury's High Performance's biggest propeller dealer, at that time)...and said I could sell the T2X of Brett's ...Gary said, anything over $2,000, keep it...I said the guy offered me $5,000.... Gary said, "WELL, sell it and send me 2..."

    So, I sold it and sent him $2,000... Gary Garbrecht was always fair with me!!!
    Last edited by Ron Hill; 01-10-2023 at 03:46 PM.

  4. #14
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    Hope you have better luck than I have Ron. The only thing I found of the 79 Parker was Ann Strang's region 7 column. She listed the first 6 places. The way I understood it was Jackie finished first in the inboard class. No mention of overall finish.

    Since probably most U.S. racers did not subscribe to Powerboat & Waterskiing, I thought I would post this "cool" cover of the issue in which the article appeared as well as this ad.

    P.S. Don't beat up on your self Tim. It was a good thing you did getting Jackie over here and he IS a cool guy.
    Attached Images Attached Images   



  5. #15
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    Default Mark Wilson

    Jackie was a bit before my time. I saw his son Mark race at River Race Augusta I think 1986. Whipped the champ boat field quite nicely as I recall.

  6. #16
    Sam Cullis Mark75H's Avatar
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    Jackie is an excellent story teller ... here's an example:

    Quote Originally Posted by Jackie Wilson
    GARBRECHT WAS A COLLECTOR OF ALL THINGS EXPENSIVE FROM LUGERS AND SMITH AND WESSONS TO FINE CARS.PRIDE OF PLACE WENT TO A WHITE FULLY RESTORED LIKE NEW 1950'S 'VETTE, WHICH WAS KEPT IN HE GARAGE AND ONLY USED ON A SUNDAY WHEN IT WAS NOT RAINING. ONE SATURDAY MORNING ABOUT 3 AM, G.G. GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE FON-DU-LAC POLICE H/Q. ---ER MR GARBRECHT ARE YOU THE OWNER OF A WHITE 'VETTE --REG NUMBER XYZ TTTTI ETC GG. SAYS YEAH!!WHY ------WELL SIR WE JUST ARRESTED THIS JOYRIDER WHEN HE RAN YOUR CAR INTO A DITCH, IT'S NOT TORE UP TOOOO BAD, AND IF YOU COULD COME AND COLLECT IT RIGHT NOW IT WOULD SAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PAPERWORK. GG HOT FOOTS IT DOWN TO FON-DU-LAC, STORMS INTO POLICE H/Q SPITTIN FEATHERS , WHERE THE HELLS MY CAR , WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON THE SCRAWNY LITTLE S--T THAT STOLE IT. DUTY OFFICER LOOKS ACROSS THE COUNTER AND SAYS "WHAT THE HELL YOU TALKING ABOUT"? GG HIGHTAILS IT BACK HOME ,LOOKS IN THE GARAGE AND SURE ENOUGH THE VETTE IS STILL THERE UNDER THE DUST SHEETS--------HE STOPS THINKS A MINUTE AND GOES TO THE TELEPHONE IT;S NOW 4AM. DIALS AND YELLS INTO THE PHONE PRUETT --------YOU SUMBITCH [NOT QUITE SURE ABOUT THE SECOND WORDS HE USED SOUNDED LIKE MOTHER TRUCKER MAYBE A DISTANT RELATION TO SISTER THERESA] I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!!!!!!!! PRUETT WAS SAT ON MY BED ROLLED UP WITH LAUGHTER, TEARS STREAMING DOWN HIS FACE. HE SAID "TROUBLE WITH GARBRECHT , HE HAS NO SENSE OF HUMOUR" LATER THAT DAY ,GERRY GILBRAITH, PRUETT AND ME WENT TO SEE "THE MOUSE" DISNEYWORLD HAD ONLY JUST OPENED AN WE ENJOYED ALONG DAY THERE, DROVE BACK TO PRUETTS HOUSE AND IN THE DRIVEWAY WAS A MOUNTAIN OF SAND AND GRAVEL, ABOUT 20 TONS OF IT THE HOUSE PHONE WAS RINGING AS PRUITT LOOKED AT GERRY AND ME AND WHISPERED ----------THE BA*#^RD
    Since 1925, about 150 different racing outboards have been made.


  7. #17
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Great Story....

    Seems Pruitt had a sense of humor...as I've heard many a story about the Mullett Billy Don Pruitt.....

    Here's an article where Mark Wilson was racing, Trailer Boats Magazine, 1981...
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  8. #18
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Jackie Wilson and Brett May: Cosworth Powered ET

    Karon May sent me this picture of Jackie and Brett at Parker, 1979, I think. They finished like third or fourth. But, the Cosworth people servicing the motor must have thought they were on Holiday at the pit stops. As they changed the oil....each stop....Maybe even changed the plugs...Had a spot of Tea and went back racing....
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  9. #19
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    That sounds exactly like the British Ron. Pip Willy had a table he would set up, place a tea pitcher on it with a saucer, tea cup and then place a vase with a single rose on the table before he sat down to take a "cuppa" before he climbed into his hydro. Everytime I saw him he would say "You colonials destroyed the whole lot of good tea."



  10. #20
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    Default Jackie Wilson's Cosworth

    The Ford Cosworth outfit pictured above returned to the UK following its outing at Parker in 1979 and was displayed at the Motorboat Museum at Pitsea until it closed its doors in December 2010.

    I understand it is returning to the US to be restored to its former glory.

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