Autograph Collection

[Master Oil Racing Team]

This kind of stuff is too strange to make up and you will only find it on BRF Joe spotted this ad in the paper and cut it out. It was probably four or five years before we met Wilhelm, maybe longer. I can remember being at Joe's house and trying to guess from the clues as to who it might be. Joe was also at a restaurant one time and spotted little packs of sugar with an outboard hydro printed on the packs. He saved one for himself and gave me one. Maybe someday we'll come across the model for that artwork.

[epugh66]

Ekkehard Knappe has two children involved in racing. Back in the day, I raced against Klaudia and currently Knute races. Interesting that is boat has a Yamato decal, surely the only Yamato "O" series engine in Europe at the time.

The story about Wilhelm Dickoff reminds me of Oliver Franke's dad, Werner. No english spoken, just smiles and head nods. We were repairing boats at the Franke's shop after Ober Havel and kept hitting staples with his good chisels! Still, he just resharpened them and kept smiling

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You're right about the only Yamato at the time Eric. I had forgotten to mention it, but I remember at the time, he had the only one I had seen. One reason I took particular note was because some of the OB Yamatos in the US had a hard time getting on a plane with the prop they wanted to compete with. Here was Ekkehard in a tunnel which was larger and had the tunnel planing surface, but he didn't have any problem getting up. If he would have his boat would have caused trouble at every turn bouy.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Joachim Mareth is Dieter Konig's nephew. His Mom Margaret also worked at the factory. Joachim must have gotten his quietness from him Mom. But I finally got some smiles out of him after I got to know him. I think he was OA World Champion sometime in the mid 70's and I think he probably won others. He was at this time the defending European and German champion. I think Joachim also held some speed records. He lived in West Berlin and I saw him just about every day at the factory. Joachim was of slight build and he could really drive an OA proprider.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Erwin Zimmerman was from Enns Austria. Erwin was a tall, handsome and young racer who had everything going for him. He was already multi World, European and National champion when he was killed. He could have had a big head, but he didn't. He loved racing and was friends with all those who raced. Besides boats he also raced some sort of off road buggy with his same number 77.

Erwin was well known by all boat racers in Europe and if I remember correctly was just starting to race OPC. I have no doubt that if he wouldn't have been killed he would have been as well known over here as Molinari, Scotti, Van der Velden, Spalding, Jenkins and others from across the pond. I can't remember exactly, but it seems he was transitioning from a kneeler to a laydown boat when he flipped in a turn. His helmet was speared by a lower unit.

He was a good friend and was one of a group that fully supported what we were trying to do with UIM in the states.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Micheal Werner Kerpen, West Germany.

This photo was from 1976 in West Berlin. Michael became one of the foremost drivers in Europe with many championships. If you do a search here at BRF with his name you will come across a link that will show a very fine interview with Michael in his shop with some nice looking F1 motors.

[Steve Ketzer, Jr.]

That's quite a history you guys are building. I'm really getting a kick out of seeing the names, trailers, boats and boat numbers again. My old man would have got a kick out it, too. Greetings all: Steve Ketzer, Jr. L-113.

[jrome]

Steve , We would love to see some of the photos of the Ketzer Racing days.Glad you are here with the brf family.

[Steve Ketzer, Jr.]

Will do, Jrome, maybe after the holiday season; and I'm sure I have a picture or two of Tommy Goslee, Butch Leavendusky and his old man, Tim Chance, Micky McGuire and the like: circa 1967-1978.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Okay Steve.....Christmas is over, New Years is over as is Valentines, President's Day, MLK, St Patricks, and Easter.

Here's my latest. I didn't know Art before BRF. Now he and Nancy are friends of ours and we will be looking forward to their next trek down from the frozen north next year.