Modern Outboard 1971 Havasu Classic

[David Alaniz]

From the "reel".

[David Alaniz]

From the "reel".

[David Alaniz]

From the "reel".

[David Alaniz]

From the "reel". I think I should have posted to the $62,750. Oh well, change them if you want....still in '71.

[Miss BK]

Those are really cool frames! I see #33 there - Cesare Scotti, Renato Molinari's cousin. (noticed the Modern Outboard article said Renato was his nephew - not true).

The first time I went to Havasu as a small child, Cesare won and was the driver I rooted for from that moment on. Even named my dog "Cesare" (a St Bernard!)

Some of the slides are now showing their age and so washed out that you can't really make out the numbers on the boats anymore - all the images from the start are like these - too bad.

[David Alaniz]

I think the slide is good and tells a story. A heck of a start and the traffic jam. I would rather be up front or get me to the outside where I can run some speed.

[Mark75H]

I think they are all awesome

[Willabee]

The notes on this one says "Bill Petty, Ohio". It may or may not be accurate. I have no way of knowing......I was at this race - but I was only 8 years old.

The boat in your picture is a lightweight 21' Glastron/Molinari that Mercury Racing had asked Glastron to build for them. No one was thinking about an "all singles" race format at the time this was ordered in 1970, and Merc was looking at all of it's options for competitive multi engine hulls. This boat ran good, finishing 8th, but not good enough to have Merc pursue the project any further. "Little Joe" Fielder was also running a lightweight 21' at this race and I'd guess they didn't build anymore of them after that accident.

The #199 was Bill Petty's APBA number and he was teamed with Tinker Collinge for the 1970 Havasu race. A funny thing happened on Saturday when Petty came in for fuel at the two hour mark. Tinker was supposed to get in for the next two hours, but was still messing with something on his helmet when we had finished refueling. Petty had been watching Tinker and when he saw that we were done and Tinker wasn't ready, he looked at me, smiled and lit those stackers.....away he went!!!!

Garbecht decided to let Tinker drive all four hours on Sunday to even things out. I don't know if that was the right call or not, I just remember the look of total shock on Tinkers face when that boat pulled away from the dock. Fun stuff.....you wait all year for the opportunity to run a "hot multi" for the Mercury Racing Team at the Outboard World Championships and what happens when your time to shine finally arrives.....you're not ready!!!!!

Your picture shows Tinker driving.....

[Ron Hill]

Hmm...Having HUNG OUT with Tinker since re-meeting at Parker two years ago...Tinker tells the story "DIFFERENTLY".....but almost the same...Tinker said, "Petty just never got out of the seat...So, on Sunday, he didn't get out..."


While we're telling stories...What is your side of the story about the "RICE" in your tomato soup in Spain??????? I'd never seen rice swim....

Hey, in the old days, when you flew to europe, did they charge you for an extra seat when you filled it with your tool box???

Your post isn't going to be good for Tinker....Damn fool thinks he can still drive....and we let him...for awhile, we let him back the trailer in and out.....Until he was involved in a four boat trailer wreck at Long Beach....some BEAUTIFUL LADY jogged in front of guys with empty trailers and they all four lost their trains of thought and crashed into one another...after that we fired Tinker as trailer driver....BUT DAILY he tells everyone and anyone who will listen or not, he's ready to drive a race boat again....

Welcome, Willabee

ADD: Bet you got a few Grabrecht stories you could tell!!!

[Willabee]

...Tinker tells the story "DIFFERENTLY".....but almost the same..... While we're telling stories...What is your side of the story about the "RICE" in your tomato soup in Spain??????? I'd never seen rice swim.....
Hey, in the old days, when you flew to europe, did they charge you for an extra seat when you filled it with your tool box???.....Your post isn't going to be good for Tinker....Damn fool thinks he can still drive.... ADD: Bet you got a few Grabrecht stories you could tell!!!

If I were Tinker, I'd tell his version of that story too.....after all, there are damn few of us left that can call him on it. You're telling me that Tinker thinks he can still drive.....what a frightening thought. He was scary enough forty years ago. These days I can't imagine watching him race in anything faster than that Boston Whaler that used to run at Parker. I can see Tinker buzzing the pits with that 50 horse kicker while eating a sandwich and taking his pills

Never had to send tools to Europe. You have to remember that I worked for Mercury.....once we built them, we never had to touch them again.

Yea, I have lots of memories (stories) from those days.....mostly fond memories of the people I met and people I worked with during those years. It was a great experience.

Oh, almost forgot about the soup. You never have had that story quite right. I remember picking the restaurant because it looked "American" to me, a brick building that reminded me of a Denny's. I did not want to experiment during our next meal and that place looked safe. I think we all ordered the tomato soup and it may have been Lynn Seebold that noticed that the kitchen had taken the liberty of adding pepper to it. As I looked at mine, I believe I asked if anyone else had pepper that was actually swimming.....we were out of there in a flash! Another one of those fond memories.