Modern Outboard 1971 Havasu Classic

[Willabee]

Ron/Willabee:..In the spirit of the season why can't we all just get along?

There's no bickering here.....Ron simply said that while Team Merc was blowing over a bunch of boats, OMC took the first three places at Parker in 1972.....therefore proving his hypothesis that OMC would have won the blown out Miami 225 in February. I said that the Merc Racing Team wasn't at Parker in 1972. They tried to win it with just one boat and that the "Flying Circus" took place 1971. Ron felt that only one word, the word "WRONG", accurately described my recollection of those events. He also felt that Team Merc ate quite well at Parker in 1972.....something about OMC putting on a banquet of some sorts and "handing Merc their LUNCH".

Master Oil has posted the Zikes column from the day which clearly says that the Merc Racing Team wasn't there in 1972.....and I'll add that if they ain't there, it's mighty difficult to serve them any type of LUNCH

In his own way, Ron has now said that "WRONG" may not have been the most accurate word to use. He has commented..... "I might be eating my words"....."Maybe it was 1971 that Merc had their blowovers"....."I guess they didn't come to Parker". I think that is Ron's way of saying that just guessing, it's possible that maybe I might have been right afterall. Sooooo, now I think I'll just go to LUNCH.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

There's no bickering here.....Ron simply said that while Team Merc was blowing over a bunch of boats, OMC took the first three places at Parker in 1972.....therefore proving his hypothesis that OMC would have won the blown out Miami 225 in February. I said that the Merc Racing Team wasn't at Parker in 1972. They tried to win it with just one boat and that the "Flying Circus" took place 1971. Ron felt that only one word, the word "WRONG", accurately described my recollection of those events. He also felt that Team Merc ate quite well at Parker in 1972.....something about OMC putting on a banquet of some sorts and "handing Merc their LUNCH".

Master Oil has posted the Zikes column from the day which clearly says that the Merc Racing Team wasn't there in 1972.....and I'll add that if they ain't there, it's mighty difficult to serve them any type of LUNCH

In his own way, Ron has now said that "WRONG" may not have been the most accurate word to use. He has commented..... "I might be eating my words"....."Maybe it was 1971 that Merc had their blowovers"....."I guess they didn't come to Parker". I think that is Ron's way of saying that just guessing, it's possible that maybe I might have been right afterall. Sooooo, now I think I'll just go to LUNCH.

Bill,

rec'd a message from BRF as a subscriber here & it referred to your post "But did I say anything offensive" not at all. (yet I don't see the post just this earlier one) I was referring to T2X's post about MOC drivers being delusional.

[Willabee]

Bill,

rec'd a message from BRF as a subscriber here & it referred to your post "But did I say anything offensive" not at all. (yet I don't see the post just this earlier one) I was referring to T2X's post about MOC drivers being delusional.

Your question to T2x was "how in the world can you think what you stated was any better" and I got to thinking that maybe you were comparing it to something I had said. I did write that T2x was just funnin' and asked if you thought I had said something offensive. It was only posted for a minute and then I decided the post wasn't necessary so I deleted it. Thanks for the response just the same, I do appreciate it.

[Ron Hill]

There's no bickering here...
I agree...

Say what anyone wants, but we were lucking that two companies had a war going on. I got to see places I had never seen. I got ro races places I'd only dreamed about...I visitied Berlin where Jessie Owens ran. I got to Paris five times....

I raced all over the USA and got paid for it (Expenses)....I half paid for my first house from OMC sponsorship. I walked away in one piece and I met a lot of fine people along the way....

Pictures from Modern Outboard, November 1971.

I remember Morgan City. I got there,the OMC truck had about 25 props in it, 18 said JIMBO on them. I had ONE... Saturday, late I walked through the pits, one guy was still working on his rig...It was Reggie Fountain...I was windy and cold, but Reggie was warm and friendly...

After that race I vowed to never go to a race where I was to drive and OMC boat without my own propellers...

At Parker 1973, Reggie and Brett May tested Every Mercury motor on the truck (In one day)....Seems it was like 25 power heads//Willabee would know the exact....Mike Wallace and I finished second that year at Parker witha 17 pitch Mercury prop that i owned and had worked on!!!!

ADD: We did have some great races in those days!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I think it's normal to take a stand for your brand without being petty about it. I took all those comments at just good natured pokes. All the teams have a lot of bragging rights to be proud of. The sad time was when one or the other teams picked up their marbles, then quit butting head to head at big races. I was always an OMC fan myself, but the two friends that tried to get me to come over to OPC in 71 and 72 were Merc guys...Billy Seebold and Bob Hering. Bob was working hard on Jerry Waldman too. Whether he would have ever followed a lot of other ex alky racers, we'll never know. Just my thoughts.

Anyway...not trying to stir the pot (well maybe in a joking manner only) but here is another contribution to boating history from more of Mels column from January 1982.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Okay...Here's Parker 1972 including the front and back covers from the April 1972 Powerboat.

[T2x]

Now how in the world can you think what you stated is any better. OMC drivers had "Delusions".

It may very well be true that we didn't win as many races as Mercury, but we did well. I for one won the "S" class marathon nationals in 970 & 1971, was perhaps 20 minutes in front in the 1971 Paris race until we blew up, Sanders & Posey won Paris, Parker & Johnny won Havasu, and many more achievements way too numerous to mention.

So delusions, of what Rich. And of course how about all those sprint championships that Jimbo won plus all his others.

You guys never could tell when somebody had his tongue in his cheek......

Merry Christmas John.

T2x

[Miss BK]

This is a true story, and I probably shouldn't tell it but....here it goes...

My brother raced stock outboards and was frequently assisted by the famous Ted May. We were so indebted to him, that I told him that my sister in law and I would be at Havasu and Parker, and that he could count on us to be his score keepers (each boat was required to provide 2 scorers).

So, every year for Havasu, we made our reservations at the Penny Lodge or Sands - where many other OMC drivers also stayed. There was no lounge - no cafe - no bar. Sometimes we would have a group steak dinner at the Golden Horseshoe, and that was about as 'wild' as it got. The most fun I remember having at the hotel usually involved washing boats with motel towels (and getting scolded by staff) and using the laundry room to wash uniforms.

According to Ted, lights needed to be out by 9:30pm so we could be up, bright and bushy-tailed, long before the sun rose. He kept us straight.

But we quickly discovered not all teams went to bed at 9:30 - there was a lot of wild stuff happening over at the Nautical Inn - skinny dipping, beer drinking, dancing til 1am - the same place where Team Mercury was staying.....hmm....

So, one year, I brought a girlfriend of mine with me who knew nothing about boat racing at all. When we were sure Ted and the rest of the OMC people were sound asleep, we slipped out of our room and left for the Nautical Inn......

I told her to NEVER tell anyone back at the motel where we went, nor mention to anyone what team we were there with - While at the Nautical, just pretend we were spectators - and that's it.

So we partied with various people who didn't know us - and we saw lots of "TEAM MERCURY" black jackets. My friend Judy ended up sitting at some other table and was talking to a group of guys when I froze after hearing one of them say,
"HEY!! YOU ARE FROM OMC, AREN'T YOU!?!"

Judy, who was on the ditzy side anyway, shot back at him and said,
"WE ARE NOT!~~ WE ARE FROM RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES!"

She thought he had said, "OVERSEAS". LOL I laughed so hard I couldn't even stand up....LOL

The guy was then convinced we must be spectators afterall.

The next year, Don Johnston (when he first was racing tunnels asTed's co driver) found out what we were doing and asked if he could sneak out with us to the Nautical.....even though I was sure this would blow our cover, we were able to sneak him into one of the "hotel room" parties of a main Team Mercury driver. The next day, Don giggled as he told us he had made several long distance phone calls on the drivers' hotel room phone while he was there! CALLS MADE TO KINGMAN - MY HOME TOWN!!! OMG, I could have shot him! But that driver never came after me.....maybe he never noticed...I HOPE! lol

And after all these years, I've never mentioned this story to that Mercury driver either, even though we are friends today! lol

The competition between OMC and Mercury was great to watch, but there were so many other parts people probably don't know about that made it even MORE fun! At least for a couple of girls from Arizona.

I do miss all that 'secretive' stuff.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Merry Christmas John.

T2x[/QUOTE]

Same to you!

[Willabee]

This is a true story, and I probably shouldn't tell it but....here it goes.....But we quickly discovered not all teams went to bed at 9:30 - there was a lot of wild stuff happening over at the Nautical Inn - skinny dipping, beer drinking, dancing til 1am - the same place where Team Mercury was staying.....hmm....

"HEY!! YOU ARE FROM OMC, AREN'T YOU!?!" .....Judy, who was on the ditzy side anyway, shot back at him and said,
"WE ARE NOT!~~ WE ARE FROM RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES!"

And after all these years, I've never mentioned this story to that Mercury driver either, even though we are friends today! lol

The competition between OMC and Mercury was great to watch, but there were so many other parts people probably don't know about that made it even MORE fun! At least for a couple of girls from Arizona.

First, a small correction.....you should always tell boat racing stories, especially when they are as entertaining as that one. I have a bunch of Nautical Inn memories, just can't talk about most of them.

Let me guess, Judy is a blonde. If not, she should be.....that response ranks right up there with the best them. You going to let us know who the Merc driver was? It was an "experience", the company motto could have been Mercury, Where The Action Is!