Modern Outboard 1971 Havasu Classic

[Master Oil Racing Team]

THAT...was a hilarious story Val. No amount of denial could have shut off suspicion like Judy's retort.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I got sidetracked while looking for Morgan City, but these little items were interesting so I decided to post them. The first one about Bob Hering was from a Mel Zikes column. The second one was about an OPC Marathon at Miami in 1971. I thought John might remember that. Gene Lanham won completing 78 laps. Ted May set new records in UI in the One, Two, ahd Three hour marks.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

I got sidetracked while looking for Morgan City, but these little items were interesting so I decided to post them. The first one about Bob Hering was from a Mel Zikes column. The second one was about an OPC Marathon at Miami in 1971. I thought John might remember that. Gene Lanham won completing 78 laps. Ted May set new records in UI in the One, Two, ahd Three hour marks.

Yes, Ted drove a mini open cockpit Molinari that Jim Briggs saw in Italy then bought & had it shipped to the US. Ted drove it at Miami with a Johnson GT115. Wayne, can you copy & send tha complete article to me? Or post.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'll post it on the John Schubert thread John. That way after you have read it, you can make comments there and so we can find it on your personal story thread easier. If you still want a hard copy, let me know.

[Ron Hill]

Tinker came down here "ARMED" yesterday and wanted to tell his side of the story, but MY PROJECTS kept he and I away from my computer....as Tinker George doesn have a computer nor does he want one....Like he says, "I watch Ron get so screwed up with his computer. Why do I need my blood pressure up? (Just because I once printed 20 pgaes of something, while Tinker watched, and everytime I tried to cancel, it printed another page...

This paper is 38 years old....We'll get Tinker down here and get his side yet! (Not that anyone REALLY said anything about his driving skills...).

[Willabee]

Wayne what were the results from Morgan City? Seems I have some pictures from there...Windy, rough and onlyb225 miles...Seems I might have been 4th or 5th...

I remember the Morgan City race, had never been there before and was really looking forward to seeing that part of the country. After we got settled in our hotel rooms, a few of us went out to see what the local fare had to offer. We ran into a bunch of the OMC factory techs (Rich McKinnley sp and friends) at one of the saloons. As we started chatting I noticed that at least two of them were banged up pretty good. I asked if they had been in a car wreck on the way down and they responded with some advice....."When these Cajuns speak, listen close, because if you get it wrong they get pretty upset!" They had arrived a day before us and gone out on the town. Apparently there had been a "misunderstanding" with some of the locals, and the Illinois boys didn't do so well. I knew I had a bit of a hearing problem, so I decided that I'd just stay pretty quiet on this trip.

Next, we want to do some testing, but this race will require the use of cranes to launch and they will not be in place until Saturday. We drive around until we find a ramp. It's an old wooden ramp, didn't look too safe, but it worked. After carefully backing the first trailer down the ramp, I walked out onto this adjacent rickety old wooden dock to make sure the engine was pumping water as it warmed. As I looked around in that small bay, my eyes came across the biggest snake I had ever seen! It was lying on some pads just sunning itself, but as far as I was concerned, it was in attack position and was coming after me! I got off of that dock and asked what the hell that thing was. Unfortunately, I learned that those moccasins live in the lake and make their nests underwater, generally near a stump or something similar. Every year, someone steps into one of those nests and is usually dead before they can make it back to shore.

I thought, this is just "f"ing great.....I'm in the land that time forgot..... for a boat race..... and we can't go near the water!!!!!

Well, we all managed to overcome the obstacles and show up for a boat race on Sunday morning. There was a little Miami 225 deja vu, the wind is really blowing and we're wondering if they will pull the plug on this one too. This will be the first head to head between the factorys in 72. This is a Merc Team running all C6's for the first time against the new 99.9 OMC that made it's debut at Parker.

All the the entrys do a hot lap and Bill Sirois has a sour engine. I had one man, including myself, to hold each of our boats for the mod LeMans start. I tell the troops that I'll get Sirois and have someone else hold Stickle's Molinari. The truth of that call is that the other guys could have fixed Sirois's problem faster than me, but this kept me out of that water (and away from those snakes) for the start......I'm not as dumb as I look. The wind is really blowing and everyone is having a hard time keeping their boat lined up for the start. A spectator hollered at me asking if he could help hold, I yelled back that that would be great! With that, a number of the locals walked out and grabbed one of the boats (they are a lot braver than me), I thought that was really cool. Strictly by coincidence, Sirois was put back in right at the start, so I didn't have to go in.....I also thought that was really cool.

Jimbo led to the first turn, Hering blew past him and it was a Mercury race from there. Hering and Seebold led all of the laps, with Seebold having one less pit stop than Hering and winning by a slim margin. Jimbo did finish 3rd, but I don't think he was on the lead lap. Ron Hill did finish 5th and David Alaniz came in 20th. I think this was Reggie Fountain's first race in a full blown Team boat and he tried a tad too hard, blowing over on the fourth lap. The Merc C6 clearly dominated the new OMC mill.

Here's a shot of the first three (Hering & Jimbo from Powerboat).....the boat cowl on Hering's Molinari looks a little wierd because he had flipped while testing at Lake X and some of the damage to the rear of it had been removed.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Willabee,

While has nothing to do with this post, but do you remember the excursion that Seebold hosted for some Merc guys Velden, you & at the bar at the Hilton, I was sitting alone, and he said for me to tag along. It was a private party upstairs in that section of town that good religious people avoid. You were there for a whole minute & departed. Do you recall later that he had charged it on his credit card & when the bill came Lynn opened it or thats what the legend says.

[David Alaniz]

[QUOTE=Willabee;65307]I remember the Morgan City race........
the biggest snake I had ever seen! ........... Ron Hill did finish 5th and David Alaniz came in 20th. QUOTE]

Your story had my memory going...I remember being there. It was rough, real rough when I made a few test laps. Someone said if I did it again I would be upside down. Hmmm I thought - close to the merc boys - Hmmm maybe a real motor. Hmmm.....

I remember getting lined up for the start and we had to stay in that positon for the longest time. Later found out some "guy" didn't want to get his feet wet. As I was sitting there I couldn't believe it, I was taking on water and fast. I was trying to hollar back at my dad but no one could understand my $#$@!* words. It was too late, we were off and going. I don't think I ever fought a ride as that one. Down the straights and the water would pool in the rear - what a ride. Going into every turn the water would rush to the front splashing everywhere. It felt like she was going to roll every time. Then finially it got worse in a turn and the boat dug causing me to come off plain and water in the stack. I don't know how many laps I ran but it couldn't have been many, real disappointment. Back at the ramp the plugs were pulled and it drained for a long time. I don't recall how the water got in right now. The last time we would run with plugs.

As for the snake - it was a typical baby in training. Some races we would have a mandatory stop for snake crossings.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

......the bad with the good. Seems like I remember mostly the good and the disasters. I guess that's normal. But when I talk to Joe and others about what they remember...they throw in other stuff.....even about races I had forgotten about. People can see the same event, but come away with a different perspective. When they call it up years later...it can trigger something you did not remember. One of the things I love about BRF is all these stories just like the one's in this thread. You guys are filling in the details of the races that were happening that no one on the beach could see. And...as you said David....it was the last time you ran with plugs. How many different stories could racers tell a story that happened that ended with the last time they did that? That could be a thread in itself. Keep up the remembrances and stories.

[Ron Hill]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forum...t=1463&page=12

I remember several things about Morgan City....Seems like the Saracusa's had a bar in town with a 280 Hydro sawed in half down the middle and hanging on the wall.

Also seems like, one of the Saracusa's got killed in a 280 hydro, and the brother went on to become a U. S. Senator from Louisiana. Not sure if it was this race or another that we went to this bar. They were good propeller customers, also.

I landed in New Orleans, about 11 P.M. local time, and while picking up my rent car I was told Morgan City was like 150 miles from the airport, and that it had rained 12 inches that day. Coming from California, 150 miles seemed like two hours and a little...which wasn't bad. But 12 inches of rain??? California where I lived anyway got about 12 inches a year...

I start driving and the brakes don't work very well, but the water in about running board deep, finally I get out of town and I come to some town, thinking I'd stop to get a beer.....I'd start to slow down, but I was thinking, "Damn, these breaks are really wet"...By the time I'd get slowed down I'd pass the bar I was trying to stop at......but I'd see there was a fight in the street anyway. A serious Pier Sixer.....I'd say, "Well, I'll get a beeri in the next town.."

I swear there was a town every ten miles, and in front of EVERY BAR there was a "PIER SIXER" in progess...Usually two guys just kicking the fire out each other.

Got to Morgan City about three A.M. Next morning I realized my brakes weren't wet, they were totally shot...Metal to metal....I called the rent car place and had them send me a new car...

Ziggy Boettle, an OMC Engineer, picked me up and took me to where ever we we racing..Lake Pochatrain?????? Anyway, on the way Ziggy says, "Hill, how come you drive for OMC?" I think Ziggy knew I liked to talk. So, he figured I'd be telling him what a great driver I was and what a California "HOT SHOT" and all....but I just said...., "Ann Strang likes me.: (Charile Strang and CEO of OMC). Ziggy looked at me, got that Santa Claus look he gets, and never asked me again...

Another thing, if you look at my Scotti, number 175, that was Cesar Scotti's Havasu Boat. It was just like JIMBO's BLACK and White boat...The one Ted and Jimbo won Parker with...The one I didn't get to race in Miami.

I needed to move the seat back about a foot, but didn't have time. After finishing fifth, the decision was to give Ted May that boat and get ME and Sprint Scotti...

Found a few pictures from the start. These are Maragrite Wood's pictures.