Super Swede ... Lars Strom

[Lars Strom]

I have been writing my Racing stories in Sweden for about 8 month.
For a few weeks ago I received an email from a reader telling me that he is the owner of my old Piraya wing boat,
I build 1973 and sold 1976.
My son Richard drove to Norrtälje to look at the boat, and the owner lives only half a mile from
my sister Ewa.

Remember, I have not seen this race boat in 32 years and here it is...

Boat upside down, and the old Evinrude 75hp in the shed...

[Roy Hodges]

Hi again Roy,

Thanks for the info.

I did not know they used Seebold boats, and Evinrude engines, odd combination.

Please, let us know more about the Race, do you remember the 15 drivers? and the winner?

I remember Roger Jenkins was in the Race, and I asked him many times how he finished, but he did not say very much and no info in Europe after the Race.

No Boatracingfacts back then....

Any pictures??

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As I recall, the race was won by Billy Shoemacher (spelling ?) , the great Unlimited Hydro plane driver. I was not there , but it was on A B C's "wide world of sports " on T V , the first scheduled showing was post poned to a later date . A B C cared little for boat racing . The rest i was told by Paul Bender , he was my friend and boat dealer (Evinrude) in nearby Suisun ,california ( between San Francisco & Sacramento, California )Evinrude actually sent (by mail) fancy invitations to evinrude customers to watch the race on T V . (i got one ) .

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Roy:

I think you have a very good memory after all these years. I thought I remembered it being an Unlimited driver, but I was thinking Bill Muncey. Now that you mention Shumakers (?) name I think you are absolutely correct.
I think I will call "Mr. Bill" in the next day or so and find out for sure.
I can't be sure after all these years, but I also remember the format was to be 3 or 4 best drivers from the various categories, i.e. Stock, OPC, Inboard, etc.
I remember Billy running back and forth for hours in the Meramec River just north of George Winter park testing the first boat or two built for that event with Bill Sr. standing on the bank trying prop after prop for setup/testing purposes. I also remember Billy came walking back in the shallow water pulling one of the boats after he blew it over testing at least a mile or so up river from where we were standing while he was testing. We heard the motor stop but had no idea he blew over until he came walking back in the shallow water next to the bank pulling the boat by hand, wet all over but not hurt. Very Very lucky as there was no one else around, and we were out of sight of where he went over.

[mintominto]

Stumbled across this article in the old archives.

[Lars Strom]

Thank you Roy, Mintominto and Bill for all the info.
Well, maybe the $10,000.00 price money was the biggest reason I was so disappointed not
being part of the "Dream race"

I am pretty sure you must be a World Champ in any UIM, or APBA class that year to be part of the
race.
I remember OMC came back to me and said there was no way they could help me
in to the race without make someone else upset.

If I remember right, there was no second race the year after.

[Lars Strom]

My story about the race in Amsterdam is coming up next,
but first I like to tell this little story.

I meet this US driver for the first time in the pit in Amsterdam and he was a fun man and said
this to me:

Lars, in Europe they drive Formula one cars in ballet shoes, in the US we
drive Formula 5000 cars in Texas boots... and then he smiled and
jumped in to his Evinrude powered OZ boat and lead the race.
He later rolled in one of the turns, the water was
really ruff in the Port of Amsterdam

I become a good friend to this man and raced him for many years.

Well, I am going to let you guess who this person is??

[Master Oil Racing Team]

How about Tommy Posey or Johnnie Sanders?

[Lars Strom]

How about Tommy Posey or Johnnie Sanders?

No,
but he raced F1 V8 in Stockholm 1985 and lost his engine
when the med section broke.

[Miss BK]

No,
but he raced F1 V8 in Stockholm 1985 and lost his engine
when the med section broke.

Gene Thibodaux?

[mintominto]

Barry Woods ???