Super Swede ... Lars Strom

[Lars Strom]

The first 6 is from Paris 6 hours 1974. My race number was 48 in that
race.

I do not remember who the driver of ON # 30 boat is? outside me in the pit turn. (stars and stripes)
This was the first year OMC used the
V 6 outboard in the Paris 6 hour race.
Maybe Jimbo McConell? but the driver look smaller than Jimbo

Lars is cold after I rolled over in a race in Sweden, boat hanging in the
lift cables. # 99 Boat

Next is the European Championship 1974 Evian, France. # 51 Boat
Look have ruff Lake Geneva is!! boat in the background did not make
that landing and crashed bad.

Last one is a Swedish News paper and the headline is "the Italiens tried
to kill me"!!!! in Evian, France.

[tthibodaux]

Funny you mentioned that boat about to crash because I was thinking to myself it looked bad..

[Lars Strom]

Funny you mentioned that boat about to crash because I was thinking to myself it looked bad..

If I remember right, he was one of the five Italian drivers.

The roles at that time was maximum five drivers from each country in Europe,
and one driver is the European Champ, but there is a Trophy
for best country to.
My friend Bo Nilsson finished 3rd in that race and a few more Swedes did good so Sweden won the
Country Trophy also.

This was the first year in many years Italy lost that Trophy.
They use to be really strong in the SE Class, and the Italian Outboard
Carniti was dominating before OMC and the Swede made a move in to the class.

[Jimbo Boat 191]

Hi Lars---

I believe the "striped" boat you were wondering about is Tim Briggs, maybe Geoff,
they were driving together but I don't think it lasted long enough for Geoff to get
in it. Tim hit a buoy and it sank, as I remember. He did lead the first lap.
Got your other e-mails but have a glitch and I cannot send messages to you. We will
try to work that out.

Take Care
Jimbo

[tthibodaux]

Hi Lars---

I believe the "striped" boat you were wondering about is Tim Briggs, maybe Geoff,
they were driving together but I don't think it lasted long enough for Geoff to get
in it. Tim hit a buoy and it sank, as I remember. He did lead the first lap.
Got your other e-mails but have a glitch and I cannot send messages to you. We will
try to work that out.

Take Care
Jimbo

Sorry to get off topic for a second Lars. Hey Jimbo!! AWESOME to hear a little something from you! Hope your doing good!

It's very cool to read racing history from true legends like you two guys!

[Lars Strom]

Hi Lars---

I believe the "striped" boat you were wondering about is Tim Briggs, maybe Geoff,
they were driving together but I don't think it lasted long enough for Geoff to get
in it. Tim hit a buoy and it sank, as I remember. He did lead the first lap.
Got your other e-mails but have a glitch and I cannot send messages to you. We will
try to work that out.

Take Care
Jimbo

Hey, and thanks for your answer Jimbo,

Well, the turning bouy they used for the Paris 6 hour race was made
of steel and lots of concrete!!!!

One time I did see another boat hit that bouy, and it looked like a car in Nascar
hit the wall.

My next racing story is about the race in South Africa.
BP 200 early 1975 and I am waiting for my son Ribban to place 2 photos from
the River Vaal.

Pretty sure you remember that race to, Jimbo

I think you raced ON maybe OZ and I OE.

[Lars Strom]

After the race in Paris late 1974 I was back in Sweden to do 7 month of Military service.

I received a letter in January 1975 from South Africa, and the distributor for Evinrude/Johnson
asked me if I was interested to race the OE class at the BP 200.

Of course I was, but the Military refuse to give me a 2 week break.

I knocked on the Captains door and asked him if there was anyway he could help me.
He was friendly and told me how to do it and a few days after I got an early release and was now on the
way to S. A on my own.

They picked me up at the airport and I was booked at the nicest Hotel in Johannesburg.

When I checked in, I got my best and biggest surprise.

My boat racing Hero, Jimbo McConnell was invited to and was checking in at the same Hotel.
He was standing there, together with Mouse, the OMC Race Mechanic.


Next morning we drove to the Race site at the River Vaal and the Clerici OE Boat with number 44, was driving
like the one I raced in Europe.

Jimbo was racing the OZ class if I recall correctly.
You can see Mouse at one of the photos but I do not have one with Jimbo.

We did lots of testing and I think the Race course was 5 miles long and the river was pretty narrow.

There was a few more invited foreign drivers, but most drivers where locals.

Lots of different classes and the Race was pretty crazy, but lots of fun and I still have the # 1 Trophy.

After the Prize ceremony and the party I was ready to head back to Europe.

The Rouen 24 Hours was coming up, and that was my first race as a Factory OE driver.

Jack Leek from OMC, Waukegan hired me, but the New Racing Boss for Europe was Paul Kalb

That's my next story

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Lars...Joe Rome and I had no idea how to do all this posting with photos or anything else until BRF came along. We had to learn it in order to tell the stories. Congrats on joining the club. There are many ex boat racers learning how to even hook up a computer, thanks to BRF.

Looking forward to Ribban putting up more pics also, and it was especially nice to see the post from Jimbo McConnell. You are giving us some very good first hand stories on international racing.

[Lars Strom]

This is from a Swedish Magazine, like Playboy called Fib/Aktuellt.
Not bad for a country boy and a simple Boatracer to end up in this type of magazine..

[Lars Strom]

Lars...Joe Rome and I had no idea how to do all this posting with photos or anything else until BRF came along. We had to learn it in order to tell the stories. Congrats on joining the club. There are many ex boat racers learning how to even hook up a computer, thanks to BRF.

Looking forward to Ribban putting up more pics also, and it was especially nice to see the post from Jimbo McConnell. You are giving us some very good first hand stories on international racing.

Hi again, and Thank you.

I did it, on my own!!!