Thread: Where The Action Is

  1. #161
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    Hey Glen--I was looking through my Dayton 1978 slides and found this one of you.
    Attached Images Attached Images



  2. #162
    Team Member Jeff Lytle's Avatar
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    That's the tunnel Glen had I was telling you about!

  3. #163
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    The OC500 Tunnel Boat experiment/project. Pre-internet the exchange of information around the world was slow to non-existent. Only after having designed and built this boat did I learn of other's attempts to build a low-profile tunnel on which to run a Konig and it would seem that much of their experience was similar to mine.

    At Dayton the tunnel was only about 3 weeks old and I was pretty low on the learning curve. Add to that I had just received my latest 3 blade cleaver from Phil Rolla in Switzerland. For all the things that were wrong with the boat and set-up it actually ran pretty well. It took about another month to get it to the point where it was competitive. Some small changes to the bottom, and for some reason my engine would run way too rich with the engine cowl on the boat. Very smooth ride on rough water, and loved single pin turns, a semi-controlled hook. Smooth water and wide turns it did not like, too much over-steer. Would have required major surgery to re-profile the sponsons. Having sent my frame patterns and drawings to europe it has been interesting to watch over the last 30 years the continued development of the now Formula 500 tunnel boat.

  4. #164
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    Don't have time to look for pics now, but I found part of my notes on some races that had been misplaced. Just a couple of notes I may have missed earlier that I thought were interesting. These notes are from the Pro Nationals at Winona, Minn. 1976

    1st qaul. DRR Charlie Bailey led 2 laps. dropped to 2nd & finally quit just short of finish (out of fuel) had new motor & had to go out early to break in. paddled across finish to qualify.

    725 H, Heat 1 Yellow boat blew over on the way to T1. Bob Crumley O.K.!

    1100 Runabout. Rider of C 127 fell out on L 4.

    Beginning final lap T 1 Alan was going out of boat until Charlie grabbed him.

    1100 Runabout heat 2. Bruce started last & finish 1st. craig had to pinch off fuel lines to clear motor. He got lead coming out of T4 L1.

    Dan flipped 2nd heat L3 front straight in 2nd place. Weld on tower housing broke & lost lower unit.

    500R Heat 1. Rex lead L 1. Pack together until T3L1. Bruce caught Rex L3. Bruce, Rex, Kirts, Bogosian at finish. 67.681 mph new record.

    Just a few recovered notes that may help me remember the details of what went on when we were racing.



  5. #165
    Team Member jrome's Avatar
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    Default Wayne and his notes

    Wayne you know how you would drive me crazyer with your notes.But you were right people do want to know Charlie saved Alan and Craig did pince that fuel line.But what I would like to know is if Alan and Craig remember it 30 years later?

  6. #166
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    Default driving Joe crazy

    I asked Joe what he meant about me driving him crazy. He said it was back during the day. He saw some of the things I wrote down and he told me at the time "You drive me crazy writing that kind of s#%t down. You just need to put down who finished what position." Now he is glad that I wrote it down.

    Here's another couple of examples from the Eastern Divisionals at Springfield Illinois in 1977.

    "B&W of Jerry McMillan in john boat going to judges stand to get his *** eatin out for taking off his helmet during progress of race."

    "2nd heat qual 250 hyd pleasure boat threw rollers on the course & Johnny Dortch yelled at Referee to hold up until rollers dissipated. Took no heed & shortly after fired the cannon. a couple minutes later Dick Puma stuffed into a roller. I think a white pickup boat caused the roller."

    My only regret Joe is I didn't make you even crazier with more notes.



  7. #167
    Administrator Ron Hill's Avatar
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    Default Great Notes...

    Our notes, if we had any would go like this...

    Left Ted May in the restroom at the Chevron, had to go back and get him, thought he was asleep in the back seat...

    Stopped and ate watermelon, again! Will we ever get to the race???

    Stopped by the King's river, in Kingsburg, so Ted could shoot off some Cherry Bombs...Donny Hauenstein's Amphibious Duck is still in the middle of the river, stuck in ...power pole is over turned next to the duck...Hmm!!!

    Jimbo got a ticket...Ted argued with the cop and said, "Damn it, Jimbo was going 55 miles per hour and I was watching him..." Cop said, "That's true, he was going 55 when he went right through that stop sign.."

    Stopped and fixed second flat tire... Ted buys those damn retreads for the trailer...

    Won seven firsts... Going to Lodi next weekend...

    That Billy Jack Rucker is hard to pass!!! (The lake just ain't big enough sometimes)...

    Francis Hauenstien fed us all again...damn....that was good!!! Especially the shrimp!!! (of cours, Ted and I ate most of it)...

    Seven hours home...Hell, let's sleep under the grapevines again!!!

    The OLD MAN (Russ Hill, Sr.) won't miss me and Ted at work!!! And Jimbo doesn't have to work until Tuesday!!!

  8. #168
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    Now wait a cotton picking minute here Joe. I was trying to jump OUT of the boat when Charley pulled me back in. I remember in the qualifier we just cruised. I was making hand signals to guys in the pits and everything. It was such a nice afternoon ride, I was thinking of bringing a sandwich along for the finals, in case I got hungry. Joe is laughing, telling me it would be a LOT different in the finals. Ha Ha!
    Here we go into the first turn. Mind you, there was NOTHING to hang on to in the boat. Charley backs off entering and I go rolling up on the deck. Just as I was about to do a double swan dive jack knife, Charley grabs me and yanks me back into the boat. Well, now I figure he is not one to allow his rider to abandon ship, so I'm thinking about pulling on some wires. Just then, we blew a gearcase. WHEW!!! My speech was affected for a while, but finally returned to normal breathing.
    You would think that was the end of deck riding, however, some of you know that brains were not my strong point. I rode with the Great Dean Wilson in Jonh T's 4-60 at Bakersfield. Some may have heard this one too. We go into the first turn and Dean is motioning me to go out on the deck. This time, they have handles and everything. I am shaking my head, No No no. Plus, with the clockwise turning prop, it seemed like we were headed right for the beach at times. Now, into the second turn, Dean is getting a little upset and starts shoving me out there. I look over and see those thick glasses and flashback to Winona 76'. Finally, I tepidly climb out there and we win the race. I am proud to say that I rode with Dean a few more times and really enjoyed the experience of an close up look at a really great race boat driver. Two experiences that I will never forget. Joe and Wayne, thanks for reminding me.

  9. #169
    Team Member gearbox49m1's Avatar
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    I will never forget the look on Alan Ishi's face going down the back straight at Winona. It didn't look fun anymore. Bruce passed everyone on the outside and it was crusin after that, but that first lap, WOW. Yes, I did pinch the fuel line coming up for the start. I had watched Bruce for years and with that engine when it loaded up he would pinch the fuel line until it cleared out. I thought we were done so it seemed the thing to do. When it cleared it took off like we were shot out of a cannon. I don't think he backed off until we had the lead. I rode with Bruce for three years and I don't think he ever got beat, disqualified maybe. There were lots of fun stories riding with Bruce.

  10. #170
    Team Member Master Oil Racing Team's Avatar
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    Alan, you're prefinal cruise was about like Andy Weller's first time with Charlie which was at DePue in 1972. Andy was all smiles and waving at the pits, that is until the racing started. The inside was Charlie's whether there was room or not. Like you say, Charlies boat didn't have anything to grab onto so Andy had his hands hanging onto the rubrail. At the first turn Charlie wedged the bow into a mouse hole between the pin and Rich Fuschlin then proceeded to open up that hole, bumping chines with Fuschlin. Andy quickly found a hold in the cutouts inside the cockpit. He wasn't smiling anymore when he came around.

    Unlike Bruce, Charlie had a new deckrider each race. Joe is checking with Charlie tommorrow to see if he can recall the roster. And Craig, I do know one race Bruce lost--It was to Charlie at Alexandria. You guys were faster but broke in one heat. He won that first heat, but I can't remember if you guys came out the second. I was riding with Charlie, but somehow I was thinking it was the last NOA race at Alex so I don't know why it was two man runabout. I'll have to do some checking also and maybe there might be a few pics.



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