Originally Posted by
Gene East
Thanks Jeff,
That really brings back memories, especially the runabout. That boat originally belonged to Wayne Walgrave and I was his deck rider in 71 or 72.
I actually drove that boat, (from the pits to inspection); not very far and not very fast true, but then how many deckriders ever drove a 6 looper.
In a related story, my daughter Emily was 18 before she ever went to an alky race. She had been to tunnell boat races and Mod races but never an alky race. She lived with her mother in Peoria about 70 miles from DePue.
I took her to the race on Sunday and as anyone who has ever been to DePue knows, the race course is right down town. The black flag is up until noon out of respect for church services.
Emily and I were visiting with Bruce in the pits when the black flag was dropped. The first alky engine Emily ever heard or smelled was Bruce's 6 Looper. Her eyes got big and as she sniffed the air, she had a puzzled look on her face. I smiled and told her " No Baby-girl,that's not gasoline"!
As we were leaving the races that evening she said, "That was great Daddy. Can we come back next year"?
Emily is now married and expecting her first child July 16th.
Do you suppose the baby will be too small to go to DePue this year??
Yeah, I guess so. We don't want him/her to be as deaf as Grandpa!!
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