Wayne:

Seeing that shot reminds me of something that took place at Alex that year involving the two in the double exposure and Stan Leavendusky Jr. AKA "Butch". Butch had gotten a new design DeSilva runabout of the same style as Bruce Nicholson's "Miss Laurie" because Bruce's boat ran so well and
was always the class of the large runabouts. Unfortionately, for whatever reason, except for finally winning the C runabout championship with it at Ackworth, Butch was not overly successful with it except for one thing. It liked to pitch him about 50 feet right out the side, sometimes for absolutely no reason anyone could figure out. Anyone who knows or knew Butch at that time would know that if there was anything he was, it was STUBBORN, not for the least of reasons that he had to face his "old man" Stanley Sr., when he came back in from a heat. He worked long nights on the bottom of the boat, getting advice from everyone he knew to cure the boat of that bad habit, and went to Alex that year with high hopes. This has now been 30 years ago so if some parts of the story are a little vague as to detail, the main thrust of it is true, so on with the tale. Butch went to the first turn with the rest of the group in the first heat in good shape and either at the first pin or the second the boat unloaded him big time. Fortunately, nothing hurt too bad that some duct tape and a good drying out of the engine wouldn't cure so everybody pitched in to get him out the next time, including the two from NY in the double exposure picture. Next heat was a rerun of the first time with him again being tossed out, this time thru the cockpit side as he was really hanging on this time. Pulled him in again and he wasn't really anxious to try to go out again, as he had reinjured a shoulder that he had hurt a couple of years earlier, and the boat was in much worse shape this time also. The two from NY would not hear of another heat without Butch though, and with them teasing and egging him on and helping with more duct tape and whatever else could be done to get him back out for the third time, he made it out again. They always say "third time is the charm" It was for Butch, as the third time he really busted his arse as some of the duct tape repairs let loose and the boat came apart in the first turn again, this time not to be repaired on the lake bank, or the driver either. I don't think anybody laughed longer and louder than the the two from NY and Butch still talks about that to this day whenever he picks up something wrong with that arm and shoulder. He was the typical "hard headed Polock" when he was racing and proud of it, and a hell of a driver also. He has also been one of my closest friends since the late 60's.

Just talked to him earlier in the week and he is looking forward to the DePue reunion.