Ring of Fire

[Mark40H]

In 2003 I started to put together a display for the O.F. Christner Reunion. At the reunion I met Dick Pond who I have since become close friends with. I have always had a thing about the Ring of Fire DeSilva that he drove for Marshall Grant.

I asked Dick if he thought there would be a problem with Marshall if I found an old DeSilva and restored it like the Ring of Fire that he and Billy Seebold drove for Marshall. He and Gene East said they did not think it would be a problem.

So the search began. In 2004 while in Florida for the winter, I found one of the fuel tank housings that Marshall had built for the Merc power head. This is a rare piece as Marshall told me he only built about 30 of these. Next the boat...after looking on eBay and at every swap meet, I found a 1966 DeSilva in Princeton, IA. The boat was in pretty bad condition as the deck and sides needed to be replaced. Last winter, the boat was repaired. Then I painted and lettered the boat.

This past summer, Dick Pond and I took the boat to DePue for the Old Timers Reunion where everyone thought it was great. I think Joe Rome must have sent Marshall a photo of the boat. About a week after the reunion, Marshall called me about the boat. We talked about an hour about Dick and Billy and the boat. I told him that I had built a model of the Ring of Fire and if I ever got down his way I would like to give it to him.

About a week before Christmas, I called Marshall and told him that I would be coming through Memphis on the 27th of December on my way to Texas for the winter. I told him if he could meet me, I would give him the model boat.

I met Marshall at Coleman's BBQ where we visited for almost two hours. He told me all about Dick and Billy driving for him and how he built his own engines.

This was indeed a thrill for me to finally get to meet Marshall in person and talk to him about his involvement in boat racing.

I have posted pictures of the boat in restoration stage and in finished stage, and a picture of Marshall with the model of the Ring of Fire.

Joe Rome called me today to tell me that Marshall called him to tell him about the model boat. He said Marshall sounded like a kid with a new toy. It was an honor for me just to meet Marshall and give him the model.