2008: Parker 300: Hill Racing's Saga

[Ron Hill]

In truth, we didn't really start working on the Enduro BOATS that long ago....

After reading the 2008 rules, we felt a Division I small block, two barrel was th "RINGER" and Pat Bowman found Al Stoker's old Baker MOD VP Vee Hull, and we bought this boat with the plan of putting a small block in it.with a Bravo drive....S and S Marine's Scott Schatz had a small block he'd let us use...

So, if this was our "PLAN" I decided we should still run the Baker/Stoker in either Division III (2 liter) or Division VI (2.5). So, Tony Scarlata said he wanted to run an outboard, so I told Tony he'd have a "RIDE..." Well, June, turned into July and July turned into August.....(Chad was studying to get his teaching credential and Pat is living in Fresno.....).

So, about two weeks ago, Seaway Marine's Jake made me an offer on the Baker that I could not refuse and Bill Boyes and I delivered the boat to Seaway Marine in Seattle...

BUT, I was stressing...I'd promised Tony a "RIDE" and GENERALLY I'm a man of my word....So, on the way to Seattle, I realized Jim Harris had a new Mirage sitting somewhere....I call Jimmy on the road to Seattle and tell him IF HE'D LOAN ME HIS NEW MIRAGE, I'd loan him a motor for the coming year, to play/ski with...

Jim agrees and agrees to help rig the NEW MIRAGE...I had bought Jim Wilke's SST 120 motor and I decided Pat and Chad should drive the Mirage in Division III and we'd just let Tony take a "RIDE" in Division VI with a 260...

In the mean time, Fred Bowden of BMB Storage, Parker, bought a new SST 120 motor from Chris Fairchild in Illinois... As Al Stoker was going to drive Fred's Stoker, #34 and they could not decide if Division II or Division VI would be the winner...Fred promised me his new 120 motor, if AL decided to run the "BIG" motor...

Anyway, we go to Irvine to test the Mirage. Fred Bowden/Todd Bowden and Al Stoker are there...They are to make the choice on motors...We blow the bottom on the Mirage and they say they'll decide what motor on Thursday at Parker.......

So, I was leaning toward Division III all a long, so on Wednesday I bought another 120 motor in Minnesota, for Tony/Pat/Chad so we'd have two 120's....of our own...but it got dropped off the truck in Chicago and fork lift hurt it, so it never showed...until Saturday....in LA, race was in Parker...

After the bottomtm blows, I tell Tony we aren't running the Mirage...He said, "I thought I was running the Baker..." I say, "I guess I forgot to tell you but you and Pat WERE going to run the Mirage......but it is broke....

I hang up on Tony............I feel so bad, because I don't feel Pat's 300 plus pounds will work in the Baker......with a 2.0, I think well we'll run the 2.5 with Pat and Chad....But what about TONY????

I call Scott Schatz at S and S Marine...he just says bring the boat...Basically, I work on it all day Saturday...Tinker Colinge helps...Pat workes on it. Scott does a great job on it..we decide to run it...I call Tony and tell him we've got him a ride...


Wednesday night, we say...we are out of here for Parker...Laurie and I load the motorhome and head to Parker...Pat and Scott work all day THURSDAY finishing the Mirage...

We get a pretty good night's sleep...and we are 50 miles from Parker when Cahd calls and says he's had a flat on the trailer...and he buying three new ones.... I say, "OK" and hang up....I look at Laurie and say Chad's buying three tires???? I call him back and say why would use the 8 year old spare as the fourth tire...He buys four new ones...

We, Chad and I, maybe Steven and Lan, test the Baker with the 2 liter on Thursday...We try some props and gearcases.. The CHRIS FAIRCHILD carbs work like a charm...But we aren't fast....79 MPH... We decide if Fred's 2.0 has more power, maybe we could go 82...

We see Stoker and Fred Friday morning, they'd blown a headgasket on the 2.0 and hurt it too bad to race and they were adding weight to make 1,500 pounds for Division VI.

We, Chad and I, say, well let's put the 2.5 on the Baker and our 2.0 on the Mirage and we'll race...For whatever reasons, we just have more trouble than anyone one would believe trying to get the 2.5 to run...ran the battery down...The new Mercury Racing cowling was choking off the air, fuel pump would not work, fuel leaks....Chad was going crazy, helping get the Mirage ready...too. Lane and Steven Curry worked side by side with Chad all day..

I kept saying, "Let's go weigh." Chad kept saying if the motor won't run there is no use racing....

The Mirage tests GREAT with Pat and Tony in it...speeds are good 84.....Pat and Tony both agree that it handled well...

The driver's meeting is about to start when Chad finally makes a pass and the motor works...New fuel pump and about 50 other chances seemed to work....

We make a mad dash to weigh the boat, Chief Inspector, Roger Carr looks at us as if to say, "I've been her ALL DAY and you guys have been here TWO days...and with one second before 5 you want to weigh?????? Come back in the morning he says..." Chad, Steven and I are too tired to try to explain why were so late...

Saturday morning we weigh...Now we've already borrow 80 pounds of lead from Stoker and a 50 pound sand bag from the guys with the Mirage from Salinas Bob Tjerrild)....So, we think were close...Roger Carr and Doug Rae weigh us and say 1368 pounds.....I say are you guys kidding me...We need another 132 pounds..

Dave Bryan and I starting asking everyone for lead...Jim Harris finds 100 pounds of lead shot from Boat Storage (Spielman) in Parker...I ask Nordic Boats if they have lead...One of the Australians comes over with a 35 pound block of lead...

We bolt, tie wrap, bungee and duct tape lead, sand and the kitchen sink in the boat....

I look around and go up to check to see if Tony and Pat have their scorer...Ann Hoban's granddaughter (Alley) plays the National Anthem on her flute.....perfectly and beautifully.... The race starts...Laurie has never seen an Enduro and has no idea what "SCORING" means...

By the time I'm back the Hill Racing pits...Division III is racing Pat comes around second in the Mirage and looks good...Last year's over all winner Joe Abellera is out front in Division III "STROLLING" but Pat looks a sold second...

Pat runs 16 laps, I'm getting Tony "PRIMED" to take over for Pat.....Tony's OTHER RIDE, THE BODY SNATCHER" is leading with Joey Cucci and Rob Devine leading...On lap 17 the tunnel walls blow on the Mirage...Were done for the day in Division III... No fault of the PATCH...new hole, new place...

Chad is running Division VI sitting in second to boat 34, Al Stoker...after about 18 laps for the BMB Storage boat #9...Tony gets his gear and says thanks...Shakes my hand and walks down the beach....I know he's disappointed...realy disappointed..

Chad stops on schedule and...everyone is trashing as 10 minutes pit stops go fast...Chad says, "Dad you think Tony could run her the next shift...?" I look at Chad and see a VERY TIRED SON...

I jump in Chad's truck and go through the pits faster than I know I should, but I'm honking like crazy...I finds Tony and tell him CHAD NEEDS him...I take Tony to the boat...Everyone says he has to sign up as a driver...we race back to the scorer's section and get Tony signed up... Tony had never SAT in the Baker...We basically throw Tony in the boat and off he roars...

I go and check scoring...I talk to Ted Kolby has say, "Tony's in YOUR boat??? When is he coming back? " I say 20 laps...Ted starts to panic as Tony is to drive the last leg of the Body Snatcher who is still leading...At that moment, they say the Body Snatcher needs a trailer at Badnoch's...Ted and his crew race to Badnoch's....Ted slips on the launch ramp moss and SHATTERS his shoulder....The Body Snatcher had broker a chamshaft..or something like that...

Tony drives like the talent he is...he runs 18-19 laps and brings her back in one piece. Boat 34 is still leading us....but their engine is hurt and they don't make it back in for the final 20 laps...Chad gets back in the boat after a NEEDED rest...Tony says, "Chad, how could you have considered IRONMANING it???" Tony's got a smile you can see for a mile...

I go to the scoring area...Havasu Barney and Joe Abellera, boat 555 had been leading but they had a steering problem and Havasu Barney said, "The boat hooked and failed to steer".....Black eye, hurt feeling...broken helmet...but OK and back for more in 2009.

After yelling at all the scorer....(Well not all, but boat 373, 48, 19...71 and 73) I figure boat 48 will win and we might catch Mark Durham and Gred Foster for second....Johnny Lanes and John Roth win...after two overall seconds in a row....a well deserved win..

We finish first in Division VI and third overall...We put the boat on the trailer our gasline fitting had broken...we completed 56 laps....we would ahve never completed lap 57, no gas...we were done.....

Then, we said, "Will we make weight with no gas??" When we weighed, the boat had some gas, but now it had none...I could not stand to go watch the scales....We made wight with no gas, were 85 pounds over weight...Seems that Australian than loaned me lead figured I need 35 STONES...or something....Thanks for the laon anyway and I should know he and his wife's name, but too many names...But I would like to thank Nordic Boats and Randy Davis for supporting the enduro...

Low points of the weekend, Wiskers dropping with prop troubles....Chad heading home from the race with new trailer tires only to have one fall off....Thanks to Ross Wallach for taking the time to stop and pick up the tire and follow Chad...on three wheels...

Special thanks to Diane and Fred Bowden for the Friday "PARTY" at the BOWDEN PALACE on the river...Barbara Hauttabaugh helped Diane with making the FIEAST memorable...

Special thanks from Hill Racing to:

Fred and Diane Bowden, BMB Storage (Larry Murray, Gary Barton and Fred Bowden), Barbara and Jay Hauttabaugh, Steven and Lane Curry, Jimmy Harris, Dave Byran, Tinker Collinge, Missy Monroe, S and S Marine, Scott Schatz, Matt and Mickey Schwarzenbach of Apple Valley Marine, John and Al Stoker....Tony Scarlata and his scorer...Greg Foster for ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME.....Dino Kotsonis and Chris Fairchild.

Special Thanks to: Blue Water Resort and Casino, RPM Enterprises, Ross Wallach and his crew of Luann, Annie Hoban, Doug Rae, Luann's husband, Brian Wilson, Jay Littlejohn, Roger Carr, Bill Sandberg, John Castelli and Rod Zapf...I know I've left off names...Frank Marrone and Son's plumping and Bud Light...and Nordic Boats, thanks for the sponsorships...

The individual person is Bob Brown, the two guys are Al Stoker and Jay Hauggabaugh...

ADD:

While I was doing nothing at the race I bought a 45 SST tunnel, complete...with some spare parts, I turned around and sold the boat and part of the motor to Nick Murphy....before we left....What can I say..I wheel and deal!

Our Baker Stoker is FOR SALE!!

LAST ADD:

And many people said I seemed nervous all weekend!!!!