….. , but if I did it right, this is the 1972 pickle fork Molinari …..
….. and in color, courtesy of Lars Strom …..
….. , but if I did it right, this is the 1972 pickle fork Molinari …..
….. and in color, courtesy of Lars Strom …..
Willabee, what did you do to Renato's motor, to cause him to win?
Back tracking, a ton, but Charlie Strang hired Rick Keller to time all the OMC boats. (Same Rick Keller that started AMRA). Rick's job was for all the races and was "TOP SECRET". For Paris, 1972, OMC put their top two drivers teaming together based on Rick Keller's numbers. I have no proof of this, but Rick tried to get me to race for him, we went to Carlsbad to test his single in Jones. I told to "burn it". He said, "If I buy a Scotti will you drive for me?" I told him why me? He explained I was the most consistent driver OMC, and consistent out performed their horse power expectations. I said if that is true, OMC has more money than you (Rick), I'm sticking with them.
Rick hired Billy Shoemaker to drive for him. He took my advice on his new Scotti to take the hook out for Billy's weigh.
Anyway, Jimbo started the '72 race and when he pitted, I think he was in the top three, but don't really remember, because when I got in the boat, Kenny and Mouse were trying to replace our new BROKEN flex flywheel.
When I finally got going, I had no clue where we were, except we were behind. At the end of an hour and half I stopped for fuel and Jimbo was in Levi's and wearing his cowboy hat.
I got fuel and took off. After awhile you can kind of feel where you are and who was breaking down. When I stopped again, I was 5th, at 4 1/2 hours and this time Jimbo had his Helmet and Jacket on!
I just gave him the finger and never got out of the boat. I thought I might still win, but we did podium, with a third!
That's my 1972 story!
Picture is from 1964, Charlie Strang was Referee at these Nationals. Ann liked my driving and told me so!
Last edited by Ron Hill; 04-19-2019 at 02:51 PM.
My recollection is that Barry was never in the lead. I know Scotti was then broke & in the second hour Geoff Briggs passed Billy. I took over again at the 4 hour fuel stop & we were in the lead until we threw a rod. The boat was the Molinari that Scotti drive in Paris the previous year.
Just a quick revision regarding the start of Scotti-Craft. After I posted the above, I received some info and pictures from a couple of old boat racers which confirms Scotti was also running a Molinari at Paris in 1970. He struck a barge and damaged the nose and was a DNF. Anyway, since he was driving a Molinari as late as October 1970, I'm pretty certain that 1971 was the beginning of his ON style race boats.
Courtesy of Lars Strom ….. the Scotti/Carlino Molinari at Paris in 1970 …..
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John Schubert and I drove together in this Molinari. (Not, no goggles. I had eye surgery as a result on not having good googles).
Scotti and I were have a pretty good run for about five laps, until he cut me off at the Statue of Liberty and knocked my goggle off. I caught up with him and the Statue of Liberty on the next lap and returned the favor. On the next lap, Scotti was s till swimming and his boat was next to the barge. He had come out of the boat and the boat continued without him into the barge.
The next spring, 1971, Freddy Hauenstein drove that same Scotti to second place at Parker behind Johnny Sanders and Tommy Posey. Not sure who was third, but it was OMC 1,2 and 3.
Scotti's first Scotti ran at the Miami 225, July 1971. Freddy Hauenstein and I ran the same yellow and black Molinari in MIami as we did at Parker. We finished third.
I drove Scotti's first Scotti at Havasu, 1971 (I looked for pictures all last week) and I blew it over backwards at the two hour mark. I thought I could beat the twins!!!!!
Last edited by Ron Hill; 04-22-2019 at 04:12 PM.
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...Just a quick FYI …. Cathy McConnell says Jimbo confirms 1971 for the beginning of Scotti's ON style race boats.
The real answer to your question about what we did to Renato's motor is ….. we got lucky. The C6's we were running then had a hot spot on #3 cylinder and there was some concern that the fuel we received at Paris may aggravate that problem. The race started and Renato shot out into the early lead, he was flying. Then, sometime before the first hour was complete, he came limping down the backstretch heading for the pits. We pulled #3 and, sure enough, there was aluminum melted onto the plug. We quickly installed a new plug, retarded the timing, added some oil to the gas tank and sent him back out. I explained what we were doing to Renato and asked him to give it a try. He pulled out and the boat would not lay down. It went into a mighty crow-hop as it went out of sight. I didn't know if the piston was too badly burnt or if we retarded the timing too far. While trying to figure out what we were going to do when he came back in, he suddenly appeared on the backstretch ….. he was flying again! He made the turn and the boat went back into that big crow-hop, but when he came down the backstretch again he was laid out perfectly. Turned out the boat just didn't like a full fuel load with that retarded timing. I think we gave it one hour loads the rest of the way and it performed perfectly.
Right after we sent him back out, Charles Alexander (either VP Engineering or company President at that time) came down to our pit and asked me what was going on with Renato. I told him what had happened and what we did. He didn't appear to be pleased. I also told him that what we did was my call and if we couldn't get him running any better I'd pull him out. He nodded and went back to the VIP barge. Alex looked me up at the Hilton after the race. He was a very happy man and he invited my wife and I to join him and his wife for dinner in celebration of the results. I introduced him to Bill Allan, Rick LaMore and Jim Emerson, the guys that participated in that pit stop, and he invited all of them also ….. that was pretty cool!
My turn to ask a question ….. What did Jimbo have to say after you gave him the one finger salute?
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My turn to ask a question ….. What did Jimbo have to say after you gave him the one finger salute?
Well, Jimbo and I had won Berlin together in 1970. His watch broke when he was driving and he stopped 15 minutes early. It was my realization I would run out of gas, so I stopped with 15 minutes to go. Jimbo gave me credit for the win.
We finished 3rd, 1972 in Paris, maybe first OMC.
I talked to Jimbo this week on the phone and his wife twice. We have been friends since 1960.
Jimbo's been mad at me twice. He can't remember the first time. But the second time was when I spent all his Indian Head nickels.
Me, on the other hand, have only been made a Jimbo once. And that was over the Black and White Scotti that I was supposed to race in Miami and Parker. But some how, I got the "NEW" Scotti for Parker and Mike Wallace and I were second to Ted and Jimbo in the Black and White Scotti.
If he was mad, 47 years later, he is probably over it!
Jimbo knew and know I have a stubborn streak in me. He knew I was in the boat and I wasn't getting out!
Willabee liked this post
Being the "College" educated one, as soon as we hit town, I'd grab Jimbo, maybe Ted May and off I'd take them the the Louve Museum to see the Mona Lisa. The signs always called it the Louver as the French don't pronounce "R" or "T's". So, Ted May always wanted to go with us to the LOUVER.
I vowed that when I was as old as I am now, I'd return to Paris, rent an apartment and stay a year, just to sit at a sidewalk cafe and watch the beautiful women go by....times changed. They women seems to never stop coming by and very beautiful!
Willabee, great story about the timing and fuel load. Enjoyed every word! If for no other reason, I knew it was true.
Lars has apost on Facebook that says, "Jimbo set the fastest lap at the 1972 Six Hour on lap 87" As I explained to Lars, Jimbo wasn't in the boat on lap 87.
Seems, when I took over at an hour and about 45 minutes we were behind by 13 laps. Thinking back on this, seems I'd pass Renator, and of course, I always pulled in front of him and wet the **** out of him. I loved to see his mustache droop!
With an hour and half to go, they said I was in the top ten...I thought, "Hell, I'll just win this thing." I didn't need Jimbo to "BREAK IT".
Do you recall who got second?
I loved that race and the city. The French were dummies but the city was great!
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