1969 Stock Outboard Nationals

[Ron Hill]

Well, I looked in the Beloit, Wisconsin Program for the 1970 Nationals. And as soon as I saw Don Pontius, I remembered he was the defending Champion....And this is why I remember. I showed up in Beloit, in time to register, then visited my in-laws in Janesville. I didn't get to the race site until Friday to qualify, as I had LED a movement to end Divisional qualifiers being seated in the nationals, as I wanted to have more spots open for us BIG TIME RACERS....

Anyway, I won my qualifier, (1970) Billy Allen beat me one heat, but jumped the gun. When the finals came, I remembered Gary Stippich wasn't even at Beloit, I think, but for sure wasn't in D Runabout. I do remember being worried about Ponitus, as he had beaten me in '61 and '63. I started where I wanted, 8th on the outside and last, by lap one I passed Ponitus, and knew then I could win... Seems second was Stan Armstrong, Norm Schaub was third....

ADD: The coolest thing on the 1969 entry list is Ted Zahorski. Ted bought his first Mark 30-H from me, then went in the Air Force. When Ted came out of the air Force he started working on Motorcycles. Ted's motors would beat Yamaha, so they hired him..

When Yamaha found out Ted knew about boats, they hired him in their new outboard section. Ted's outboards won the Parker Enduro with Brian Daley driving and Rick Hoffman co-driving. Ted still works for Yamaha. He lives in Georgia, now...I miss him as a friend as we had lunch together now and then, when Yamaha was in California...Ted is the greatest guy, just don't ask him what time is it, because he'll tell you how the clock works...