Stock Outboard Marathon Nationals
One of my favorite stories is the Stock Outboard Marathon National Championships. Now Freddie Miller had started the Stock Outboard Marathon National Championships concept. I loved old Freddie like a brother. We were close—there was never a subject that ever came up that we agreed on. We could disagree on anything. (Freddie Miller has done more for APBA Outboard Racing than any two guys I know)
Well Old Freddie started this Marathon Nationals concept in about 1963 and they held three successful Championships in 63, 64 and 65. I teased him about it being a Michigan State Championship, since all the races had been held in Michigan. So I got a rule through the APBA Council that said in essence that in order to be a “National” Championship, more than one state must host them.
And separately, I had Needles bid to make the Needles Marathon the “Nationals”. The Commission had to go for it, there were no other states bids and Michigan couldn’t keep them.
I said we’d like to schedule the race for the last week of September, like the Needles Marathon had always been scheduled. The weather was nice then, generally less than 100 degrees. No, the Mid-West bloc said “we ALWAYS hold them in June.” I said, “OK”. I didn’t mention that the temperatures could be well in to the 120s at that time of year.
So, a lot of Mid-Westerners came to needles in June 1966 and learned what HOT meant.
I’ll go into some details about the race in my next BS
1966 Stock Outboard Marathon National Championships
We left of with Needles winning the award to host the Nationals. September was a good time for Needles, but the dumb bastards (Freddie Miller) said “NO” Marathon Nations are in June. So I said OK.
Needles gets warm in June—maybe 110 -120 each day and cools off to 105 at night. Now picture this: Nobody in the Mid-worst had air-conditioned cars in 1966. (Maybe still don’t).
These “marathon racers” were hard-asses. They raced in Levis and work type shoes. They raced in lakes that let you know why the Pacific Ocean is call Pacific (peaceful). They dressed in proper regalia and headed for Californy. Many had Tee-Nee trailers with 8’ wheels. In case you don’t know, 8’’ wheel spin about three times as fast as the car pulling them.
With road temperatures in excess of 150 and spinning three times the car speed—well you guess what happened to the bearings. Good guess -- more than half the guys had wheel bearing problems. Enough. Ultimately they got to Needles.
We Californian only race on water flat as a nun’s chest and slicker than snot on a broom handle. We would cancel a a race on their smoothest day. These poor guys couldn’t pick up a tool without burning their hands. But they still wore their “racin’ clothes” (Levis, work boots, etc.), and got ready to race.
And it gets worse. Especially designed for the Needles Marathon were the “Floater” boats. They were runabouts, built like an airplane wing and would probably outrun a hydro. They couldn’t turn in a forty-acre field, but they’d go fast. Some guys would drop off a plane, turn and get going again.
I don’t think one westerner was beaten by one mid-worstener. One guy had three APBA shields on his deck. Marathon National Champion ’63, ’64 and ’65. He ran 7th. Why? There were only 6 California boats in the class.
It was a fun race. Of course there were “ISSUES’ for which I was blamed.
Probably rightly so. But we’ll talk about that later if anybody really cares.
1 Attachment(s)
My Brother, Russ Hill, Jr...
Bruce, my brother was into APBA POLITICS and was Senior Vice President...He ran for President in 1973. I actually found his campaign flyer, the other day, and was going to reprint it for the APBA Convention in LA.......Then thought, well, people didn't buy into his ideas in 1973, they probably would see the ideas today...
One thing, my brother wanted was Split in SANCTIONS. Basically a Hobbyists Sanction and Professional Sanction. As he felt then as he feels now...certain Divisions of APBA don't really draw spectators and as a result, should have a lower priced sanction fee. Professional Sanctions would be what Series and Title Series.
Anyway, Bruce, Jr. was always at Parker....One year, when Bunker was about 13...The OMC crew was yelling to back my car down.....and no one was moving, Bunker jumped in. backed the trailer under the boat and pulled it, then, after the repairs were made, he backed it in again...He'd never driven a car, backed a trailer or driven a stick shift...Bucker was an amazing kid...
The year I lost parker by a foot, Russ Jr. told me at the time Dewy Berghauer was driving, that he's figure we could win, IF I could keep it right side up and keep my foot in it....I drove 7 hours and 40 minutes, and lost by a foot.
Here is a picture of Charlie Slough's FLOATER...I borrowed it for the Blythe Marathon, I won....I was the kilo record holder at the time...at 64 MPH. With FULL Marathon tanks, this D Runabout showed me 70 on my Keller...I never got a chance to run this boat in a kilo.....but when I went 70, with my runabout, I felt this floater would have gone 75....