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Roy and Bob Willard, Oildale, California
I just met Tom Willard, Roy's grandson. Roy has been gone since about 1985. Bobby is living in Park City, Utah.
Bob Willard raced A-B-C-D Runabout a A and B Hydro. He and his dad made the trip to the Puddle in Venice, California from Oildale, for 39 straight weeks during the days of TV's Speedboat Rodeo...
There are many more pictures...This is Bobby getting some Sta-Lube oil from Lenny Newman, the Producer of Speedboat Rodeo, this was on LIVE TV.
Picture 1: 4-US was Bob Parish. 3-C Bob Willard and I'm not sure where.
Picture 2: 1-C Bob Willard at Brawley, 289-C was a DeSilva driven by George Rosenthal, Jr. The name of the boat was HURRICANE SUZY, TOO.
Picture three; 137-C is Puddingstone in either A or B Hydro, Bob Willard getting wet.
Picture 4: B-292-C is the late John Craven driving "Raven Craven" a Champion Hull and a Champion Hot Rod motor. 340-C is Ward Rogers, and the Chrysler (Dodge truck) on the back is the Willard's turck. Bob's son, Tom worked for Chrysler for 30 years.
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More PRE 1959 Willard Pictures
Baby Bullet, don't know who owned it....But I did know it was a Switzer Craft.
Many stories could be told here. Bob Willard was quite a racer, his dad, Roy, is accepting an award in the third picture. Ray Harris is the Commodore passing out High Point Trophies.
In the first picture in the lower right hand corner, is Lee Morehouse, famous for building Morehouse Boats.
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There Probably Is A Story Behind Each Picture
Once I get these pictures all posted, I'll go back and tell some stories.
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More Bob Willard Pictures
D-1-C. New Willard DU, racing at Hart Park, Bakersfield, California.
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Tom Willard Brought These Pictures By
Tom Willard is Bob Willard's son. Bob is living in Park City, Utah a snow skis everyday and 80 years old. We raced on TV for 39 straight weeks, Bob and his dad, Roy, made the run from Oil Dale to Lake Los Angeles (The Puddle) 39 straight weeks. Roy and Bob became very good boat builders besides boat racers.
Roy was Vice-President of the Boat Racing Syndicate, of course I was the President. Vice President GOT to pay for the roller coaster rides and bumper cars at Balboa Park when we raced in San Diego.
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Lake Los Angeles, 1957, Not TV, Lake Weist, March 1957
I never gave it much thought, but once TV racing stopped we started down hill in numbers of boats and numbers of races. When Mercury cared about selling outboard motors, they promoted racing, Havasu cared about selling land, they promoted racing. Many of us were so busying racing, we didn't have time to PROMOTE.