Buddy Byers, Jr.

**Ron Hill** · 02-10-2007

Let me be the first to admit, I don't feel Boat Racing has gotten its true "DO" as other sports have... Week before last, I attended the APBA NATIONAL CONVENTION at the LAX Marriott...

I have to shamelessly admit, I was the only one in the BAR selling propellers...Hell, I sold $600 worth, covered my bar bill..

I went to a few meetings, took some pictures...didn't mean to YAWN....and left...

I wanted to go to the DRAG meeting...as in DRAG RACING...and I also wanted to go to the Historical Society Meeting...As luck would have it, both meeting were the same time...

So, As I grabbed FREE LUNCH at the Historical Society Meeting I went to the Drap meeting and the three of us there, handled our meeting rather quickly!!!

As I went back to the Historical Society meeting, I decidied I like their meeting... They give away 80% of their profit for the year. This year, they had around $17,000 to give away...Didn't really hear where thye gave the BREAD, but they did buy 5 or 6 Sorensen A HYDRO KITS to build boats for kids...Great IDEA, in my opinion...

Then Buddy Byers, who Chairs the Historical Society, mentioned that Edgar Rose had donated something...sounded like money but missed it... And the Gary Garbrecht family had donated Gary's helmet collection...

Truth is, the APBA Historical Soeciety has one goal, to HELP BOAT RACING..They will take any donation...cash is is best, but other stuff will be taken.

It was told that Buddy Byers pays APBA $200 a month for the APBA Historical Society Museum, out of his personal account. It ain't millions, but Buddy has also given the Historical Society some large sums...

I've know Buddy since about 1976, but I felt very humble as he ran this Historical Society's meeting. Buddy raced outboards, and becasue his family owned a Chrysler Auto Dealership, was offered help from DeSoto to race inboards...

Buddy was hurt driving Miss Chrysler in 1966 at the Orange Bowl Regatta...

I took several pictures of Buddy and his wife, Diane...at the 2007 convention, but seem to have lost them...

In clsoing here, I'd thank Buddy Byers, Jr, for all his work for boat racing...Thanks, Buddy!!!

Buddy told me, had he not been hurt, he'd have driven Bill Harrah's Tahoe Miss in 1967, at a salary of $100,000 a year....Buddy recently sold his half dollar collection for 3.8 million dollars...He said he use to just pick up half dollars where ever they went racing...

**Ron Hill** · 02-11-2007

Actually, That's What Buddy Said.

Actually, I was re reading my notes...Buddy said it was DeSoto that asked him to use their motor in a hydroplane is why he quit racing outboards...Buddy raced C Service, C Racing and F before he raced inboards...

Buddy said he started racing at 14 and has been in racing 64 four years...He didn't say how old he was, but he was full of life and a pleasure to be in a meeting with, and a pleasure to be around...

Thanks, Buddy.....I hope I can give back as MUCH AS I'VE TAKEN...

**Ron Hill** · 03-31-2014

I probably. knew this all along, but Buddy RACED 460 Evinrude... Some great pictures here, not sure about the with the America flag. Don't think it is a "Racer".

**Ron Hill** · 02-06-2024

Racer, advocate, philanthropist, founder of the APBA Historical Society- we lost a hero of boat racing on December 6th.
Race in peace, Buddy Byers.

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 02-08-2024

My Dad first met Buddy in Cincinatti in 1973 when he first became a council member. At a bar after one of the daily sessions my Dad heard a group of unlimited guys talking about how hard it was to find engines anymore. Buddy was among that group. My Dad, Baldy Baldwin, told him he knew where a whole bunch of them were. That got their attention. Maybe some Rolls, but mostly Allisons were being used in the Texas oilfields by Halliburton, Schlumberger, The Western Company, Dowell and others for pumping services. Some of the jobs required pumping 500 to 1000 gallons a minute up to 10,000 psi or more. That required a lot of reliable horsepower. They became friends after that.

My Dad introduced me to Buddy as we were dining one evening at the Portland Oregon meeting. I have a letter somewhere from Buddy asking my Dad for support for I think another council member election. He did a lot to help APBA. I wonder if the historical society museum wants any more stuff. It would be a way to honor Buddy for establishing that museum. When he kicked it off, I planned to send some pictures of some of the icons I had taken pictures of but never did. Too much work and not enough time. Maybe now I can if they are still interested in other stuff.