APBA National Meeting: 2008

[Dago Fast]

Anyone have a report on the happenings at the meeting. What about you Ron, didn't you go?

Thanks

[Ron Hill]

5:30 Wednesday morning, the morning I left for Detroit...Fred Hauenstein called to see if I had a reservation for the DINNER....I said "Ben Marrone had me a reservation....So, after being woke up at 5:30 I finished packing and never went back to sleep...I got to Detroit about 1:00 A.M. Thursday morning and I checked in my room that Ben Marrone had reserved for me. All I knew was I was supposed to stay with "JACK", Plan B's Crew Chief....I went up to room 724 and tried to use my key...Someone by the name of Jack told me I was at the wrong room.

So, I went back down staris and told them "Jack" wouldn't let me in. The guy at the desk rang "JACK" in room 724 and told him Ron Hill was to stay in his room. Jack said, "He had his wife with him and he didn't know Ron Hill."

So, I got my own room and finally got to bed about 2:00...at 3:30 "Jack" is beating on my door wanting in. Jack said, "He, Ben Marrone and Paul Grichar had a three hour delay and had just gotten in"...Jack had no clue who was in room 724.....we were in room 635...

Thursday morning I got up, missed the free breakfast......Went down and paid for registration and explained I had a reservation for the Hall of Champions Party... All the hard working women there, Laurie Allen, Kay Boyes, Linda Hauenstein, Penny Anderson.....to name a few, told me they really got a big laugh about Freddy Hauenstein waking me up at 5:30 to see if I had a ticket....Actually, everyone was VERY NICE to me...even though I was a grouch!!!!

Truth is, I went to the APBA Meeting in Detroit, 13 years ago, and just took my old minutes with me....figured that way I wouldn't have to go to all the meetings...just re-read the old minutes...

I went to the J Committee Meeting, but there were no chairs, so I sat on the floor til my butt hurt and when Fred Miller (Hall fo Champions Fred) left, I followed...

Went to the bar and found GN-7 (Bob Graff), Body Snatcher (Ted Kolby), and Tony Scarlata...I ate their left over pizza....

Fooled around the rest of the day...talking about Vintage E Runabout...a POSSIBLE NEW Inboard Endurance Class with a SMALL BLOCK...I looked at the new Sidewinder 15 Outboard Motors...Told a few stories.

At 6 everyone went to the Roush Racing Auto Museum...ate a nice Italian meal and checked out Jack's cars...Coolest thing was his airplane that he'd crashed and managed to get rescued by a fireman...crashed in to a river, if you remember.

Didn't stay up too late, as the hospitality room wasn't open and my first round of drinks was 61 dollars....(5 drinks)....didn't want to buy another....

Friday, I got up determined to talk to Tana Moore (editor of the Propeller Magazine) and talk about the children's book I am writing.....and determined to find some one with free booze.....(Room 638....Region 11's Chairman was my first guess)...and a good guess....

Went to no meetings Friday, just looked at my old notes, talked to lots of people, gave away 50 posters from the Depue Reunion. Had a great breakfast in the hotel...then a SUPER CHEESBURGER for lunch. Talked props with Girch, Ben and Tony...Realized why I got a call at 5:30 A.M....I didn't have a ticket for the Inboard Party Friday...but Grich bought me one...

Talked and had a great time until about 12:30 A.M......Poor Jack, my roommate, was sick from Wednesday until we left Sunday.....actually, he was sick as hell on the way home...

Saturday, fooled around with Ted and Bob and we missed the Annual Meeting that Ted was to make a report at...

Saturday night was the Honor Squadron induction and Hall of Champions...This is why I went, and it was worth it...I got to wear my Honor Squadron medal and stand in front while Ed Heard and Duke Waldrup were inducted...Both great people, though Ed doesn't have any gray hair and Duke ain't got no hair! The rest of us Honor Squdron members got lots of gray hair...Where was Norm Schwab......?

I went to Detroit to have FUN...and support Region 12's ONLY APBA HALL OF CHAMPIONS INDUCTEE: Paul Grichar. I didn't go to argue rules as I didn't plan and don't plan to change anyone. Everyone has thier own ladder to sit on...I just wish they'd sit on an eight foot ladder rather than a five foot ladder...

Had a great flight going and a great flight coming home. Got home in time to see a SUPER Super Bowl...

I know this ain't a REPORT on the National Meeting, I guess I may be writing parts of Region 12's monthly article...

My hat is off to Plan B's owner, Ben Marrone, and driver Paul Grichar...Paul has been racing for about 40 years, this his third HOC induction, Paul is also on the Inboard Commission.

This 2008 APBA Convention was one of the largest in history, I credit the internet for creating interest in Boat Racing. APBA really is a member run organization and it was good to see that almost ever division had 100 per cent of their commissioners attend their meetings.

[Ron Hill]

Valerie's dad is known as Captain America...a name he got back when I was doing his props in the 1970's. Matt D'Agostino is also a HOC member. I and others call Valerie Miss America...besides being a great looker, she is a real charmer...I had her give me her autograph...

[Ron Hill]

Tim was born in 1964. I first saw him at DePue, 1966....I got his farther, Bill Seebold Jr. to go talk to Mercury. When Bolly was driving for Mercury, Timmy and Grandpa Seebold raced together. I'm not sure how long but for more than 15 years....Timmy developed into a great driver and quite a businessman... I enjoyed Timmy and Billy stories at the convention...Seems we're all slept in a car more often than we'd like to tell...and maybe driven a few thousand miles with wet CROUCHES.....Timmy, like his grandfather, brother Mike, and his dad...love boat racing with all their heart...They don't do it for money, they do it for FAMILY, FRIENDS and FUN....

[Ron Hill]

Paul has a bad arm from Boat Racing, and without Boat racing friends could easily slipped into an angry injured old man. Tom Doidge helped Paul, daily, while he recovered.

Grich with the help of Ben Marrone's Plan B Team with "Lay Low" this season with their GN, as they plan to run Plan B as a K Boat agains the Australians this summer at Long Beach...in the 2008 Automotive Championship are here in the USA...

Paul Grichar knows engines, he knows set ups, he knows how to drive...I've heard he can sort of ride a horse but has to always follow leader when riding.........with women...

Paul serves on the APBA Inboard Racing Commission and is a real asset to Boat Racing...Paul was inducted into the HOC for racing seasons, 1974, 2006 and 2007.

[Ron Hill]

Kurt's sister, Amy was inducted to the HOC a few years back...The Racing Nydahl's go back along ways. Father Pete was about two when I met him in DePue, 1967.

Ben Marrone asked me, Sunday morning, if I'd seen my picture in the book Tunnel Boat designs. Ben said he was reading it and saw me driving a twin engine boat with two Evinrudes. I asked If I was sitting in the middle of the boat or off to the side...Then, before he answered, I said, "Remember that J Runabout driver, Kurt Nydahl? Again, before Ben could answer I said, Kurt's grandfather built those two Evinrudes for me when I raced for OMC..."

Pete Nydahl and I talked about his father, Ray Nydahl, and about the great racing hardware Ray designed. The name Nydahl runs deep in Boat Racing history...As Pete says, they are going back to their roots....family, fun and friends...

Congratulation, Kurt and the Nydahl Family....

[Ron Hill]

Somehow, when I see Orange Blossom Special, I think of Dan's uncle, the late Jim Hauenstein...I think Jimmy liked the Orange Blossom Special as much as I liked the Ring of Fire....

Danny Hauenstein gave a speech that would have made any parent proud. Danny made me proud tha he included my name in his speech.

Danny said something like, "At the Winter Nationals in Bakersfield, 2007, hearing Ronnie Hill tell stories about the Hauenstein History in Boat racing make me want to be closer to my family." I took this to mean he'd had a great year with his family racing.

Craig DeWald is quoted as saying Fred Hauenstein is the soul of APBA.

The way Danny acts, talks and thinks, he could be the leader of APBA in the future...follow in his father's foot steps...

I was happy to meet Dan's wife.....

[Ron Hill]

I've written about HOC people that I know well or at least know their families well...

Tony Lombardo's dad reminds me he's Tony's dad evertime we meet...Next, time I see him I'v]m going to yell..."Hey Tony...how's your HOC KID TONY???"

Tony Lombardo is a fine young man..I've watched him grow into a young man...He's been a good driver from the first time I saw him...Congratulations, Tony...

I don't really know Paul Pittman, except that I know he teaches at like Indiana State...and is sponsored by Turbo Propellers...Jennifer Boo was at the HOC Event... She, her brother Chris "TURBO" and dad Jim are three of the nicest people in the WORLD...Paul has to be a nice guy to have thembe his sponsor...

Sam Labanco was working for OMC when I raced there. I didn't really know him but do know he is now head of the APBA Safety Committee and is a hard worker for APBA...

Congatrulations all 2007 HOC Members...

[p28 renegade]

nice recap mr hill
hey dago fast boats i emailed you before i left for detroit on info needed for the prospect isleton race. pleae respond or email me back from an email address that works

[Ron Hill]

Thanks Julian, I actually forgot my "meeting with Cracker Box people"...I TOTALLY enjoyed talking to Steve Tustison, yourself (Julian Rucki)...Had a nice talk with Jeff Hansen....said, "Hello" to Brett Mann several times, but never really had a chance to talk...

Eddie Solis's driver...Scott Schatz (P-9) and I talked long enough to make plans to build a new Fiber Glass Dawe J Hydro...Stay tuned, Scott has two nephews he wants in J boats...

I guess from talking to Tom Patterson that his "FIN" is legal and that maybe an eighth inch tunnel will be legal???

I don't like the fin rule, but I'm not in the class. Cracker Box is the oldest and BEST class in APBA...The rules should say where the FINS GO...and what a fin looks like. Drivers/owners vote on rules...

Anyway, the Cracker Box guys that I know are what I consider the HEART OF APBA...They come, they race, they have fun with family and friends...They don't look for publicity, they come to the races because they want to race....

I'm expecting another great season of Cracker Box Racing...

Here are names of attendees and teams they represented:


Julian Rucki IRC Commissioner P-28 renegade & P-111 Quacker Box & P-300 Triple Trouble
Tom Patterson 44-P sparkler
Bob Overcashe 80-P Hot Cinders
Scott Shatz P-9 Miss Suncoast
Dwight Moody, Sr. and Jr. 66-P Mr. Magoo
Bob Patterson 66-P Mr. Magoo
Joe Fritch P-74 /P-11 Clean Logic
Steve Tustison P-74/P-1 Clean Logic
Jeff Hansen P-74/P-1 Clean Logic
Ron Morrison Crackerbox Class