I Remember When Mercury Marine Supported Boat Racing

[Ron Hill]

Now days and for the past 50 years Mercury Marine has used boat racing as a profit center. They have been able to pull off NON SUPPORT via politics, rule changes and groups like APBA taking Mercury's crap and smiling.

Mercury has always wanted to win, but they have always wanted to say who wins with a Mercury.

Here are two pictures from the OLD DAYS, 1955. 115 Mile Needles Marathon, winner, Ronnie Rima from Newport Beach, California win a new Mercury motor for winning the race.

Mark 20-H's in BU race their brains out for trophies with new GOLD Mercury motors. No support from Mercury! Buy a Mercury motor in 1955 and you can go racing and win trophies.

[Prolog2]

My dad and his brother (Doc Jones) owned a Mercury distributorship in Seattle during the early 50's. They went to Phoenix in 1955 and became Evinrude distributors because of policy changes at Mercury. Later. they hooked up their with friend (Hugh Entrop) from Seattle who worked for Boeing and who designed and built the boat which set the outboard world record with essentially a stock Starflite V4. Hugh raced F Hydros in a custom cabover he built and won every race he was in. Later they broke the record several times with modified Evinrudes. Dad always said that Mercury couldn't break the record cause they didn't have the boat. Remember Pep Hubble being involved in all this too.

[DeanFHobart]

My dad and his brother (Doc Jones) owned a Mercury distributorship in Seattle during the early 50's. They went to Phoenix in 1955 and became Evinrude distributors because of policy changes at Mercury. Later. they hooked up their with friend (Hugh Entrop) from Seattle who worked for Boeing and who designed and built the boat which set the outboard world record with essentially a stock Starflite V4. Hugh raced F Hydros in a custom cabover he built and won every race he was in. Later they broke the record several times with modified Evinrudes. Dad always said that Mercury couldn't break the record cause they didn't have the boat. Remember Pep Hubble being involved in all this too.

The good ole days.

[Prolog2]

As a corollary to all this. I remember Mercury's were used exclusively for Stock A, D Hydro and Runabout and F Hydro.
Not sure if there was F runabout. But I suspect it would beat one to death. Sorta remember two drivers in case one got bounced out.
The other guy could keep racing.

[Ron Hill]

Lake Saguaro, Phoenix, Arizona: Russ Hill Led Hugh Entrop

I wasn't old enough to drive "Alkies" in '57, but I went with my brother and John Drake to the race at Lake Saguaro. The Arizona Navy always paid good money to race and many a top driver showed up as a result. Also, "Step Up's were legal. So, my brother "Stepped Up" with his C Hydro into F Hydro. There was no D Hydro in those days. My brother got a good start, for once, and was leading Hugh on the first lap. I think Hugh had held back as I think he was on his way home to Washington after setting a record, because Jack Leek was there with his Cabover C Mercury (Alky burning). Jack didn't "Step Up". Anyway Hugh's throttle wire broke and he never passed my brother in this heat. My brother won F Hydro but ran second to Leek in C Hydro. Fun weekend.

Not to cause an argument, but my brother beat Hugh Entrop at Lake Saguaro, 1957. Hugh broke a throttle wire. But my brother was ahead at the time.

Also, around this time my dad helped Pep Hubbell for years. I know my dad went back farther, but I remember listen to the 1950 Indy 500, at Pep's shop.

My dad was a painter contractor by trade but he made many patterns for Pep. In fact, he traded a KR "A" lower unit pattern for my first bicycle in 1950. Pep got his name because he rode his bicycle to work. For many years he was the Senior Olympic Champion in the Hammer Throw.

My dad's patterns mahogany and spackle....

I recently got this "Match Plate" from Karl Williams who purchased most of Pep's patterns. I am reasonably sure this "Match Plate" was used for the Starflite or Star Fire Record.

Doc C.W. Jones did so much for OMC racing and more than a ton for my racing career.

[Prolog2]

Lake Saguaro, Phoenix, Arizona: Russ Hill Led Hugh Entrop

I wasn't old enough to drive "Alkies" in '57, but I went with my brother and John Drake to the race at Lake Saguaro. The Arizona Navy always paid good money to race and many a top driver showed up as a result. Also, "Step Up's were legal. So, my brother "Stepped Up" with his C Hydro into F Hydro. There was no D Hydro in those days. My brother got a good start, for once, and was leading Hugh on the first lap. I think Hugh had held back as I think he was on his way home to Washington after setting a record, because Jack Leek was there with his Cabover C Mercury (Alky burning). Jack didn't "Step Up". Anyway Hugh's throttle wire broke and he never passed my brother in this heat. My brother won F Hydro but ran second to Leek in C Hydro. Fun weekend.

Not to cause an argument, but my brother beat Hugh Entrop at Lake Saguaro, 1957. Hugh broke a throttle wire. But my brother was ahead at the time.

Also, around this time my dad helped Pep Hubbell for years. I know my dad went back farther, but I remember listen to the 1950 Indy 500, at Pep's shop.

My dad was a painter contractor by trade but he made many patterns for Pep. In fact, he traded a KR "A" lower unit pattern for my first bicycle in 1950. Pep got his name because he rode his bicycle to work. For many years he was the Senior Olympic Champion in the Hammer Throw.

My dad's patterns mahogany and spackle....

I recently got this "Match Plate" from Karl Williams who purchased most of Pep's patterns. I am reasonably sure this "Match Plate" was used for the Starflite or Star Fire Record.

Doc C.W. Jones did so much for OMC racing and more than a ton for my racing career.

No argument at all. Was a kid. But I remember Hugh was revered in my family. He helped me build a model airplane with which I actually won a "rat racing" contest. .29 Dueling motor among a lot of Fox 35's. Hope to post some old photos I have when I find them.

[DeanFHobart]

No argument at all. Was a kid. But I remember Hugh was revered in my family. He helped me build a model airplane with which I actually won a "rat racing" contest. .29 Dueling motor among a lot of Fox 35's. Hope to post some old photos I have when I find them.

Hugh Entrop was way ahead in his time.

[Prolog2]

While I'm here. Uncle Doc raced what was called at the time "C Racing". Meaning there was some nitro in that alcohol fuel. Along with caster oil of course. C-Service had no nitro. And I remember "Hot Shot" dry cell batteries for ignition for those opposed firing motors. Also remember Doc flipping once, cause cabovers got airborne easily. When the boat got hauled in, both pistons were hanging out of that motor. Will never forget that. He was ok.

[Ron Hill]

A couple of things that you might not have completely right.

I don't remember Doc's C Service. But his Racing C, was the same as my dad's Evinrude. It was a 6042 Model, Hex Head motor. We called it a "Six Stud".

In those days Racing motors like the 6042 Evinrude and the PR 65 Johnson were built for alcohol burning race motors. They both had detachable heads, and roller and I think needle bears on the crankshaft.

Service C's were either Johnson P50's with detachable heads, or the EVINRUDE SPEEDITWIN cast in heads. My dad had a P50 that was fast but when he blew it up he quit racing C Service. C service motors had brass bearing on the crank.

C Racing and C Service were both 30 cubic inches.

Nitro was legal in either class but we never ran nitro as it was corrosive as hell and my dad had seen the result ruining carbs brass jets and the like.

I won the 1967 John Ward Trophy Race (500 CC World Championships) driving Harry Bartolomei Konig, with Nitro added. Only time I ever ran nitro.

The Evinrude 6042 cylinders had a large content nickel mixed with cast iron and when Doc "Blew Over" the cylinders were much stronger than the aluminum crankcase.

My brother spilled his DeSilva Runabout in C Racing Runabout, and blew 8 ears off Hubbell cylinders.

Racing and Service were two different classes but fuel isn't what made them different.

Thanks for posting, I feel close to Doc when you do....Doc started Evinrude/Johnson's racing Division with Charlie Strang.

Add: WE USED A ACID FILLED BATTERY, "HOT SHOTS" WERE TOO EXPENSIVE.

[Prolog2]

Thanks for the information about those motors. My dad raced C-Service. Probably too slow for Doc. I have a recollection of a machine shop in Phoenix that made parts for those engines. And I remember the name Hubble came up a lot. But we made a lot of trips to LA and raced in San Diego. So, I might be confused there. Remember traveling with Doc to LA in his red Chrysler 300F. We were pulling two hydroplanes stacked on on a trailor. That was some car. And it went really fast. Think the meeting was about the impending world record attempt. Met up with my dad (JP) in San Diego later. Great information about great times. BTW: Doc and JP had a friend named Rocky Stone, from Oregon. Think he raced runabouts.