View Full Version : st louis 30 yrs ago
mike farmer
09-25-2005, 07:26 PM
who won this race? i think bill seebold jim slack & ?
spn#43
09-25-2005, 07:32 PM
Boy.....are you old or what? :D :p :D
mike farmer
09-25-2005, 08:51 PM
i feel like im getting old in a souped up spaceship
rnelems
09-25-2005, 08:54 PM
That was the year I loaned my close friend Jim Bain our SJ McCall for the St.Louis race. Running close to the front midway thru the race he hit a floating crosstie. Boat was completely destroyed,all they brought back was the engine and a small piece of the cowling with the McCall logo on it. Jim kept that piece on his desk as a reminder of how lucky he was to have survived that accident. He died of cancer years ago,but I always remember that small piece of wood and how fragile life is.
slowverado
09-26-2005, 08:21 PM
I have the poster from the first St. Louis GP of my life. August 13th-14th 1983, i didn't go as i was 3 months old, but i made it there in 86 and have only missed 4 St. Louis races since. the poster has hung in my rooms since i've had it, it's been in 2 houses, 1 appartment, and 2 dorm rooms. worth more than my weight in gold.
willabee
09-27-2005, 02:41 PM
Any chance you're related to Clyde, the big guy that used to go to races with Don Clark?
i feel like im getting old in a souped up spaceship
Willabee Mike is Clydes son. You would know this if you would ever get out of Columbus and go to a Champ Boat Race. Mike works with Lynn Simberger #72 Lynn is Harolds son. The team is run by Phyllis if you dont believe it ask her.:)
mike farmer
09-28-2005, 07:50 AM
aint that right
willabee
09-28-2005, 10:38 AM
Unlike you, some of us are not independently wealthy and have to work for a living, making it quite difficult to get to boat races a thousand miles away on weekends. Besides, the boat races of today are not nearly as interesting as those of yesterday:rolleyes:
Thanks for the info, Mike also sent me a PM.
Willabee Mike is Clydes son. You would know this if you would ever get out of Columbus and go to a Champ Boat Race. Mike works with Lynn Simberger #72 Lynn is Harolds son. The team is run by Phyllis if you dont believe it ask her.:)
. Besides, the boat races of today are not nearly as interesting as those of yesterday.
Ain't that the truth.............
When did it change from focusing on talent and innovation....to focusing on net worth and chest thumping?
T2x
mike farmer
09-28-2005, 09:00 PM
willabee you talkin bout when my dad ran with this guy. clyde said to tell you hi & he wondered if you was still with petty?
willabee
09-29-2005, 03:38 PM
You darn right I am -
You give me Parker, all 9 hours , with it's Switzer, DeSilva and Dutchman wings - give me inboards powered by a pair of 426 hemi's - triple engine Jones boats - stackers, all 4 manufacturers - give me guys like Kenny Kitson and Lou Brummett that can drive like hell for all 9 hours - and give me about 100 of these combinations and I'll give you the most exciting BOAT RACING that you will ever experience.
You give me Havasu, all 8 hours, with it's Scotti's, Molinari's, Geechee's and Goat's - stackers, twisters and cowbells - single,dual,triple and quadruple installations - guys like Sirois, McConnell, Sanders who could run on the edge all day long - and give me about 100 of these combinations and BOAT RACING just doesn't get any better.
It was a fun time, filled with great equipment and interesting people ( maybe that should be great people and interesting equipment ) - I feel very fortunate to have been there.
willabee you talkin bout when my dad ran with this guy.
Jim Slack, Jr.
09-29-2005, 04:55 PM
who won this race? i think bill seebold jim slack & ?
I won SJ in 74 & 75.
Jim Slack, Jr.:)
Dave S
09-29-2005, 08:39 PM
They used to have a boat race in NY Broadchannel on cross bay blvd. that was Runnwhatya brung , It was the best boating I ever saw. I bet you guys saw a lot better. ;) Not so many rules and an adventure.
willabee
10-06-2005, 12:43 PM
What did you drive? Do you have any pictures of the boat(s) you won with that you could post? I definitely remember the name, I just can't picture the boat.
I missed alot of the action in the other classes at St.Louis because I was always so busy making sure that all of our stuff was ready to go. That's probably why I can't picture the boat.
I won SJ in 74 & 75.
Jim Slack, Jr.:)
I won SJ in 74 & 75.
Jim Slack, Jr.:)
They had Sport J at big time race like St. Louis?........... :D :D :p
T2x
Jim Slack, Jr.
10-10-2005, 02:50 PM
In 74 I drove a Cougar (English built boat imported by Mac McCune & Johnny Sanders). In 75 I drove a Bowerman (built as an improved version of the Cougar).
Both boats were painted light blue with a white lightning strip on the cowling, boat #369. I will try to find a picture I can scan and post later. js
Jim Slack, Jr.
10-10-2005, 02:52 PM
They had Sport J at big time race like St. Louis?........... :D :D :p
T2x
Yes, It was the largest class both years. In 74 we started 32 boats for a 1 hour marathon on one flag! :eek:
willabee
10-10-2005, 03:24 PM
I remember the Cougars, I think they were built by James Beard. They were predominatly powered by OMC. Don't recall the name Bowerman, must have thought it was your 74 Cougar. Post a picture of each when you can.
In 74 I drove a Cougar (English built boat imported by Mac McCune & Johnny Sanders). In 75 I drove a Bowerman (built as an improved version of the Cougar).
Both boats were painted light blue with a white lightning strip on the cowling, boat #369. I will try to find a picture I can scan and post later. js
Yes, It was the largest class both years. In 74 we started 32 boats for a 1 hour marathon on one flag! :eek:
I know...I was there.
I was joking with ya.
T2x
I remember the Cougars, I think they were built by James Beard. They were predominatly powered by OMC. Don't recall the name Bowerman, must have thought it was your 74 Cougar. Post a picture of each when you can.
You remember them...Most of the "Cougars" in the US were actually built in Florida by Bunky Bowerman.....who also built outboard hydros as I recall. THere were actually very few real James Beard/Clive Curtis English Cougars over here
Jimmy Caldwell had one with a T2x on it.... a bunch of OMC guys ran them......including a fella named Smitty up here in NJ. We always called them Bunky Boats.
After an accident in Rhode Island resulted in major injuries and paraplegia to a driver from Pennsylvania, Bunky had to declare bankruptcy. I was subpoena'd to testify in the trial as a participant in the race. Boat hit a tanker wake in the last turn and the driver never saw it coming.
T2x
willabee
10-11-2005, 11:34 AM
Hey Jim,
I think John just pulled one of those "I really won, but..." routines on you. Guess when you post photos of your boats, you'll have to post a few of your St. Louis trophys too. That should send him back outside to get more paint off of the Wing:)
Hey John,
Talked to Hetzel yesterday. Asked him if he saw your "hello". He said "yep". Asked him if he was going to say"hi" back at you. He said "nope". Said he doesn't know how to work this thing and doesn't plan on learning. Told him I was going to tell you that he said "Sure, I remember John, Just don't like him" ( figured that would shame him into getting on this thread ). He just laughed and said " Don't you dare ".:D
I lapped the field, had a fuel pump problem at the end and placed second to Jim. .
John
willabee
10-11-2005, 11:57 AM
What are you saying the OMC guys drove in the US, Cougars or Bowermans? I thought Sanders, Posey, Woods and Wallace drove Cougars:confused:
You remember them...Most of the "Cougars" in the US were actually built in Florida by Bunky Bowerman...... THere were actually very few real James Beard/Clive Curtis English Cougars over here
Jimmy Caldwell had one with a T2x on it.... a bunch of OMC guys ran them......
T2x
What are you saying the OMC guys drove in the US, Cougars or Bowermans? I thought Sanders, Posey, Woods and Wallace drove Cougars:confused:
Well if Sanders imported them I presume they (Abilene Marine at al) used English Cougars..... but most of the privateers ran Bowermans.....and out of a dozen hulls or so that I personally encountered..... 2/3rds were built by Bunky. I think most of the English hulls came over in one spurt in about 1972....... All of the later built hulls '73-'77 seemed to be from Bunky.
Perhaps Bunky got a US license from Cougar...like Kitson did from Miles.... Or Glastron got from Molinari.
T2x
willabee
10-12-2005, 08:56 AM
Makes sense....I bet what OMC did was have Cougar build the number of boats they needed to cover one of the European tours. Then, since they already owned them, they shipped whatever was still in one piece back to the States. I say that because the first US race that I remember seeing them at was Havasu, which just happens to be the first US race after the European tour.
Well if Sanders imported them I presume they (Abilene Marine at al) used English Cougars..... but most of the privateers ran Bowermans.....and out of a dozen hulls or so that I personally encountered..... 2/3rds were built by Bunky. I think most of the English hulls came over in one spurt in about 1972....... All of the later built hulls '73-'77 seemed to be from Bunky.
Perhaps Bunky got a US license from Cougar...like Kitson did from Miles.... Or Glastron got from Molinari.
T2x
willabee
10-12-2005, 09:01 AM
Please tell Emery that I said "Hi" and ask if he remembers the bathroom scene in Como:eek:
willabee: I will see JD this am and will show him the picture you posted of the Mercury Team, 1972 in Miami, Jim is getting the truck ready for a boat race.
John
Makes sense....I bet what OMC did was have Cougar build the number of boats they needed to cover one of the European tours. Then, since they already owned them, they shipped whatever was still in one piece back to the States. I say that because the first US race that I remember seeing them at was Havasu, which just happens to be the first US race after the European tour.
Funny thing is....all of the builders ( Molinari, Scotti, Miles, Seebold,
Velden, Jones, Sidewinder ....etc) .....except Cougar...... came out with pickle fork variants about the time the Cougars hit the US..... However, neither Cougar, nor Bowerman ever made that adaptation to my knowledge.
I think Cougar's pickle forks were all built for offshore use.
Things that make you go hmmmmmm!
T2x
willabee
10-18-2005, 03:51 PM
What's the word from Mr. Emerson?
I will do that.
willabee
10-19-2005, 10:18 AM
A JIM EMERSON STORY
We were in good shape in terms of getting things ready for Paris and I needed a break. I asked Jim to come up with some BS reason to have to go to Como that afternoon. He announced that he needed some stuff for the refueling rig and I said I'd give him a hand.
We were in our third or fourth saloon when we both really needed to get rid of some of the beer we had consumed. At that point we were not smart enough to remember it's called a water closet, so we had great difficulty in communicating with the Italians about what we were trying to find. Finally a patron figured it out and gave us directions.
We went into a back room area and opened every door except the one that was locked and no bathroom. I said it's got to be behind that door that is stuck, so I'll force it open. I gave it a shoulder, but it didn't move. I asked Jim to help. We both hit it with a shoulder and it opened.
Yep, there it was. A small square room with a single toilet, a sink and, unfortunately, a 85 year old woman trying to do her business. I'll never forget the expression on her face ( I thought she was going to have a heart attack ). We muttered some sort of apology and then promptly got the H out of town.
I said to Jim the next day " Well, I've now played hooky with you twice - the first and last time all in one fell swoop.":D
First he wants to say Hi and second he has to think about Como.
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