sidewinder tunnel

**Mr.T** · 09-26-2005, 03:09 PM

I remember the Sidwinder tunnels well In 1969 GG called and said I want you torun a twin engine Sidwinder at Parker 9hr. Well I had never driven a twin before. Garys famous words (a piece of cake). He said get there on Mon. you will have 5 days to get some time in it. Spent the week watching roadrunners and other boats test. Kenny finaly arrived Sat. about 6pm. I got the boat in the water after dark for about 10min. My biggest concern was a glassed over plywood fuel tank. Kenny assured me it would be OK and last for the race. It didnt make any differnce because the boat blew a running pad out after 2hrs. and I got wet. Not fun at Parker in March.They took me into bar on the river and insted I drink a cup of coffee with a shot wiskey in it terible taste but did warm me up. This boat was like the ones posted by Large car and Mark 75H. I never saw that boat again. I also had a single engine stacker that year. (Great Boat) I dont think I ever lost in it. I took it back to Oshkosh in 70 and I think Bob Van Epps ended up with it. AS for Kenny Baker I was a sales rep for him and his brothers Dub and Bill in 1973 74 before Thompson took over. Had some contact with them in 75 with Gaurdian Jet Drives but nothing since. Rich Marshall drove the 4points for 2-3yrs. They were fast but like the wings they would not turn.

**willabee** · 12-13-2005, 01:33 PM

T2X...this one's for you

Hopefully, the 1st photo will be clear enough to see the stepped sponsons we were talking about.......in the 2nd one, Roy Zepponi is showing them to all of the folks on the north shore

Roy decided to go kilo record setting just before a Parker race...the boat never made it to Parker.

Originally Posted by T2x

I see all the pictures....I'm still not seeing a 4 point.......

**Mark75H** · 12-13-2005, 06:55 PM

Caption for the second pic should probably be .... "Hope my shoes stay in the boat!" It's amazing how many guys came out of boats and their shoes sayed in

**Mr.T** · 12-14-2005, 09:20 AM

Shoes in boatI blew over in a Ron Jones single in 1969 at Miami Marine Stadium. A week later at Smith Mountain Lake Va. the Mercury guys found my shoes in the nose of the boat. They saved them for me. Meanwhile I was laying in the hospital in Miami

**willabee** · 12-14-2005, 09:48 AM

Mr T - did you loose your shoes on the 1st....2nd.....or 3rd time you flipped that boat in Miami, or did we give them back to you after the first two flips and then decide to just keep them away from you so that you couldn't get back in that thing

You still owe me $12.45 for nonreimbursed money I spent on gas and tolls driving your wife to the hospital with a dry set of clothes and a fresh pack of Camels.

Originally Posted by Mr.T

I blew over in a Ron Jones single in 1969 at Miami Marine Stadium. A week later at Smith Mountain Lake Va. the Mercury guys found my shoes in the nose

**Mr.T** · 12-14-2005, 10:59 AM

WILLABEE The 1st and 2nd times was a barrel roll 3rd times a charm and off to the hospital. Thats when I lost my shoes I will reimburse the $12.45 in BUD LIGHT if you ever get out of Columbus and come to a CHAMP BOAT RACE. You can find the tenative race dates for 2006 at champ boat racing .com. You wasnt the only one taking care of my wife that day. Billy Don literally picked her up in the grand stand and run with her down to the pit area where they brought me in the liter basket

**willabee** · 12-14-2005, 04:03 PM

One of Mr. T's Flips -

Funny how our memory banks recall the same event differently. Mine says it was a very violent snap.....running beautifully and then bam,gone. I thought that he got quite a bit of height and did a 540 ( I think that is one and one half revolutions ) rather than the normal Molinari " kite - stall - 180 ". I sure can be wrong, maybe the barrel rolls were violent and the flip was of the slow, stall variety.

Originally Posted by OLEGATOR

I Was In The Grandstand For That Heat. My Camera Was Laying In The Seat Next To Me. When I Saw You Going, I Had Time To Pick Up The Camera And Get A Shot Of The Rig Completly Airborne. I Thought I Gave You A Copy The Next Time I Saw You. That Sure Was Not A Snap Blowover.

**willabee** · 12-15-2005, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by OLEGATOR

I'm Sure, If He Had Looked, He Could Have Seen Key West.

**willabee** · 12-20-2005, 03:40 PM

Gary Ferguson

A few months ago, you brought up that name and I've been trying to remember why I know it..........well, I finally figured it out. He was very successful in the drag boats. For a while it was either him or Tinker Collinge in the "Molly Bee" that took home the gold in the twin outboard class. Here's a picture of Gary in his Chrysler powered hrdro.

Originally Posted by rnelems

Raceman,I think you got it. Thompson(sp) bought the company after they made their mark with some nice metalflake hot rods,next phase was bowriders with the signature wind shield that opened on the port side instead of the center,cool idea in 1972. But I'm still pretty sure it was Gary Fergason that designed the early ones. Help me out here.Robert

**Dave L.** · 08-26-2013, 07:24 PM

One of those stars and stripe twins belonged to Tahoe Keys Marina, but campaigned with Kenny's boat. I crewed on it I think in 1971. Roy Zepponi did drive it at Havasu that year but it did not finish. Blew a powerhead and the crew at Tahoe Keys had custom wired it so it could not swap. Goofballs. The other boat ran both days (Kenny and Roy sharing driving duties) but finished out of the money. I was a fiberglasser and the boat still competing after the first day was coming apart inside. I spent the entire night reinforcing the inner frames of the boat with fiberglass and was laying in the boat fiberglassing as they drove it to the starting line for day two. It held together for the rest of the race.
The boat did have an uninterrupted tunnel but had interrupted (4-point) sponsons. Went like the Bejesus in a straight line but could not turn a corner to save its life. We used to watch the Sidewinder pass everybody on the straights but when the Molinaris turned the corner, the Sidewinder just kept on going. We estimated that when everybody else was racing a 3 mile lap, we were running 3 and 1/2 miles. I only worked on the boat one year. I think the following year multi-engine boats were eliminated from competition.
I remember we had AC Delco stickers on one side of the boat, and Champion stickers on the other, for sponsor money. We also had STP stickers on the boat for the same reason, the companies would pay you for running with their logos. We never did any place in a mercury outboard to put STP.
I left Tahoe Keys Marina after that year and never did hear what happened to those boats. They were truly beautiful boats. Would love to see a picture of them if anyone has one.

**Powercat** · 08-26-2013, 09:15 PM

http://www.powercatboat.com/ODBR/ODBR.html
On the page link above you will see Gary's name 4 times that he set the mark in drag outboards
The links below show the boats and some of the stories on this racer
http://www.powercatboat.com/ODBR/1962_1963_GF.html
http://www.powercatboat.com/ODBR/Dra..._1972_dnf.html

Danny Leger

Originally Posted by willabee

Gary Ferguson

A few months ago, you brought up that name and I've been trying to remember why I know it..........well, I finally figured it out. He was very successful in the drag boats. For a while it was either him or Tinker Collinge in the "Molly Bee" that took home the gold in the twin outboard class. Here's a picture of Gary in his Chrysler powered hrdro.

**FUJIMO** · 08-27-2013, 08:08 AM

Any tunnel hull with a single step is a 4-point boat. End of discussion.

**WaterZebra** · 09-12-2016, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by willabee

T2X...this one's for you

Hopefully, the 1st photo will be clear enough to see the stepped sponsons we were talking about.......in the 2nd one, Roy Zepponi is showing them to all of the folks on the north shore

Roy decided to go kilo record setting just before a Parker race...the boat never made it to Parker.

One of these hulls just surfaced on Seattle area Craigslist for sale / give away on 09-12-16. Hull is located in Yelm WA!