2004 Last year for Miss Budwieser

[Mark75H]

link (http://www.myinky.com/ecp/local_sports/article/0,1626,ECP_749_2694081,00.html)

Note that is does not say that the boat will be retired, only that it will not be sponsored by AB.

There are plans for a kilo run for the Miss Bud this year. Look for it to set a new prop driven speed record that may stand for some time.

[crazy horse]

That really doesn't surprise me, After Bernie died :( .

[DarthVMAX]

Didn't they "unofficially" hit 234 mph at one time?

It just won't be the same without seeing that gorgeous red boat tearing up the H2o.:(

[Raceman]

Even if you don't care about U boat racing (which I don't), it's sad to see a great ikon like Bernie Little, who did so much for the sport pass, and the consequential retirement of the Miss Budweiser. The red boat WAS unlimited racing for as far back as I can remember and certainly dominant. Bernies shoes would be hard for anybody to fill.

[mendo]

U boat racing is big in Seattle. Huge crowds and support.

Would love to see that support for Drags.

Anyone know when or if they go for the record, I would love to see it. :eek:



Mendo

[Trikki1010]

Really RM,

Think about it, you can be into any sport in the world, and I would have to say Bernie Little's name would probably come up first:D 39 years, 139 wins, 20 World Championchips and 13 APBA Gold Cups...

He built a rocket for years and strapped in the likes of Hanauer, Villcock, Kropfeld. I'd say for the better part, it was up to the driver to muscles it home:D

Check this out, 1980's Uclass w/ 2,240 ci RollsRoyce-Griffin

Hard NOT to enjoy SPEED RM ;)

[Rusrog]

I rememeber reading a lot about the battles between Dean Chenoweth(sp?) and Bill Muncey... While I never saw them in person I bet that would have been great to watch...

Cool pic....

Russ Rogers
Ft Worth TX

[crazy horse]

The first boat race I ever saw was down on the Detroit river. My grand parents lived off Jefferson and you could hear the boats from there. I think I was about ten years old and my Dad and my grandfather were Bud fans and they took me down to watch the races . That was about 40 years ago and I can still here those aircraft engine's screamin . For a ten year old there was nothing on earth like it .

[DarthVMAX]

They came to my neck of the woods (Kansas) two years in a row (either 1978-79 or 79-80) I was about ten yrs old at the time. This was pre-turbine, I can still hear those P-51 motors howling down the straight-a-way. Back then it was the Atlas Van Lines boat (Muncie?) that was kicking a$$ and taking names!
I was hooked from then on.

Dang I wish they would come back to Oz!:(

[Kavalk]

Here's an earlier version.
This was at Lake Chelan last September along with a few others.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Those were the days! I knew Bill Muncie (Atlas Van Lines)through my dad, although I was only a little kid at the time, I remember he always had time to stop with a kind word. (I also remember hydroplane racing once a month at the Miami Marine Stadium)

[Wile E. Coyote]

I know its off the topic, but heres another one

My father
Lou Nuta
Charlie Dunn

[Kavalk]

Another shot, on the tilt trailer.

[mendo]

Is that thing privatly owned? It is great that they ran it!! What did it sound like??

Mendo

[Kavalk]

They didn't really wind it out though. There's two seats in it and they were taking passengers.
If you're into it, check the APBA schedule for this year's event.

[CRMERC]

U boat racing probaly wont survive without bernie and bud. I cant recall there being to many teams with bucks and perciverance.

[MAJOR HAVOC]

Yep, grew up watching the U's compete for the Gold Cup on the Detroit River.

Somehow, it wasn't the same for me anymore when they went to the turbines. Sure, the speed's there with the turbines, but there is absolutely NOTHING that compares to hearing those Rolls Royce engines screaming bloody murder.

It's called the "Thunderfest", but my buddy made the comment that since turbines took over, it's more like the "Whistle-fest" because of the sound they make.

I always hoped they'd start a non-turbine "U2" class for boats that ran the RR engines, but nope, they just went away.

For that matter, the Gold Cup itself has been threatening to go away for the last couple years.... almost cancelled last year due to lack of sponsorship. More Detroit bungling...

[David]

Maybe the racing will be more competitive without Bud. That is the optimistic view. For sure it will be slower.

I'd hate to see the unlimiteds go away.

You can hear the boats (even the turbines) from my back yard. Some years the racing isn't that competitive but seeing one unlimited running hard is pretty cool.

This year is the 100th anniversary Gold Cup. I have to miss it as it is the same weekend as the RM Auto Restoration 25th anniversary. Porsche 917 + Phil Hill and a whole lot more.

David
Windsor (across the river from Detroit)

[lilabner]

The first pict you posted was Johnny White in Black Magic...I remember Ray de Rome and Lou Nuta running Roman Candle..Bob Seever in Skylark, Fuzzy Furlong in Cest Magnific...Charlie in Miss Washington DC..Lew Kohler in Tootsie..Dave Craig in Miami Boy..Bob Moore,Sam Sarra,Pop Smith
and more..
I grew up boat racing in Miami from 1958...who was your Dad..I had to know him..

Butch Stokes

[Kavalk]

If you cant keep up
You can't catch up

[Kavalk]

Check the altitude

[Trikki1010]

Dean Chenoweth went out with that boat (1980), won the first five races and barrel rolled it on the sixth. Chenoweth was killed in a blow-over qualifying in 1982.

Bud claims he was one of their most skilled drivers....

Almost forgot, thanks Rosrog:D

[Wile E. Coyote]

Lilabner

Nope that first picture was my father (Bill Goodwin) in the F909 BLACK MAGIC I dont know if he was the original owner (commisioined the boat from lauterbach) but I do know that it was the original wood boat. My understanding is that there were three fiberglass pops made from the original......

My father and his partner (Max Saylor) owned three boats (266 and later 5 litre) the F8 and F48 Miss Kathleen and the last was the Black Magic

I have been trying to locate any of his old boats to restore but it dont look good......

[lilabner]

Johnny owned the wood boat for as long as I remember..I remember Max...a hell of a driver..Johnny had a bar on LeJeune Road called Mothers..all the racers hung out there..in fact Dale Disher was married there...Dale pulled Lew Kohler out when he was killed...I remember your Dad's name but in 64 I went in the service...Charlie Dunn was a close buddy..I rigged his ob's back then..and my boss built Bob Seevers engines at Dade Marine..
I have some old newspaper clips and movies of those days...

[Wile E. Coyote]

Small world! My father owned the F909 boat in the last part of the 60's (68?) and up to I think 72. After he flipped it the second time he had had enough (besides I was just old enough to start asking the serious question(how long till I can drive it?))
The last I heard Max had taken the boat to the keys and when he died the boat was already gone......
Somewhere I have a TON of the old Orange Bowl Regatta programs and some from all over the state....
My father and his partner Dixie Hyder owned several bars in the Miami Springs/Hialeah area in the late 80's and early 90's.....

It is truly ashame that most of the boats and the racing from that era is gone....:(

[Steve Zuckerman]

Wile' and Lil Abner,
Whatever happened to the Marine Stadium? I saw one race there
as a tourist a loong time ago. I thought it was a tremendous facility for racing. A little tight for the Uboats, maybe, but that made for some pretty cool racing in the corners:cool: .................
Regards,
Steve
PS Were all the races there circle races? Did they ever drag race?

[STV_Keith]

Man, that was a cool place. My dad (CustomPerformance1) used to run the smaller J-production and SV boats there. I still remember seeing the U's there, and the first turbines (first one I saw was Pay N Pac).

Steve, hurricane Andrew went through and really messed the place up. They never tore it down, but condemded the structure. It's just sitting there unused now.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Steve,
This was the story I heard......

What killed racing (of all sorts) was the city of Miami. They donated the facility, cranes service (under contract with the city) and most of the other services......Well government greed being what it is they demanded an OBSCENE amount of money for the use of the facility, no more freebies. As far as the stadium its self they never kept up with the maintnance. The last time I was there (in 88?) it was a condemned property. If it is still standing I would be suprised. To the best of my knowlege it was never used for drag racing. The location is good but there are some WICKED rollers and wind gusts in the closed end of the lagoon......

I remember the Pay'N'Pac...It was the first turbine I ever saw as well..Hated it, so did everyone else at the time....there was no noise! Well just a whistle.....

[Mark75H]

The stadium still stands and 2 groups are playing dualing architects over whether is should be torn down or repaired.

One thing that stands in the way of tearing it down is the deed that only allows boat racing on the property. The city accepted the property with that restriction.

[lilabner]

They had one "drag" in the stadium right after it was built..I know cause I ran in it...You didn't even need a helmet in my class..
After Andrew, and the damage wasn't too bad depending on who you hear it from,(the city said it was totaled)..Bernie Little sent in some engineers to look at the facility...he made the city an offer to fix it up first class in return for the concessions at all events..the jerkoff city fathers couldn't pocket enough money on a deal like that so it was refused...It's still there looking very sad..

[lilabner]

I think they have had as many concerts there as races...