Odell with Gene Lanham and talking with Charlie Wolff
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Odell with Gene Lanham and talking with Charlie Wolff
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Mike - hHere is Odell with Phil Schenk. Hopefully you have some pictures from "Back in the Day". If you do, I can help you to post them on this thread. Best Regards - Steve
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Just curious MR Sirois and Odel , what old are you now ??? J-P :thumbsup:
Mike - Go to page #36, Post #529 to see that picture of you and Odell with the 2 wood Switzers.Quote:
Originally Posted by JP Love
JP - Good question. I am definately in the "Old Fart Category" at 65 years of age. Odell is older than me, but I don't know by how much...probably 10+ years. He told me he has a ?nephew? that monitors this thread. I don't know who that is but perhaps he will identify himself. Here I am this past June. Left to Right, Me, Rich Luhrs, Dale Thayer, Doug Janisch. I am definately the best looking of the group.:D
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Thank's SEEROY.. Keep on stories,, boat racing is forever for all of you "Old Racers".. I read all the threads... Interesting.. Good day... J-P
" Gentleman start your engine now* I think lot party in these years ??? :cheers:
All - What Mike is referring to here is this. Mike rode with my brother (Bill Sirois) in the #90 Bertram in the 1968 Bahama 500. Odell Lewis and Mel Riggs ran the (piston powered) #49 Maritime in that race. Apparently they were supposed to finish side by side, but Odell layed the hammers down at the last minute and beat Bill by 4 seconds. I am told that Bill was angry about this. As I have said before, I never knew of such arrangements, but it does not surprise me that they may have existed. I don't remember if the following occurred before or after the aformentioned race. In a Sam Griffith Memorial race Bill was driving the #47 "Old Yellar" Formula and Odell was driving the turbine powered #49 Maritime. Apparently, either Odell was supposed to win or they were supposed to finish side by side. Bill ran ahead and won the race. This was the only defeat for the turbine boat. I have read stories that say Odell was angry about this. Bill and Odell were both fierce competitors on the race course. Both were also incredibly talented and I know from experience that each was capable of anger. Each of them was also a master of innovation. In those days innovation was a big part of the game and there were few rules. In later days, and in all types of racing, the rules became so restrictive that innovation has almost become a dirty word. I guess such is so in order to provide a close race and thus exciting event for spectators. Quite frankly, early offshore racing was not meant to be a spactator sport. It was meant to be a severe test of men (and a few ladies) and machines in the extreme environment of the open ocean. I do not mean to take anything away from the current offshore racers or the sport itself. It takes very large cahones to run at the incredible speeds they are doing and to make close tight turns at speed. But Offshore Racing from "Back in the Day" and that of today are just different sports. Respectfully - Steve SiroisQuote:
Originally Posted by Mike Ramsey
Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
And I have the best legs......:D
Rich is wearing his hat that way to make us think he is actually looking at the camera:rolleyes:
Hi Steve,
good news - I dug deep and found a couple of shots for you. However, there is a question, the boats look identical except for the name. Any thoughts? In a previous post, I showed the same boat with the 'Hurricane' name at the lake. These two shots were not at the lake, looks like big water to me.
jeff
JEFF - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Right picture with "Hurricane" name is most assuradly 1967 Bahama 500. Wayne Vicker with white jacket and me with brown jacket. Yes, the 1st Bahama 500 was definately big water and many boats were destroyed. It was also a large fleet of 63 starters. The other picture driver looks very much like Roy Ridgell. I think Terri Ann was either his wife or a daughter. Way in the back of my grey matter, I think I recall the boat running in a later race and it would not surprise me if Roy ran it in Europe. I also believe the 3 engine #45 boat was run in Europe (with #3H-44h on it) by both Roy and my brother in different races. Hopefully BobbyRidgell came through the Texas hurricane OK and will eventually show up here again and can confirm that Roy ran the #43 boat. Thanks again Jeff - Steve
I just had a very nice 45 min telephone conversation with Mike Ramsey. He confirmed that "Terri Ann" was Roy Ridgell's daughter. Therefore I am quite certain that it is Roy in the #43 boat named Terri Ann II. Mike also told me that he and Jim Harkins ran together in the 1st Bahama 500 in a 3 engine ?formula?...not sure of the number but it was yellow and maybe #44. They had some problems along the way and while deep in a trough, Jim Stough literally flew over the top of them as he "flew" from crest to crest. He doesn't think Stough even knew they were there. As I have said, there was some VERY BIG water that day. Later in the race the bottom of their boat (Harkins & Ramsey) delaminated and they were towed into Chub Cay where they spent 3 days. Mike ran many offshore races, some with Odell Lewis, some with my brother, some with Johnny Bakos, and he drove in a North American S-22 in a race with Ralp Seavey hanging on for dear life. That was a race from West Palm Beach to Lucaya one day and back the next day. That boat eventually broke the bottom open. Mike spent 40 and 1/2 years with Mercury and is now retired in New Smyrna Florida. I believe he has many good stories clinging to the inside of his skull and I will work hard to extract some of them. - Steve Sirois
Welcome Aboard Mike Ramsay,,,,,,,,,, Happy Veterans day Seeroy,,,,,,,,, Those boats look like they belong in a bath-tub compared to todays engineering and innovation.:cheers:
Thank you gofish for reminding us - a BIG thank you to Steve and all the other vets out there!!!:thumbsup:
jeff
Steve it was 45 mph I was on the boat.Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
Mike R.
Hi Mike - Were you one of those that caught the landing gear and can you tell us anything more about the event?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Ramsey