Top Five Tunnel Boat Drivers of All Time

**helmetguru** · 01-07-2003, 01:45 AM

i thought this could lead to an interesting comparison, my top five are as follows:

1. Chris Bush
2. Bill Seebold
3. Renato Molinari
4. Ken Stevenson
5. Gene Thibodeaux

while i had a hard time with 1 and 2 i think this could go either way. i give chris #1 because what he made up for in seat time and actually building his own boats and supplying everybody else with boats he ran super hard and won ALOT of races. I think in pure talent Chris and Billy are equal but Chris did alot with alot less. if anyone ever had the honor of watching him wheel a 1000 pound overpowered champ boat around a course you know what i'm talking about.

renato started it all and probably drove as many boats as billy but bailed out earlier.

ken stevenson was the man, he drove V8's and V6's on two different circuits the same year and won races. he pushed hard all the time and even lost st louis because he barrell rolled while in the lead, he didn't know he was in the lead.

gene might have not had alot of freinds but the guy drove hard. he raced V8's with reckless abandoned not unlike he drove Mod-50's back in the day. Destroying boats and winning races he should have raced longer but hurt his shoulder and burned some bridges.

there were plenty of other contenders, but I think if you add up the classes they ran, the people they ran against, in the places they ran at, in the era they ran in, some might agree.

**Raceman** · 01-07-2003, 07:21 AM

I think I'd have to put Billy in the top spot by a pretty big margin. It's true that he had access to the good stuff for a long time, but in my mind his career is unparalleled.

I think Benny Roberson has to be on the list too. His experience spread over such a wide variety of boat racing and his accomplishments as a privateer are very impressive.

I remember Ken Stevenson's name from going to the races in the 70's, but don't recall him as being a front runner with the big boys. This may be incorrect and I sure don't mean to detract from his career.

I can't remember much about Gene, except for vaguely remembering his name.

If Chris Bush is going to be included, it seems like Foster would be in the same mix.

I think Mike Seebold's gotta be in the list also.

Seems like Capolini has to be included too. His present level of performance, given today's equality of equipment is mighty impressive.

Rusrog · 01-07-2003, 11:06 AM

I'm thinking......

1 & 2) Chris Bush & Bill Seebold...
What a tough call this one is.... Seebold was actually probably a better driver but CB would fight you tooth & nail for a win....

3) Renato Molinari.... He is after all.... The Maestro...

4) Benny Robertson was always in the hunt...

5) Guido Capellini would probably have to be next but Buck Thornton and Greg Foster and Craig Wendt would also be in the hunt I would think....

**T2x** · 01-08-2003, 05:27 PM

IF we are talking talent...............

1. Billy...... no contest

2. Earl Bentz

3. Renato

4. Guido

5. Michael

**stang** · 01-08-2003, 05:35 PM

its hard to say there was a bunch of real good drivers way more then anyone one has listed , dont forget across the pond , a **** load from england but Bill has to be number 1

**MagicFloat** · 01-08-2003, 06:39 PM

Don't forget Cees

**hydrostreamvulture1** · 01-08-2003, 09:53 PM

about john marles?

**helmetguru** · 01-09-2003, 01:12 AM

you know i completely overlooked Jim, he was one of the greats as well. like i mentioned in my post, there are so many others that would qualify in the top five. earl bentz?? while he was a factory merc driver i consider his driving pretty dirty...i can think of more than a few races where he had somebody wanting to take him out.

cappellini, no way, he just outspends everybody by a gillion dollars and builds the boats. i would think it would be easy to dominate if you're building everybody else's rigs, a half an inch here, a thicker stringer there and you have a completely different and potentially slower boat. the only reason scott gillman hasn't strummed him for the last five years is his focus is on too many projects and he tries wierd set ups.

gillman would be another good one for the list.

image below ken stevenson at parker '80 on the first lap, remember how cool it was to see who would come up the river first?

**WILDCAT2.5** · 01-09-2003, 02:05 AM

putting Peter Lindenberg to the list of driver?

"Lindenberg started powerboat racing in 1978 in the South African TN class, going on to win the South African title in an outboard monohull the next year. In 1981 be became the first South African driver to purchase a Grand Prix craft which he used to take his first of fourteen South African Grand Prix Champion titles by the end of that season. He joined the World Series in 1985, winning the British Grand Prix in 1989 and finishing third overall that year. Lindenberg nearly lost his life in an accident in Malaysia in 1989, but this did not deter him from the sport. He has been a South African Powerboat Champion on fourteen occasions, having only lost the title five times in 19 years. He finished 2nd overall in the 1998/1999 season, but came back to take his 14th F1 Powerboating season title in 1999/2000."

I have meet the following people in races in South Africa to:
Fred Hauenstein,Guido Capellini ,Bill Seebold and Graig Baily and really had some good times with them at race events.

Markus

BK · 01-09-2003, 07:53 AM

Ron, I agree with you! Ted May should be on that list! And if my dad were here, he'd be saying "RON HILL!"

These "Top 5" lists are never fair. Way too many drivers to put on the list -- all of them GREAT.

What about the great drivers that left us too soon? before they became widely known? My vote would be for Red Hindman -- He only raced OPC boats for 2 years and had already won championships and big ModVP races against long standing heros. Imagine what he would have accomplished had he not tragically died?

And there are several more fabulous drivers like Red Hindman - like Cesare Scotti too - who died too soon before they could get the recognition they deserved.

BK · 01-09-2003, 07:59 AM

Buddy --- Oh I remember that Parker first lap anticipation well!

And the silence just before the count down -- 5.....4.....3......2....

Then 100 boats would fire up all at once and tear down the river...the boats that didn't fire right off would have to plow through those horrible Pacific sized wakes.......

But within a minute or two.......Silence again, as all the boats were now a mile or two down river.

As the little white roostertails got smaller and eventually were out of our site --- things got so quiet. We'd wait.

And wait.......

Suddenly the announcer would say "I THINK I SEE THE LEADER COMING!!"

Everyone would rush to the bank to see who it was....We'd see a tiny white speck coming toward us.....

Closer .....closer he'd come.... the announcer would then say "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN -- THE FIRST BOAT TO MAKE A LAP AND OUR CURRENT LEADER IS...."

And everyone would cheer and scream and for the next 3 minutes the roar of all those boats rounding the judges stand turn would deafen the announcers calls.... but a few minutes later -- Silence again.

GOD how I miss the Parker Enduro.

**omc-v4** · 01-09-2003, 08:13 AM

i have never herd of some of thoes guys. i think i saw ted crash at parker the year me and red were there. it really hurt to see him on streacher. he is great . did he have a scottie ? NAMED HELL CAT. I allways liked johnny sanders.

**MirageBts** · 01-09-2003, 09:03 AM

(it's me, Val, on Brad's machine)

Yes, Beaver.

Before that Parker wreck, Ted had a prior nasty crash with a ModVP that tore the most of the deck of Scotti craft "Hell cat" apart. It was then pieced together, with a large flat nose where the square deck bow used to be. The boat was then over 16 years old, and everyone was bugging Ted to give up the Old Scotti and drive a newer boat.

So at Parker, he was driving a "newer" hull (cant remember what type of hull it was, but it was far from being 'new' -- JJ's dad owned it I think - he can fill us in)

Ted crashed it while I was scoring for Red. My friend Trisha was scoring for Ted a few seats away. When I saw a white bow bobbing nose up in the water up river, The driver was being rushed in and I looked at Trish - I yelled "Is that TED????". Trish wouldnt answer. She knew it was bad and didnt want to tell me.

Ted was about 67-69 years old then (we never knew his age for sure, and he always gave us different answers). I freaked out. He went through the deck with his face. Had some missing teeth and broken facial bones and ribs and was care-flighted to Phoenix --

But he was back to racing his old "Hell Cat" by Havasu - vowing never to drive those 'new fangled' boats again. At Havasu, even Brad spent some time working on the Hell Cat in the Pioneer Parking lot, to try and keep it together for at least one more race.

**gemini** · 01-09-2003, 09:06 AM

It's easy.......sort of

Bill Seebold....Bill Sirois....Johnny Sanders...Renato...Bob Hering

**T2x** · 01-09-2003, 09:10 AM

Originally posted by BK

These "Top 5" lists are never fair. Way too many drivers to put on the list -- all of them GREAT.

BK you're probably right.....................For instance, Lee Sutter didn't have a long career in OPC....but man could he drive! He single handedly started the revolution that left every thing from washers to driver's suit buttons on the beach to save weight.

One other name lost in all of this.................... Sirois......

And how good would either Briggs brother have been....if they lasted?

Another guy...........Sherlock.

La Grand Canadienne.................... Spencer Dunn

It goes on and on.

T2x