Hot Singles ! - Pictures

[lars strom]

Roger Jenkins raced Mercury 1977 - 1980 in the ON and OZ class.
Here is a few picture memories.
R.I.P my friend.

First picture is from Drammen, Norway 1977..Roger is racing the #11 ON class Gordons Gin/Cougar with Mercury.
I am sitting on my black Molinari.
Last picture is Roger racing the Merc T-4 in the OZ class 1979.

The boat racing world have lost one of the greatest.

https://svera.se/blogg/the-boat-raci...-the-greatest/

[Lake X Kid]

A Book written about (normal) Self within the pulse of racing will be - hard press to sell more than 100 copies to friends and contemporaries. The larger general book reading audience/buyers (and movie fans) gravitate to character relationships and entertaining stories. The avid novel reader will yawn, when reading too much about race technology and listings of race results.

In the movies Talladega Nights & Rocky we are introduced to family members, and the separation and bonding that takes it course outside of the sport scene. Talladega Nights family scenes define who, the person, driver Will Ferrell (Ricky Bobby) is. We find Sylvester Stallion (Rocky) is awkward and not polished when asking his future wife out on their first date. And this romantic union causes friction between him and his best buddy.

In Rush, Tin Cup, & Ford vs Ferrari, we witness the rivalry of competitor drivers and corporate money. Romance drives Kevin Costner (Tin Cup) to better his pro-game, to win Rene Russo (and tournament) over his rival Don Johnson. James Hunt’s playboy lifestyle is, antithesis to Niki Lauda methodical seriousness and with contempt it drives him on, to compete against Hunt in the movie Rush.

A League of Their Own is, coincidental representative of Boat Racing. Boat racing, like girls baseball, does not draw large crowds to their respective events. Yet reluctant Tom Hanks (the intoxicated coach) and his girl’s team captivate viewers, with coach and players dialogue exchanges. The girls reveal star quality and competitive spirit to the local fans.

Novels give writers artistic license to larger than life characters and amazing storylines. Hollywood script writers are professionals and give us a synopsis of what is successful.
Future historical-novel writers of Boat Racing can learn wise techniques from the Hollywood pros.

to be continued ...

[Lake X Kid]

Novels give writers artistic license to larger than life characters and amazing storylines. Hollywood script writers are professionals and give us a synopsis of what is successful. Future historical-novel writers of Boat Racing can learn wise techniques from the Hollywood pros.

Exaggerate the Hollywood suave and good looks of (i.e. Johnny Sanders, Bob Spalding, Bill Seebold) the drivers (women are attracted to approachable, confident, and good looking leading men). Include the pressure to secure and maintain a corporate sponsor (i.e. OMC, Mercury, NGK). Disclose the driver’s motivation to win, and to place the sport’s danger in a convenient perspective of risk and reward.

Add hyperbole to the owners (i.e. Carl Kiehkaefer, Bernie Little, Al Copeland) wealth, lifestyle, play toys, and extravagant spending. Over the top celebrations post wins.

Include Drivers' dynamics with wives and/or girlfriends, integrate on the pages the ladies' charm, beauty, vivacious, romance, sexiness, flirtations, affairs, and loyalty.

Reveal the drivers’ family members at home, shop, and in the pits. Nepotism, work ethics, and friction with the race team will help, the readers to better identify with the characters.

A rogue’s shady dealing adds counterpoint to the protagonist’s lifestyle. And the storyline is always better with a mischievous counterpart (Don Aronow, Cocaine Cowboys). Many cowboy movies have the bad guys wearing black hats.

A great novel which people/readers can identify with the protagonist (main character) and root-for, will bring extra new fans to the Sport of Boat Racing.

[lars strom]

In 1980 Roger Jenkins & Earl Bentz finished third in Parker Enduro. Driving the #9 Seebold/Mariner V-6 (I think) T-4.





Roger in Parker Enduro 1980..
R. I.P.

[willabee]

Tom's text yesterday ..... "Went good very little pain can't tell if it helped yet but drained a lot of fluid" ....

He also listed the dates for his next three surgeries.

Tom texted yesterday that he has completed all of the scheduled surgeries and that everything was fine so far. He has a physical therapist that wraps his legs three times week and helps him exercise. He has follow-up appointments scheduled and, if all goes well, they will start some skin grafts.
Sounds like things are progressing in the right direction.

Tom at Long Beach 225 Marathon of Champions 1971 .....

[peterse90]

Tom texted yesterday that he has completed all of the scheduled surgeries and that everything was fine so far. He has a physical therapist that wraps his legs three times week and helps him exercise. He has follow-up appointments scheduled and, if all goes well, they will start some skin grafts.
Sounds like things are progressing in the right direction.

Tom at Long Beach 225 Marathon of Champions 1971 .....

Willabee, looks like Tom's engine might be a 'cowbell' ????

Also, pretty sure Tom's Molinari is not one of elusive 16's but it does look 'stubby', I say that because the arrow graphics on the side decks look like they stop much closer the the bow than most of the other Molinaris that have the same 'arrow' graphics of this time period.

[willabee]

Willabee, looks like Tom's engine might be a 'cowbell' ????

Also, pretty sure Tom's Molinari is not one of elusive 16's but it does look 'stubby', I say that because the arrow graphics on the side decks look like they stop much closer the the bow than most of the other Molinaris that have the same 'arrow' graphics of this time period.

I'm not positive, but I think the power was a Twister I. I asked Tom, he said "I don't remember, that was your department"

I agree that the boat looks a little 'stubby', but I don't think it was a 16'. Tom said it was the best boat he ever had. Seebold was his co-driver at Long Beach and Garbrecht ​gave the boat to him for the July Miami 225. It was the first of his boats named Old Blue.

From Powerboat .....

[Bob V]

Willabee, looks like Tom's engine might be a 'cowbell' ????

That is an interesting question. My guess would be that it is a cowbell. If you look at the first picture of a cowbell, you can see how the rear bell extends out beyond the back of the midsection. If you look at the picture of Tom's boat, you can see the same image peeking out from the far side of the midsection. Just my 2 cents...

[lars strom]

Cees van der Velden/Bill Seebold in the #92 Velden/Marlboro/Merc T3 in Paris 6 Hours 1976

https://svera.se/blogg/cees-van-der-...-6-hours-1977/

A pretty unique late 1976 picture.
Velden left Johnson Racing for Mercury Racing just before the Paris race.
I think they ended up fourth.

[willabee]

That is an interesting question. My guess would be that it is a cowbell. If you look at the first picture of a cowbell, you can see how the rear bell extends out beyond the back of the midsection. If you look at the picture of Tom's boat, you can see the same image peeking out from the far side of the midsection. Just my 2 cents...

That's pretty interesting photography! Do you have the picture of Kitson's boat on the trailer at the ramp showing the cowbell?

[largecar91]

This One?

[Bob V]

That's pretty interesting photography! Do you have the picture of Kitson's boat on the trailer at the ramp showing the cowbell?

I only have the one that Largecar91 posted above. Here is my thought...If you were standing on the opposite side of Jackie's Cowbell (1st picture), just behind the engine, you would see a portion of that rear cowbell extending outwards past the mid. That is what I believe I am seeing on Tom's engine where the arrow points.

[willabee]

This One?

Yes, thank you, that's the one. Now I need the big version of that.

[Bob V]

Yes, thank you, that's the one. Now I need the big version of that.

I enhanced the picture of Jackie's Cowbell so it better shows how the bottom end of the rear cowbell extends out beyond the back side of the mid.

[willabee]

I enhanced the picture of Jackie's Cowbell so it better shows how the bottom end of the rear cowbell extends out beyond the back side of the mid.

You guys have convinced me, Stickle is running a Cowbell on a stubby little Molinari (probably 16') at Long Beach in 1971

I thought we were done with the cowbell by the time Long Beach came around, obviously we were not. Also, I didn't think the 'bells' extended beyond the mid, obviously they did.

Here's my defense (excuse) ..... Look at the difference between the bells on Wilson's 1970 Havasu entry compared to the bells on Kitson's 1971 Long Beach machine. Jackie's are a weldment, one of a few fabricated to use for testing to determine the final configuration. Kenny's are a casting, made in the shape and size of the weldment that had the best test results. There is quite a bit of difference between the two pictured.
Bob Hering and I did the testing with the weldments and I didn't remember them protruding past the mid and maybe they didn't. However, the pics show the the cast version does protrude and, if he was running a cowbell, that's what Mr. Stickle would have been using.

I really liked the Cowbell, wish Merc would have decided on them instead of the Silo. I tell ya, just hearing a couple of them at full song would have sent Rotary John hustling back to the drawing board.