Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[2us70]

My impression of this event at the time was based on my experience in the SE class. I ran SE from 1965 through 1971. Also ran SE at Nationals in1973. My bets were on Jimbo Mcconnell and Roger Jenkins to be likely winners not an Unlimited driver. I also believe that Lars Strom as well as several other OMC drivers would have been better in this race than several of the guys the chose for those seats.
At the time of this race I was actively looking to purchase an OMC powered SE boat myself since my SD ride at the time was becoming obsolete.

[WaterZebra]

[QUOTE=2us70;3370027]My impression of this event at the time was based on my experience in the SE class. I ran SE from 1965 through 1971. Also ran SE at Nationals in1973. My bets were on Jimbo Mcconnell and Roger Jenkins to be likely winners not an Unlimited driver. I also believe that Lars Strom as well as several other OMC drivers would have been better in this race than several of the guys the chose for those seats.
At the time of this race I was actively looking to purchase an OMC powered SE boat myself since my SD ride at the time was becoming obsolete.

It was all about PR and marketing. It had nothing to do with raw talent. I'm surprised that Mercury didn't have a fit over Seebold building the boats. I'm sure that Molinari would have built them if he hadn't been based in Como Italy. Very weird that Seebold wasn't in this group, but not a surprise when you look at the battle between OMC and Merc.

[lars strom]

...

[lars strom]

Well..I am going to give you my take on the Bill Muncey race in Miami 1975..

Part 1

First..I got the same letter as Lee Sutter did and was 100% sure I was going to get picked for the race..

Second..OMC in Brugge-Belgium was using Franco Clerici boats for the UIM SE class built by Franco Clerici in Italy. OMC owned at least 3 Clerici SE class boats and I drove one of them to victory in Rouen 24 Hours in the spring of 1975.
Clerici SE class boats was way superior in the SE class and available at a fair price. The UIM SE class was huge in Europe with sometimes 40 boats or more at the races. Why OMC picked Seebold to build the boats is strange..why not Clerici..??..Franco did know how to make them right and fast for the OMC 75HP.

A few month before the Bill Muncey race in Miami the European UIM SE class championship race was run in Sabaudia, Italy.
I did have a dispute with Paul Kalb..the Director for OMC racing in Europe.
I was under contract to drive one of the OMC factory owned Clerici in the SE class championship race in Sabaudia..but I wanted to use my own SE class Clerici in the Sabaudia race.
Well..dont remember exactly but Paul Kalb used a different driver for the factory Evinrude Clerici and Roger Jenkins drove the factory Clerici with a Johnson.

This is the first part of my answer..its going to be a few more posts for my long answer..

[lars strom]

...continue with the UIM SE class championship race in Sabaudia, Italy in August 1975.

Part 2

European Champion for the third consecutive year 1975

After the Race in Forsaa, Finland and my enormous success in the SE class the
past 3 years winning over 50 races rumors was circulating that I had a special engine from OMC.

Well, I DID NOT and the engine I used on my own Clerici SE boat 1975 was a stock short leg 75 Hp Evinrude from my inventory at my dealership.
A legal higher compression cylinder head was the only change, and the race power trim and stiff rubber mount.
I can tell the truth now, and the speed advantage was from the boat and the set up and my driving style.
One way to get the much higher top speed was to raise the engine up much higher than normal race set up.
The stock gear case was like a brake, and I was 2-3″ above everybody else, BUT that made it very difficult to drive/handle the boat.
The prop lost the grip, and the engine lost the cooling water but the trick was to just before the prop lost the grip to use power trim and throttle/steering to avoid that to happen.
I tested for many days and weeks how far you could drive before the engine started to
overheat and that was around 900 meters.
I lost many power-heads before I found out a way to back of just a little to pick up enough water to cool the engine on the straight a way before the turn.
On top of that you have to use the power trim in and out in a special way to make the “air bag” under the tunnel to lift the boat and I have to say that was my best
advantage.
The Big race this year was Sabaudia Italy, and I called friends in Italy to find out about this new place for the race and was told that it is in a Lagoon, shallow water and flat water.
That was for me great news, and I worked on raising the engine even higher on the transom and picked up a few more MPH.
There was a local race in Stockholm before the Big one, and I used that race as a test. Bad news..hooked and rolled.
Damage the boat, a few days after I told Paul Kalb that I preferred
to race my own boat instead of the factory SE boat.
I got help to repair my boat just in time to make it to Italy.
Normally I was hiding everything I was doing, (learned from Molinari) but for this Big race I changed that.
Parked the boat in the pit so everybody could see my set up and prop.
I told the race officials that I want my engine inspected before the
race to put an end to “the special engine”rumor.
They said No, but told me that my engine is going to be inspected very seriously after the race if I was the winner.
I have never felt so ready to win a race and now all the good things started to happen.
Around 35 boats was at the race, and most drivers looked at my race set up and started to raise up there engines higher. That was my plan…
Mercury had maybe 10 drivers using the 650 XS.
4 heat, 3 counts and clock start and I was pretty good at them and took the start and turned first.
Then just pulled away on the long two turn race course.
Many drivers was hooking left and right, because they could not
drive with the engine that high.
This race was for me a perfect one. I won 3 heat in a row and did not race the last one.
I asked the officials to start taking my engine apart and they did.
The power-head, mid section even the gear case to check gears and impeller and everybody could now see it was a stock 75 hp Evinrude.
Never worked on the ports or pistons.
Just standard.
Lots of disappointed people when my engine was cleared, but
Lars was happy and the European SE class Champion for the third consecutive year.

[lars strom]

..continue building up for the Bill Muncey race in Miami 1975.

Part 3

Back in Sweden after the SE class win in Italy but no answer from Bill Muncey yet.
I was still 100% sure I was going to be picked for the Miami race.

Next big race was Amsterdam 3 Hours and again a nice SE class victory in Amsterdam 1975 and a Telegram from OMC.

Beating Roger Jenkins for three years in the SE class must make me qualify for the Bill Muncey Miami race..Specially now after the big win in Amsterdam.

First two picture are from the Amsterdam..I used #71 in the race.
Second is the Telegram from OMC.

[lars strom]

..continue building up for the Bill Muncey race in Miami 1975.

Final.

Not sure exactly when but finally I received a letter-answer from Bill Muncey about the Miami race in the fall of 1975..

Could not believe it..I did not qualify..

Huzells..the Swedish distributor for Evinrude also got upset..
Billy the owner of Huzells and a big supporter of my racing called OMC and talked to lots of people there..even Bill Muncey but the answer was..Lars was not going to be in the race..!!

I have no proof of this but I strongly believe that they did not want me in the race because I was going to make all the other 14 drivers look bad..
Just my opinion..
My successes in the SE class continued in 1976..!!
After 1976 I left the SE class racing and OMC racing and made a great deal with Volvo Penta Outboards in Gothenburg,Sweden to race F3.

[WaterZebra]

...continue with the UIM SE class championship race in Sabaudia, Italy in August 1975.

Part 2

European Champion for the third consecutive year 1975

After the Race in Forsaa, Finland and my enormous success in the SE class the
past 3 years winning over 50 races rumors was circulating that I had a special engine from OMC.

Well, I DID NOT and the engine I used on my own Clerici SE boat 1975 was a stock short leg 75 Hp Evinrude from my inventory at my dealership.
A legal higher compression cylinder head was the only change, and the race power trim and stiff rubber mount.
I can tell the truth now, and the speed advantage was from the boat and the set up and my driving style.
One way to get the much higher top speed was to raise the engine up much higher than normal race set up.
The stock gear case was like a brake, and I was 2-3″ above everybody else, BUT that made it very difficult to drive/handle the boat.
The prop lost the grip, and the engine lost the cooling water but the trick was to just before the prop lost the grip to use power trim and throttle/steering to avoid that to happen.
I tested for many days and weeks how far you could drive before the engine started to
overheat and that was around 900 meters.
I lost many power-heads before I found out a way to back of just a little to pick up enough water to cool the engine on the straight a way before the turn.
On top of that you have to use the power trim in and out in a special way to make the “air bag” under the tunnel to lift the boat and I have to say that was my best
advantage.
The Big race this year was Sabaudia Italy, and I called friends in Italy to find out about this new place for the race and was told that it is in a Lagoon, shallow water and flat water.
That was for me great news, and I worked on raising the engine even higher on the transom and picked up a few more MPH.
There was a local race in Stockholm before the Big one, and I used that race as a test. Bad news..hooked and rolled.
Damage the boat, a few days after I told Paul Kalb that I preferred
to race my own boat instead of the factory SE boat.
I got help to repair my boat just in time to make it to Italy.
Normally I was hiding everything I was doing, (learned from Molinari) but for this Big race I changed that.
Parked the boat in the pit so everybody could see my set up and prop.
I told the race officials that I want my engine inspected before the
race to put an end to “the special engine”rumor.
They said No, but told me that my engine is going to be inspected very seriously after the race if I was the winner.
I have never felt so ready to win a race and now all the good things started to happen.
Around 35 boats was at the race, and most drivers looked at my race set up and started to raise up there engines higher. That was my plan…
Mercury had maybe 10 drivers using the 650 XS.
4 heat, 3 counts and clock start and I was pretty good at them and took the start and turned first.
Then just pulled away on the long two turn race course.
Many drivers was hooking left and right, because they could not
drive with the engine that high.
This race was for me a perfect one. I won 3 heat in a row and did not race the last one.
I asked the officials to start taking my engine apart and they did.
The power-head, mid section even the gear case to check gears and impeller and everybody could now see it was a stock 75 hp Evinrude.
Never worked on the ports or pistons.
Just standard.
Lots of disappointed people when my engine was cleared, but
Lars was happy and the European SE class Champion for the third consecutive year.

Always thought that the perfect fix to engine rumors would have been to implement an engine "claimer" rule. Engine would be "seized" and given to the protesting party and if the owner refused to comply they would be banned for 1 year of racing. This would deter somebody from throwing $$$ at an engine to win races.

[lars strom]

This is Bo Nilsson #6 and me #1 in our SE class Clerici 1975.

Our Clerici boats was flying and top speed over 85 MPH.
No other tunnel boat came close to the superior of a Clerici in the SE class.
Very fast in the turns and great acceleration.
Paul Kalb..the OMC race director in Brugge, Belgium did know this. He was with us at the European races.

Why OMC-Bill Muncey asked Seebold to build the slow SE boats for the Miami Race 1975 is very strange.

I purchased 10 Clerici boats in the seventies and Franco Clerici was always on time and very reasonable.
Great independent boat builder.

[WaterZebra]

This is Bo Nilsson #6 and me #1 in our SE class Clerici 1975.

Our Clerici boats was flying and top speed over 85 MPH.
No other tunnel boat came close to the superior of a Clerici in the SE class.
Very fast in the turns and great acceleration.
Paul Kalb..the OMC race director in Brugge, Belgium did know this. He was with us at the European races.

Why OMC-Bill Muncey asked Seebold to build the slow SE boats for the Miami Race 1975 is very strange.

I purchased 10 Clerici boats in the seventies and Franco Clerici was always on time and very reasonable.
Great independent boat builder.

OMC probably should have financed an IROC race in Europe using Clerici hulls? Scotti would have been a logical second choice had he lived. Molinari would have been a poor choice because of bias. Maybe that's why Seebold hulls were picked and also the transport costs associated with boat builders in Europe. It's also notable that Bob Hering and John Hill were not picked? Sounds like OMC's connection to Molinari was purely European with minimal involvement from home base in Waukegan. Maybe this race provided the basis as to why the F1 V8 tour started in Europe first?

[WaterZebra]

...

Therin lies the problem. 2nd paragraph regarding selection...........sports boating writers? They didn't know peanuts about raw talent to begin with. Neither did Muncey. The last paragraph is a laugh too. We had requirements like these in a televised tunnel boat tour in the late 80's asking each entrant to come equipped with a USA and home state flag set. Ever try to do parade laps holding 2 flags in each hand while trying to steer a torquey race engine? LOL

[lars strom]

Pretty cool..
Maelstrom Offshore cat with F1-V8 racing power-heads.

[lars strom]

Johnson Tracker GT 150 V6 Pro Series.

[lars strom]

John Kanerva of Finland in his UIM SE class JK Cat /Johnson 75.
John was also a skilled boat-builder.
Picture from World of speed June -1985

[oldschoolltv]

My dads old SE boat built by Bunky Bowerman was sold to Paul Heathman and he set the Kilo record somewhere around 85 mph Paul said it over heated at the end of the course on the last pass to back it up as he was running the motor so high with no LWP allowed. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of this one. SE was a great class back then.