Hot Singles ! - Pictures

[lilabner]

Are you still at JJ Muggs? If so, I'm leaving for there now..on the back of Brett's Harley..

[seeroy]

OK...I 'm laughing almost as hard as I did over the rotary engine deal...Tears rolling down my cheeks from laughter between this and "Miami...Heaven" thread.

[MagicFloat]

Monday,Thanksgiving week 1971,we left Alabama for Havasau,my friend Jim Bain and his tech guy Jack Hudson. We had a 20# turkey that Jim's wife prepared for us.,lasted all week.Drove straight thru,3 drivers,never stopped,slept in the custom van in shifts.Wound up as a pit crew for a team we did not even know,they needed help refueling,we were glad to help.That week was probrably the most fun week I ever had in my life.Jim died years ago from cancer,haven't heard from Jack in 35 years,but have lots of pics from my old style camera. Those were good days.

[jackie wilson]

Monday,Thanksgiving week 1971,we left Alabama for Havasau,my friend Jim Bain and his tech guy Jack Hudson. We had a 20# turkey that Jim's wife prepared for us.,lasted all week.Drove straight thru,3 drivers,never stopped,slept in the custom van in shifts.Wound up as a pit crew for a team we did not even know,they needed help refueling,we were glad to help.That week was probrably the most fun week I ever had in my life.Jim died years ago from cancer,haven't heard from Jack in 35 years,but have lots of pics from my old style camera. Those were good days.

Went to Oshberg in '71 before we started the long trek to Havasu, this was the second time i made that trip. The first time was with one of the Mercury Engine Mecks, [might have been Bill Allen] he was a very mild and gentle guy, we stopped off at Nashville and bought a couple of tapes that we played nonstop for the next 2 days. The truck was a big engined pick up with two 100 gal. round fuel tanks nailed in the back, this was so we could do 1,000 + miles a day non stop if we were stupid enough to do it. The Molinari was hitched up behind and it was 3,000 + miles to Havasu. Ridgell had set off twenty minutes before, with the refuelling rig which was 10' high and went about 10,000 lbs. We never got a glimpse of him till we arrived in Havasu. The atmosphere at the house was wild, there were the Rasini brothers from Italy, along with the whole Molinari family, Dieter Schltze [on his own of course]. Me from England, a couple of Canadians and every American pilot i had ever heard of. Just look at any 1970/1 program, and you will see a gathering of names that became legend over the next 40 years.
Had met Ken and Molly Ballou the year before when i made the trip with Pruett, so we were all old friends by then. Had made good mates with Sirois, Bin and Lilly Seebold, Stickle, Ritchie Powers, Dave Byers, Doc Morgan and GG. If God had cast his net at that time ------------?????
Magicfloat, my memory is not what it was , but let me know your name and i will hit the recall button and see what happens.
Hell's teeth, i 'ain't see Joe Fielder in 40 years, but i still remember the old goat. Give me a call.

[MagicFloat]

Jackie,I'm Robert Nelems from Jasper,Alabama,but you wouldn't know me.Back then I was a brand new Merc dealer all of 27 years old with chance of a lifetime trip across the country to watch the greatest boat race ever.Getting to help re-fuel one of the boats is something I will always remember.Please keep your stories coming. They take me way back in time to great days.

[jackie wilson]

Hiya Robert, i was a Merc dealer myself in West Sussex England. Retired in 1982 and haven't stopped working since.
Agree that Havasu was one of the top 5 races in the world. Not in any particular order are Paris Six Hours, Parker, [9--7--or whatever hrs they choose] Bristol, anytime is an experience , Milan [3 or 6 hrs] Amsterdam 3 hrs., And i loved the Miami Marine Stadium.

[willabee]

Hiya Robert, i was a Merc dealer myself in West Sussex England. Retired in 1982 and haven't stopped working since.
Agree that Havasu was one of the top 5 races in the world. Not in any particular order are Paris Six Hours, Parker, [9--7--or whatever hrs they choose] Bristol, anytime is an experience , Milan [3 or 6 hrs] Amsterdam 3 hrs., And i loved the Miami Marine Stadium.

From is own lips comes Jackie's opinion of the "top 5 races in the world".....

1. Havasu
2. Paris
3. Parker
4. Bristol
5. Milan
6. Amsterdam
7. Miami.............

Hey Jackie, ya got change for a $10?

[jackie wilson]

Knew i left the gate wide open.!!!!!!! Why do i open my mouth when Willa's about ?? Ok smartie fartie pants--give me your absolute superior knowledge on the top 5 race Venues [IN YOUR MOST ESTEEMED OPINION]. Don't forget there is a world outside OSHBERG. and no i don't have change for a $10.
I can feel it coming in the air ,oh yeah, oh yeah. Sound kinda familiar !!!!!!!!!

[willabee]

--give me your absolute superior knowledge on the top 5 race Venues [IN YOUR MOST ESTEEMED OPINION]. !

Do I only get to pick five?

.....Parker - Paris - Havasu - St. Louis - Miami.....

Not a fair comparison to your list though, I never made Bristol or Amsterdam. I don't think the U.S. Team raced at either while I was there, maybe sent a driver to Bristol. Schedule wise, didn't one of them conflict with Havasu?

[jackie wilson]

Looked hard and long at most of the places i raced at and while there was some exotic places like MONACO, CANNES, NICE, ISLE DES EMBIEZ., BERLIN, ROSES,MALAGA, RABONDAGES, BANYOLES, ROTTERDAM, AMSTERDAM, MUNICH, HANNOVER, CHASEWATER, EDINBOROUGH, SINGAPORE,DUBAI, and many more, i have to stick to the original top 5+2. As if anyone counts any more and if i want to stretch a five to seven i sure as God made little green apples am entitled to, so finger up your bum buster, i'll tell 'em You count 'em, you encyclopedia goblin, nit picking, Steve McQueen wanabee.
Y'All heard him here first-----COOL HAND LUKE-------indeed, more like WET MITT WILLABEE.

Now the Excreta is gonna hit the whirlygig. !!!!!!!!

[jackie wilson]

Do I only get to pick five?

.....Parker - Paris - Havasu - St. Louis - Miami.....

Not a fair comparison to your list though, I never made Bristol or Amsterdam. I don't think the U.S. Team raced at either while I was there, maybe sent a driver to Bristol. Schedule wise, didn't one of them conflict with Havasu?

Berlin was the last one on the European circuit , usually 2 weeks after Paris. Wouldn't be fair to just let you pick 5, so pick as many as you want, but it looks like your a home boy, [4 out of 5 in the US], ie not much travelled, told you there was a life after Oshfond.

[willabee]

..... i have to stick to the original top 5+2. As if anyone counts any more and if i want to stretch a five to seven i sure as God made little green apples am entitled to, so finger up your bum buster, i'll tell 'em You count 'em, you encyclopedia goblin, nit picking, Steve McQueen wanabee.
Y'All heard him here first-----COOL HAND LUKE-------indeed, more like WET MITT WILLABEE.

Now the Excreta is gonna hit the whirlygig. !!!!!!!!

Geez.....one day cowboy, next day cowpie......Time for your nap?

[jackie wilson]

Geez.....one day cowboy, next day cowpie......Time for your nap?

Cocoa at the ready bye ze bye time, have a great weekend William, J.

[willabee]

Berlin was the last one on the European circuit , usually 2 weeks after Paris.

.....another correction for the World Traveler. Berlin, at least the one in Germany, was the first sunday after Paris. Windermere, the last race on the circuit, was two weeks after Berlin.....Homeboy been there, done that!

Enjoy yours also, try to get some Smartsleep.....you'll need it next week.

[jackie wilson]

Just testing !!!!!!!! to see if you were awake. EVERYONE KNOWS BERLIN IS THE WEEK AFTER PARIS------- And snow and ice come the week after Windermere---------Glad to see you haven't squirreled yet.