Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Well it's all over but the crying, in the blink of an eye, Christmas came and went-----I'm still here, got another birthday next month.
get fitted with a monitor on Monday and evaluated a week later---------adoo ron Ron ----adoo RON ron-----what the hell was the name of that song we all used to sing-------I met her on a Monday and my heart stood still---------adoo Ron ron---------------etc,

in another week the person in charge is going to scrape the pipes in the neck clear of all the crap that's deposited itself in there, should be the answer to all my problems, Jan 4th is when I should get my licence back, and some semblance of order return into my life. My sister Ange has been on vacation in the Maldives for three weeks and was coming to dinner tomorrow , but husband Clive caught a flu bug on the way back, has the SQUITS and has been barred from the house, pity, Jilly got a great leg of pork, roast spuds, parsnips and Yorkshire puddings and we still have half a plum pudding with rum sauce and double cream for afters.
if any of you are passing around lunchtime tomorrow , feel free to pop in for lunch, plenty to go round and I guarantee Jilly's Hog Roast and crackling with apple sauce is something you will remember for the rest of your natural.
Father Christmas was kind this year--------got two Cashmeres, a thick knit Barbour and a roll neck woolen sweater.
No you can't have my cast off Cashmeres Billy, I got a queue waiting for those specially the "Pringles". That's it for tonight folks-------MYGGWY .J.

[mr fun]

Dammit my Man Jack !!! what the hey happened ??? I just got on this thread after our meeting in November. I sent you a PM on Christmas morning, didn't get a reply as I guess you we're "Kinda pre-0ccupied" I need to go back and read the previous pages to get up to speed. I am a Religious Person, and belive in the power of prayer, and I'm calling in some SUPERSIZED ones for you RIGHT now, love you my new friend, you are such a kind person to spend time with, don't you go checking out on me! I'm not done picking your brain, DAMMIT Fun Out

[jackiewilson]

Got too far still to go down Lifes long and winding road to falter just yet KEITH just have to give the body's nose an extra blow, clear the sinus's, straighten the back and continue the journey.
We still have to improve on this years performance at Tavares -----and I got an idea for the trophies-------raided my next door neighbours woods and got me some great Spalted timber , I may surprise you all yet. Wonder if Sorge got his trophy home safely?

[mr fun]

That's the true spirit of a competitor !!! I know I can count on you, I had such a great time meeting you, your family, and Bill and Betty, not sure of the order, (kinda leaning toward Bills tenderloin over great conversation rather than my golf performance) Stay on the mend, know people are pulling for you. fun out

[jackiewilson]

Steve, my next door neighbour popped round for a cup of tea and 16, 5mm nuts bolts and 32 stainless washers, after some extra vigorous goings on in the maritial bed over Christmas, the device had finally collapsed on them and was in urgent need of T.L.C. In the guise of the aforementioned nuts bolts and washers. I was happy to provide said items, but I i could not keep the rather large grin away from my face!! After all, what are friends for ?

[jackiewilson]

Day after Bill and Barbie got back from the honeymoon he decides to clean his golf clubs and shoes. He gets stuck into them on the kitchen table when she slides up to him, sticks her tongue in his ear and whispers very salacious like-------Hon, now that we're married, don't you think you should put your golf gear on E Bay and get rid of it all!!
Bill says to the dearly beloved Barb, "You sound just like my ex--wife"
Barb screams at him " you never told me you were married before"!!


Bill looks her in the eye and says


I WASN'T!

Yeah I know I promised no more this year----but the years near done, and not much happening so I thought I just might slide the odd one in while your backs turned.
It was either that one or the vicar with new false teeth that were too tight, and I know only some of you are a bit religious . Tell it you in the new year-------how's that for a deal ?

[T2x]

My goodness, my gracious
cried Father Ignatious
I'd forgotten the Bishop had piles....

[jackiewilson]

Ah yes, from my long forgotton childhood but not for these pages Rich? Methinks.

From the depths of the crypt at St. Giles
Came a scream that was heard for ten miles----------

limericks really were were plumbing the depths
a very dark side of life, I always disliked them intensely , yet they were always around the church, the clergy and the aristocracy .
Comments please

[T2x]

Ah yes, from my long forgotton childhood but not for these pages Rich? Methinks.

From the depths of the crypt at St. Giles
Came a scream that was heard for ten miles----------

limericks really were were plumbing the depths
a very dark side of life, I always disliked them intensely , yet they were always around the church, the clergy and the aristocracy .
Comments please

My Dad always loved limericks, but that was the only one I recall with a church/clergy reference. The rest had more to do with elephants flying high in Mobile, a fellow from Nantucket, and a young couple named Kelly.... etc.

[jackiewilson]

If you look at the overall Limerick picture Rich-------90% of it is sexual. Most of it is religion based. I always thought it was Irish, but I don't know why. Once I got into my late teens, I felt I had grown past limerickture. They were somehow childish but naughty.
Remember telling my sainted mother about "the young priest from Belgrade, who found a dead whore in a cave"--------------when I picked myself up from the floor, nursing a singing left ear hole, I was told unceremoniously never to let her hear another Limerick. I was around 10 years old.
I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could make a fair effort at a limerick out of that incident!!!

[jackiewilson]

This was the badge that WILLABEE made up for me for the 1970 Havasu meeting, I think it may be next to Reggie's boat------it's hard to believe there was a $64,000 pot in those days and a "Calcutta" that could be as much again.
Drivers like Sirois, Molinari, Schultze, JIMBO and PRUETT could fetch $10,000 apiece at the auction before the race. That's how close boating got to making sporting big time TV-------we were that close, if only we'd worked together to promote it instead of fighting and killing it!

Sleep tight peeps, MYGGWY .J. Reflect on what might have been, I often do.

[jackiewilson]

Hard to believe that piccy was taken over forty four years ago.
The Factory wars were in full swing.
Honda had a four h.p.four stroke, Yamaha were up to 50 hp with a 2 stroke 2pot 2 stroke . Suzuki had a lightweight 2hp 2stroke and a pug-ugly little jeep---------we had it covered--------ask anybody, what could possibly go wrong ?

[willabee]

This was the badge that WILLABEE made up for me for the 1970 Havasu meeting, I think it may be next to Reggie's boat------

Much easier on the neck this way ......

[willabee]

........ 1970 Havasu meeting, I think it may be next to Reggie's boat------

The #254 driver is this dude .....

[willabee]

Don't get your hopes up Gramps, the sight of Garbrecht wearing a Lifeline at Parker 1970 does not put him in Miss Titti at Lake X. I repeat, Titti comes from Tavernola to Oshkosh, gets rigged for the first time and goes directly to Havasu. Gets wet for the first time, real wet! Broken, Miss Titti goes back to Oshkosh. Gets repaired, repainted and rerigged. Goes directly to Parker and Sirois has it in the lead somewhere around the five hour mark. Has a mechanical failure and is put on the trailer. Boat is sold to Bob Massy and goes to Bellflower, California. Never does this Miss Titti grace the waters of Lake X.

Note: Will tell you about the Lifeline and the flip later.

You have to remember, back in the timeframe we are talking about, everything done at Mercury was a well kept secret. As a result, stories about Garbrecht's flip are conflicting and the Molinari twin engine test at the Lake is a guess ..... but here is my version.

I don't know why, but I do know that Gary was doing most of the hi-performance/racing test driving in Oshkosh. I believe he drove the first closed cockpit Molinari to come to Mercury in a demonstration Mr. K put on for the VIP's in Fond du Lac. He flipped that boat and hurt his back. I think he was told to stay out of race boats at that time, but didn't follow those orders to the letter of the law.

I was test driving some of the race hulls and after his flip, started driving all of the various OPC hulls that came though the doors. Then this twin Molinari showed up in Oshkosh and Gary climbs back in the saddle. First time out, he could drive the nuts off of this rig, so I suspect the original testing with this boat took place in secret at the Lake. It is probably the boat referenced in those Lake X test sheets.

Sometime during this testing, either Gary's back went out on him again or Mr. K really did lay the law down because very suddenly, Gary put me in the boat to conclude the tests. I didn't drive it worth a damn and we switched places to get the test completed. Then we went out to Lake Butte de Morts and he gave me driving lessons. Wasn't long and I got the hang of how to run this rig. It was quite different than anything I had run to date. Initially a bit scary, but always quite exhilarating. It ran over pretty bad water at full speed and you felt very comfortable. Anyway, I ended up putting in a bunch of hours behind the wheel of this rig.

Now, as Mr. Harvey used to say, the rest of the story ..... Here comes Parker, 1970, the twin is assigned to Billy Don Pruett. We get there about a week early and begin testing the team entries, but there is no Pruett. A couple of days later Gary tells me that Pruett had just called and said that he might not be able to make it to the race. Something about having a new job and not being able to get the time off. Gary added that he had just signed the two of us on as co-drivers for the twin. He said that if Billy Don doesn't make it, he and I will run it. Made sense to me, we had more time in it that anyone else did anyway.

We did run a couple of practice laps, really just to see the whole course and that would be why you saw Gary wearing a Lifeline at Parker!

Side note: Parker Nine Hour, 1970, it was probably the only time I was ever disappointed seeing Billy Don show up for a race. I was really hoping I'd have an opportunity to run that thing in that race.


The Molinari twin I am referring to ......