Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Bob, what a wonderful picture of the Stadium——- American salesmanship at its best———- if the Arabs or Chinks had that picture presented to them today———— there would be new stadiums in Dubai and Shanghai .
There has been a steady decline over the years in all forms of powerboating, WHY ? I don’t know !
At one time it looked like it was going to rival cars in popularity——— just what were the mitigating circumstances that caused its decline ?
Most of the marathon races in Europe are no longer——:ie Paris——- Amsterdam——- Milan——- Stockholm.
Theres Only Rouen that holds a 24 hr race——— Annency and Chasewater are long gone!
I don’t remember there being an “Elsinore 500” for some time !
Since Pontius was a Pilate when man made an engine, then it would be raced. Cars—— boats——outboards——-inboards——- squirts—— planes——-bikes——- snowmobiles——— if it had an engine, then it was raced.
Its not the shortage of cash in boating————- any one of the “poker run” boats would fund an F1 series for a season !
So just what is it that’s tolling the bell for powerboating?
Theres no doubt about it————- powerboating is sick as a parrot at the moment !

[Bob V]

In The Beginning...

In The End...

[jackiewilson]

In The Beginning...

In The End...

From a world class race venue to a marina in fifty years——— how the hell can that happen?
Remember when SK boats were the top of the pile————- everything that a raceboat should be.
Fast——-loud——- great looking, and when you had a bunch of them running together, that was A RACE.
I used to get a monthly publication sent from the USA ———- it was called, Speed ‘n Spray. Sadly, I don’t have a single copy left.
Some of the words I learned from that little mag were. ELSINORE, HALLET, RAYSON CRAFT, SCHIADA, LOU BRUMMET, RUDY RAMOS. I always had a dream I would race a boat in the USA.
Well , I did———— so did my son——— then my grandson——- maybe my great grandson!, Speed n Spray had a lot to do with that.

[Bob V]

Yes, SK was a great class to run. This is the Hondo hull that I ran in the mid 1980's. I could race one weekend then take it to the lake the next weekend. It was also a great boat to water ski behind. It would snap you out of the water in a blink of an eye. I later stepped up the the KRR class, but it was very hard to be competitive when there were so many high dollar teams funded with dirty money.

[ron54]

I used to have a magazine from the USA too----it was called Playboy. Gladly I don't have a single copy left either..
My eyesight is poor.. Playboy had a lot to do with that.

[2us70]

I think the "dirty money" helped to price a lot of us out of the sport.

[FUJIMO]

The thing about the dirty money was...in south florida anyways...that there was so much of it in the overall economic system here, that it raised "everyones" standard of living here. The country's economic lows of the times, were not even felt here. It was quite the sugar high while it lasted.

[jackiewilson]

I think the "dirty money" helped to price a lot of us out of the sport.

I was under the impression that all the dirty money went into “offshore” ——— there were some impressive big name funded teams racing in the halcyon day’s of offshore. Lots of legal backing and some great innovative teams took part as well as the much vaunted “mob monied” teams.
Had quite a few hair raising moments hanging round with Pruett, trips to the APBA meetings down In miami——- meting the Kramer’s —— Morales—— , put on lots of front as you gently soiled your pants !

[jackiewilson]

The thing about the dirty money was...in south florida anyways...that there was so much of it in the overall economic system here, that it raised "everyones" standard of living here. The country's economic lows of the times, were not even felt here. It was quite the sugar high while it lasted.

Fugi, I was actually there when Pruett and Kramer got into it big time——- Kramer’s last words to Pruett were. “Don’t ever walk down 188th after dark Don” ! ——- Pruett just walked up to him , stuck his chin out and snarled——— or what ?
One thing about Pruett——— you could never forget him.

[GENE LANHAM]

The stadium sits on a prime piece of real estate. I think that the City will say that the stadium has deteriorated and is no longer safe. That will open the door for them to sell the property to a developer who will build condos.

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The Matheson Family has a lot to say about that----(Where are you, Mike?)

[GENE LANHAM]

Fugi, I was actually there when Pruett and Kramer got into it big time——- Kramer’s last words to Pruett were. “Don’t ever walk down 188th after dark Don” ! ——- Pruett just walked up to him , stuck his chin out and snarled——— or what ?
One thing about Pruett——— you could never forget him.

Don was a lot more 'likable'
​

[Bob V]

"Birds" of a Feather...?

[jackiewilson]

"Birds" of a Feather...?

Aw c’mon ——— your sh-ting me! ——- NOT BERT THE SQUIRT TOO!

[FUJIMO]

[jackiewilson]

That was the mid seventies——— line drawing was one of the two litre Cosworth BDG boats I had Hodges build ! Went to the bottom of lake Windermere.
Was running with Percival and Spalding in third place after two hours in Paris Six Hours——- and I had the legs to take ‘em. Came in for a prop change and the crane driver managed to put a hole in the side.