Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[lars strom]

Jack Aylsworth

Group expert - Top Contributor

Evinrude Sets World Speed Record Twice in 1960

Hubert (Hu) Entrop of Seattle set a new World Outboard Speed Record twice, the second time at 122.979 miles per hour on Havasu lake near Needles, Calif September 16, 1960 besting the old record of 115.547 set by Burt Ross. Entrop's needle nosed hydroplane sported an Evinrude Starflite V-4 motor with 89.5 cubic inch displacement, stock spark plugs and a special racing lower unit. He burned regular outboard fuel and oil. The speed run, consisting of two passes over a one-kilometer straightaway, was sanctioned by the National Outboard Association. (Entrop said his rig still had speed in reserve.)
Entrop Racing Back Story
Hubert Entrop embarked on his outboard racing career in 1951 building his own boats. In 1956, Entrop heard that Mercury was planning to build a 60 hp, 6-cylinder engine suitable for racing that project engineer, Charlie Strang, was developing - so he built a boat in anticipation of the new motor. Carl Kiekhaefer later invited Entrop to Florida to run the new engine at Mercury's test facility, Lake X. The existing U.S. record was around 70 mph, but early in 1958, an Italian boat with a converted 61 cubic inch automobile engine reached 100.3 mph and became the goal for Entrop and Kiekhaefer. Lake X had little space for a long running start and Entrop was unable to reach 90 mph. He had to return to his job at Boeing but convinced Kiekhaefer to allow him to continue working toward the straightaway record in Seattle testing on the east channel of Lake Washington. On June 7, 1958, Strang and Kiekhaefer watched Entrop become the first American to exceed 100 mph in an outboard boat. His official speed was 107.821 mph. Soon after, Entrop and Kiekhaefer had a falling out and Entrop "defected" to OMC.
On March 29, 1960, Entrop drove his Evinrude Starflite V4 powered Starflite Too to a new record straightaway speed of 114 mph on the Colorado River in Arizona. In response, Kiekhaefer hired Burt Ross (later a Johnson rep), another Seattle-area outboard driver to try to raise the speed. Ross hit 115.547 mph on Lake Washington on May 5, 1960. Entrop built a second another boat, Starflite III, and on September 16, 1960, using an Evinrude Starflite V4, he flew across Lake Havasu, Arizona, at 122.979 mph. By this time, Charlie Strang had left Mercury and was offering technical advice to Entrop and his crew. Strang soon joined OMC, eventually becoming Chairman of the Board.
Entrop built Starflite IV, but retired from racing without ever running it. In 1966, Gerry Walin took Starflite IV through the straightaway traps at a speed of 130.929 mph on Lake Havasu.

[lars strom]

Jack Aylsworth

Burt Ross (later a Johnson sales rep), another Seattle-area outboard driver driving a Mercury powered boat hit 115.547 mph on Lake Washington on May 5, 1960.

[lars strom]

Jack Aylsworth

[lars strom]

Lots of misinformation out there..here is some facts again..

Clear Lake, Texas 1983.

OMC challenged the Unlimited Hydroplane teams. Yes you could use as many outboards you could fit on the transom.

Well..Renato drove the #18 twin Evinrude F1-V8 engines on his small red tunnel with big balls..

Not sure what type of balls it takes to race the four engine boat..

Jimbo McConnell drove the U-19 USA Racing Team boat powered by four Johnson F1-V8 pure racing outboards.. Close to 2,000 HP behind you and no safety cell..
Pretty crazy..but another boat racing fact.
Thanks Cathy for your help and pictures

Top speed more than 165 MPH and less than 175 MPH for both boats.

[lars strom]

Did see something interesting a few days ago..
Well..we all know the two first pictures..but the third picture of the powerhead and size/horsepower was new to me.
I asked Jim Nerstrom and his answer is next.

The outboard world UIM speed record is 176.556 MPH set by a single Evinrude V8.

[oldschoolltv]

Burt Ross was our OMC rep, real nice guy.

[lars strom]

OFF Topic..but this is big UIM F1 News..

[lars strom]

Burt Ross was our OMC rep, real nice guy.

I did not know this but I guess Burt Ross was a brother- in-law to Jack Leak - OMC.

[Amberjack1234]

I did not know this but I guess Burt Ross was a brother- in-law to Jack Leak - OMC.

Right Lars Burt Ross indeed was Jack Leeks brother-in-law he was a fixture in Florida and all the boat races back in the 60s and 70s being a Johnson rep for OMC. He was instrumental and getting me a Johnson dealership in 1974 when I opened up my Outboard shop also instrumental in getting me a super strangler To race for the year that I did race with an OMC engine. Unfortunately, mercury came out with the T threes and it became a noncompetitive issue in Mod U the class that we had to . As always you come up with great pictures and information. Super glad that you are a great contributor to scream and fly. You need to buy that big house in Stuart on Evinrude lane and be a permanent resident in Florida. Best always amberjack

[lars strom]

From north of the border.

Lanny Newell

Me and my family. 1981-82.

[Watermark]

From north of the border.

Lanny Newell

Me and my family. 1981-82.

Team Newell was much more than just another boat racing team - They were a wonderful family! Jeff, Joey and Lanny were great drivers, loyal to OMC and best of all, fine young men - passionate about about the sport and fully supported by their parents, Florence (Flo) and George (Jud).

The Newells, which included sisters, girlfriends, Jeff's wife, Judy, and other friends and relatives from their hometown Prescott/ Brockville area, were respectful, helped other competitors (regardless of engine choice), and had so much fun doing it! Flo and Jud hosted parties around the pits and made sure everyone left with a smile on their face!

Sadly, Jeff left us in 1983, Joey in 2020, but will always be remembered by our close-knit Canadian racers of that time.

[Bob V]

Lars - It is great to see how your thread has really taken off, especially in the last few weeks. It is amazing to see all the support and contributions you have from your old racing friends from around the world. I was fascinated last week when you chronologically detailed your racing career, documenting the changes of engines manufactures and the politics that dictated those changes. Keep up the great work...

[lars strom]

Lars - It is great to see how your thread has really taken off, especially in the last few weeks. It is amazing to see all the support and contributions you have from your old racing friends from around the world. I was fascinated last week when you chronologically detailed your racing career, documenting the changes of engines manufactures and the politics that dictated those changes. Keep up the great work...

Thank you very much Bob V..

I am working on something I think could be interesting..did get access to the archive of the daily news paper Dagens Nyheter in Sweden..
Did crash pretty bad at the Stockholm race 1975..the news paper picture show me swimming next to my Evinrude..and the story next to it.
Coming sooooon..

Here is one not very sharp picture of my #1 Clerici/Evinrude Hustler before the disaster in Stockholm 1975..did happened few minutes later..

[lars strom]

Here is a few pictures from Paris 6 hours 1974..one is from a Swedish news paper..Pretty clear to me the 02 and 03 ScottiCraft's are pickle forks..

@Rotary John

Just to get the OMC story correct again..Here is plenty of Rotary powered of Scotti-Crafts with pickle fork design.

Thanks

This #35 ScottiCraft/Evinrude Rotary Barry Woods is driving is clearly a pickle fork.

[lars strom]

Team Newell was much more than just another boat racing team - They were a wonderful family! Jeff, Joey and Lanny were great drivers, loyal to OMC and best of all, fine young men - passionate about about the sport and fully supported by their parents, Florence (Flo) and George (Jud).

The Newells, which included sisters, girlfriends, Jeff's wife, Judy, and other friends and relatives from their hometown Prescott/ Brockville area, were respectful, helped other competitors (regardless of engine choice), and had so much fun doing it! Flo and Jud hosted parties around the pits and made sure everyone left with a smile on their face!

Sadly, Jeff left us in 1983, Joey in 2020, but will always be remembered by our close-knit Canadian racers of that time.

@Watermark

Thanks for this very nice but also sad post. Lanny Newell also posted this on the FaceBook page.

Lanny Newell

Hi. This is my brother Jeff. Circa 1976.