See, my dad became a Mercury dealer in early 1952. He never had a retail shop, but kept his dealership til he died in 1997. Mercury would not transfer his dealership to me. Mercury Marine people had no idea why my dad was dealer #1 in California.
My dad promoted the first APBA race in California, actually, Parker, Arizona.
By 1954 LASA had as many DAMN Mercury racers as "REAL" racers.
The LASA had a meeting at my dad's house, in Bellflower. They voted to kick the DAMN Mercury's out of the club. My dad was LASA's Race Chairman. He resigned on the spot. The few DAMN Mercury owners that had attended the meeting started The United Speedboat Association st my dad's house, after the LASA meeting.
So, by 1959, none of the Hills were LASA members. My brother may have joined a year or two...after he got out of the Army.
In Worchester, Massachusetts, 1957, I saw hydros with no bottom fin and full length air traps. My brother had bought a Big Bee Swift and a 30-H at a race in San Diego, that fall. So, in the spring of 1958, I took control of the Big Bee, as I had raced it in A Alky Hydro in the fall of 1957, and won.
At the 1958 Divisionals, I won AU, and made the fastest A Hydro qualifying speed. But while leading the finals, a piston pin came out and scored my block, I ran last. My dad, felt I was getting too big for A and i didn't qualify A Hydro. So, he decided not to go to the Florida Stock Nationals.
The fall of 1958, we sold all my A stuff and we had a 30-H, Lee Morehouse gave me a boat. So, for 1959, I was going to be racing C Runabout.
My dad put a "D" Quicksilver gearcase on my brother Six Stud Evinrude, "C". And I put full length air traps on his boat, took off the bottom fin and added a sponson fin. I'll add this, my brother had won as lot of races before he went in the Army, 1953. But by the spring of 1959, I don't think he had had A FIRST PLACE TROPHY.
So, we decide to go to this new lake in Hanford, speed limit if still, today, 55 with a trailer in California. Russ had just gotten his license back, so he wasn't going to speed. We we got to Hanford, way behind schedule and most had been there since Saturday.
Russ hurried down and registered. The black flag was out. But Russ asked Henry Wagner if, he could make a couple of quick laps? Well, Russ had never made a turn with a sponson fin or had never gone so fast. Add: Henry had said ONE LAP. Russ comes roaring down to the corner and full bore turns it. Bottom fins don't through water but sponon fins do. Russ made the turn with a 15 foot high spray. H e ran two laps.
At the driver's meeting Henry said, "Hill, I said one lap and then you made two. If you are that far out of control in the race, I'll beach you."
Russ won straight heats. Those C Hydro guys had never seen anything go that fast or turn that well.
Now, when you read the article about Hanford, you will know the rest of the story!
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