Super Swede ... Lars Strom

[Lars Strom]

After a few years in the Sport, a big possibility opened up in
the winter 1972/73.
Hans Holmen who worked for Evinrude Sweden called me and said that Huzells and Evinrude
has picked me and one other Swede to get the new Evinrude 65 SS, that was designed
to be a winner in the SE class.

One condition, I have to buy a new SE Cat from Italy. There was two choices, Abbate or Clerici and I picked
Clerici without really a good reason.

We where late to order, but Clerici promise to have the boat ready in June that summer, but that was OK
because OMC was late with the new 65 SS also.

I friend of mine lent me and older Schultze cat and I used my stock Evinrude 65 hp.
At the Swedish Championship in Torsby, Varmland, I ended up around fifth.

Me and my dad Roland took the Coffee delivery truck and headed to Cremona, Italy with a big bag full of
Lire (Italian Cash) to pick up the new very good looking cat.

Back to Sweden to install the brand new 65 SS Evinrude, that had just arrived.

There was one big problem, this engine was using left hand props, and there was not many around.
I found one 2 blade prop used for the Mercury BP's, but not very fast at testing.

The big Race was the European Championship in Lappenranta Finland and OMC's Racing Boss
Jim Wagner, had a lay over in Stockholm on his way to Finland and I got a chance to test factory driver
Roger Jenkins propellers and my boat was flying.

This was a 3 bladed cleaver left hand rotation and Jim Wagner promise me that if I showed up in Finland he was
going to let me use Rogers spare prop.

Me, Holmen and friend Curre took the ferry to Finland and when we arrived at the race there was 45 boats
with Mercury, Carniti, Konigs, Evinrude and Johnson engines, but now Jenkins refused to let me borrow any
of his props.

I was very disappointed and was walking around in the pit, when I ran in to Tor Smith Ingebrittsen from
Norway.
He had an older home built boat, and he showed me his prop that looked like the one Jenkins used.
We made a deal and exchanged props with a handshake.

There was no time for testing and when they dropped the green flag I was flying through the field and after a few
laps I lead the race and pulled away.
I won the heat with half a lap, and everybody went crazy regarding my prop.
Many drivers offered my new friend from Norway lots of money for his prop, that he lent me but he was cool and said it belongs to Lars.
Next heat the Italian drivers was trying to run me over in the start, and later pushed me up on one of the
turning buoys and I was disqualified and had some damage to the boat but we fixed that overnight.

I do not remember the third heat, but I had to win the last one, and I did.

I was now declared the winner and the new European Champion, and Jim Wagner was forced to come over to my boat
and congratulate me.

Roger Jenkins went strait to the Airport and Wales, and Lars and his friends had the biggest after race
party they have ever seen in Lappenranta.

This was the beginning of my professional boat racing carrier and my Outboard Business success.

EDIT...This is Tor Smith Ingebrittsen..from Norway.
He let me use his special race- propeller in Lappenranta, Finland..to Win..!!
Thanks again Tor Smith..

The second picture is me just after the race..and than my Clerici/Evinrude SS # 99 boat