The Elsinore 500

[Ron Hill]

The first Elsinore 50 was October 8, 1968. My dad and mom owned 22 acres on Rome Hill in Elsinore and all my life, 0-16 the lake had been dry. After graduating college, I started teaching in 1966. In the fall of 1966 I drove for Outboard Marine Corp at Havasu and in 1967 I won Havasu in the "T" Class.

But OMC didn't want to race The Elsinore 500....YET! Here is a picture from the first "500"...Kind of sets the pace of the Inboards Vs. the Outboards in those days!

[Ron Hill]

More pictures....

[fredbear624]

great photo's Ron who is driving the 170 and are there 3 or 4 omc on it:confused: what is the history of this boat thanks

[Skoontz]

Looks like 2 Golden Meteors, or GT115 Johnsons. Kind of hard to see if you didn't know the curves of the cover, that one kind of formed the V-4 powerhead with the cover lines. The prettiest one was the Evinrude X-115

[Mark Poole]

I would say two also. Three V-4's from that era with the width of the cowls would require a WIDE boat. Those are Johnsons.

[Ron Hill]

Boat 170 kind of looks like four engines, but it is two GT-115 AKA "FAT FOURS" as I called them until I raced Evinrudes...

Boat 170 is Style Craft Cat..


Here is Speed Marine's Elsinore 500 boat...Maybe Todd Fitschen can tell us will tell us who is driving.

[Ron Hill]

Here is one, I have four..

[Mark Poole]

Ron, did you have to cut out half of "Miss Lake Elsinore" in that scan? Lol!
The half that I can see sure looks good.

[Ron Hill]

My scanner and me aren't getting along worth a dam....

Check this out, the Elsinore 500 queen...

NO wonder I wanted to win this race!!!

[Ron Hill]

Once the Outboards became more than runner ups, the ENDURO CURCUIT changed, forever. The inboard owners were not going to compete with "FACTORY" boats, so the Vic Edlebroc's, Peter Rothchild's and such went Ski Racing, never to really return to Enduro Boat Racing.

As a young man, driving Factory Boats and wrecking their engines, was WAY COOL but 20:20 hindsight, I see that Factory racers KILLED the individual racer.

Billy Don Pruitt was called a "MULLET" by his friends, but his friends liked him. He was a man of men...Pruitt understood the concept of winning!!!

[Mark75H]

I love the top picture of the #74 Glastron inboard. There are many pictures of it from the side ... this overhead tells a lot more about it.

Do you know who the driver is in this shot? Is it Pruitt?

[tfitschen]

Boat 170 kind of looks like four engines, but it is two GT-115 AKA "FAT FOURS" as I called them until I raced Evinrudes...

Boat 170 is Style Craft Cat..


Here is Speed Marine's Elsinore 500 boat...Maybe Todd Fitschen can tell us will tell us who is driving.

This picture is from the 1965 Parker Enduro, and the boat was a Louie Unser Ford powered Mandella, Owned by Barry Berkus, and Driven By Berkus, Barry Bollman, Jerry Lembke, and Steve Ribeau.

[Ron Hill]

Not sure who most of these people are, expect I do know Bobby, Al and Louie Unser....

[Ron Hill]

The late Bobby Massey in the Wing, Bill Petty from Ohio in the ALUMINUM twin...and I don't know who is the T-188 WOODEN SWITZWER.

[tfitschen]

not Sure Who Most Of These People Are, Expect I Do Know Bobby, Al And Louie Unser....

I Have The Programs From The Races, And I Looked Up These Boats

The 94 Boat Is Mickey Thompson And Gary Campbell, In A Carlson With 2 427 Fords Taken At The Salton Sea 500

The 170 Boat Is Gary Bush And Tom Black From Tustin, Ca.

The 50 Boat Is Skip Volk

And The (1)35 Boat Is Dave Kaecker From Phoenix

The Picture Of The Unser Brothers Was Taken At The Ontario Speedway, Two Weeks Before The Race To Help Promote The Elsinore 500 Plus The Multile Sclerosis Society, The Disease That Unfortunatelly Claimed Loiue.

[Skoontz]

I Have The Programs From The Races, And I Looked Up These Boats

The 94 Boat Is Mickey Thompson And Gary Campbell, In A Carlson With 2 427 Fords Taken At The Salton Sea 500

The 170 Boat Is Gary Bush And Tom Black From Tustin, Ca.

The 50 Boat Is Skip Volk

And The (1)35 Boat Is Dave Kaecker From Phoenix

The Pictur Of The Unser Brothers Was Taken At The Ontario Speedway, Two Weeks Before The Race To Help Promote The Elsinore 500 Plus The Multile Sclerosis Society, The Disease That Unfortunatelly Claimed Loiue.

The explanation of the 94 boat and the driver explains why anyone in their right mind would stick two 1,000 blocks of iron in a small boat like that,. Must have passed everything but the gas station!

I just saw Mickey's Challenger with the two sets of Pontiac 421 welded together to make V-16's. I think he set a 300 some odd mph gas powered speed record with that car and was always the inovator with lots of engines in anything he built.....Glad they finally caught the guys that gunned he and his wife down.

[Ron Hill]

Now, who is 30, 38, 4 and SS35???

They seem to ring a bell, but!!!!

ADD:

Louie Unser was one of the nicest guys I ever met. He never let his disease hold him back, he found it until the end. He always had a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone!

Bud Gilbert learned a lot about engines from Louie. Bouncey learned from Bud....

[tfitschen]

the First Elsinore 50 Was October 8, 1968. My Dad And Mom Owned 22 Acres On Rome Hill In Elsinore And All My Life, 0-16 The Lake Had Been Dry. After Graduating College, I Started Teaching In 1966. In The Fall Of 1966 I Drove For Outboard Marine Corp At Havasu And In 1967 I Won Havasu In The "t" Class.

But Omc Didn't Want To Race The Elsinore 500....yet! Here Is A Picture From The First "500"...kind Of Sets The Pace Of The Inboards Vs. The Outboards In Those Days!

Boat 170 Is William Petty And Robert Leroy

The Inboard Is #47 I Think, Howard Mcgovern And Dick Freek

[tfitschen]

more Pictures....

Boat #24 If This Is From Elsinore Is Don Hitchman And Donald Johnson.

If It Is From The Salton Sea 500, It Is Gilbert Suiter, Nolan Shabacker, And William Hegel

[tfitschen]

once The Outboards Became More Than Runner Ups, The Enduro Curcuit Changed, Forever. The Inboard Owners Were Not Going To Compete With "factory" Boats, So The Vic Edlebroc's, Peter Rothchild's And Such Went Ski Racing, Never To Really Return To Enduro Boat Racing.

As A Young Man, Driving Factory Boats And Wrecking Their Engines, Was Way Cool But 20:20 Hindsight, I See That Factory Racers Killed The Individual Racer.

Billy Don Pruitt Was Called A "mullet" By His Friends, But His Friends Liked Him. He Was A Man Of Men...pruitt Understood The Concept Of Winning!!!

Boat #74 Was Called Glastron A Go-go Driven By Robert Hammond And Darrel Jenkins

Boat #30 Is Grier Rush

The Little Picture Is Don Pruitt In Boat #112 Who Won The 2nd Annual Lake Elsinore 500

[tfitschen]

now, Who Is 30, 38, 4 And Ss35???

They Seem To Ring A Bell, But!!!!

Add:

Louie Unser Was One Of The Nicest Guys I Ever Met. He Never Let His Disease Hold Him Back, He Found It Until The End. He Always Had A Smile On His Face And A Kind Word For Everyone!

Bud Gilbert Learned A Lot About Engines From Louie. Bouncey Learned From Bud....

#30 Grier Rush

#38 Twin Ford Powered Wiggins With Hartley White, Wayne Wooley, Clifford Langley, And Norman Kitching

#4 Elsinore 500 Would Be Paul Bills, Jake Smith, And Ross Connell
Or If Its From Salton Sea It Was Douglas Fendler

[Ron Hill]

This T-74 is at Parker, but was a promo picture for Parker. This might be our own Tinker Collinge, not sure. Tinker says the early trim switches were on the cockpit sides and that is why you'll see most Glastron/Molinari twins with the driver's hand on the cockpit combing.

Thanks, Tood for you great postings about these pictures...

Here are some more unknowns.......sort of...Grier was that YOUNG and that handsome????????

Who and what is that flat decked twin inboard???

[Bunker Hill]

Is that twin inboard the Rayson Craft that has th e twin Allisons in it??
The one that has been on display at Long Beach for the past few years???

[Skoontz]

Is that twin inboard the Rayson Craft that has th e twin Allisons in it??
The one that has been on display at Long Beach for the past few years???

I think those sre tunnel port side oilers Bunker.

[Ron Hill]

The "500" was in September, Havasu was Thanksgiving, like always. This picture of "Triple Trouble" a 22 foot Ron Jones tunnel with TRIPLE Mercury Racing Motors was pictured in the Havasu Program. All proceeds from program sales went to Lake Havasu City Community Service Organizations.

[RICK HOFFMAN]

Found this over the weekend51415

[Rick Connolly]

Bobby Massey Lake Elsinore 500 1968.


http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af136/RetroBoats/BobbyTrophy-WihiteWing-a_zpsc637c263.jpg