BU Drivers...

[Ron Hill]

I always felt this BU was the turning point in my racing HISTORY.

My dad and I built this boat during Easter Week when I was in college in Arizona...In those days I stayed out much later than I do now....but every morning My OLD MAN had me up at 7 to work on this boat for Carl Myers....

Some morning I could not tell a table saw from a drill press...but by Friday we were painting her...

I raced her a time or two that year in BU...Then we headed for the Stock nationals in Beaver Falls, PA...Carl drove the BU to a Divisional win, but on the trip to PA was involved in ahead on accident in Nebraska....and was in the hospital, lucky to be alive at the the time of the Nationals...

My dad and mom and me went on to Beaver, after picking up the pieces of wrecked boats in Nebraska... I qualified this BU..and finished 4th in the finals...

When Charlie Strang went to weigh me in, I got on the scales, with jacket and helmet I weighed like 255.....BU weight was like 355....Charlie looking at the boat and engine....and told Edgar Rose, don't weigh Ron's boat...I know the 20-H weighs almost 100 pounds...

It was right after that that Charlie started listing to my "CRAZY" ideas...I went on to break the ARR runabout record with this boat...

This picture was at Sparks, Nevada, 1966...I was running a BU with the B Alkies...I got second...(A BIG MONEY RACE in those days....but the lake was smaller than most mall parking lots...).

Mercguy: Note the fin!!!!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Ron, I always like your stories about Charlie and Ann Strang. I'm hope there are more to come.

[modracer7b]

Ron, Remember this guy in a BU. Mr 6B, Clark Maloof. I'm happy to say it was my wake that he was in. Actually he was 2B in this pic.

Bill Rosado

ps - thanks for the kind words on the other site.

[modracer7b]

Here's one of me in the boat he was chasing in the above pic.

Bill Rosado

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

I loved watching BU or later BSR with your runabouts. I would not know who in the world would want to be in the front passenger well of a BU anytime! BU and later BSR probably claimed more crankcases and blocks hydraliced and even repaired with welding by dumping than any other class of raceboat? We seen some neat runabouts, some drifted turns where others like the Cooper Seabird Specials we had here, banked up on their sides around corners with their special bottom fin configurations were sure neat in their days. Ther were and still are some aluminum BUs around in racig families garages. A very enjoyable class to have watched in great numbers back in the 1960s and 70s for our family back then. :)

[Ron Hill]

Of course, CLOCK (CLARK) Maloof would argue he had both knees on the floor boards...Kind of like the time Ted May got stopped by the Coast Guard. The Dude asked him for his fire Extinguisher...Ted unzipped his pants and told the Coast Guard Dude, "I've got a two quart extinguisher, right here..." He still got the ticket!!!

Chris Wilde....Names sounds like...Oh, Steve Wilde's brother...Pam Wilde's uncle!!!!

[modracer7b]

Yes, I thought you would like thst shot. But of course his knees were on the floor board.

Reminds me of the time Clark was about to win the John & Flora Blank award in 65. We were at Southbury,Ct. Scotty Neal had just moved out this way and showed up there. On Saturday, Scotty got the start and Clark and I passed him on both sides going to the first turn like he wasn't even there.

On Sunday, Scotty had left and gone home. Someone told me he'd be back when he could beat us. I retired before he ever came back. Anyway, Clark starts ramming me down the straights and the referee throws him out. Well Clark needed the points to hit 10,000, so I go to the referee and ask him why he threw Clark out. When he tells me he was ramming me, I tell him that he never touched me and they must have been mistaken. Of course, everyone could hear wood cracking all the way down the straight. Anyway, after about five minutes of argueing with them, they finally reinstated Clark. Clark and I were the best of friends and the fiercest competitors on the water. We used to enjoy ramming each other back then. The referees finally left us alone as long as we weren't ramming anyone else. I bought the first Clarkraft that he made to sell. Back then, everyone was buying Larry Castignetto boats, but I liked Clark's boats better. It took me a whole season to talk my old man into letting me get a Clarkraft instead of a Castacraft.

Bill Rosado

[Ron Hill]

This is Glenn Mac Donald...from Manteca, California..what is interesting, to me, is that Steve Wilde took the picture.....the same Steve Wilde that races today....

Isn't this a Clark Craft, also???

[F-12]

Let's not forget Stover Hire, Bob Trolian, (both masters), Chic Ludwig, for you guys in the south, Ray Hammond, Tommy Nuccio...... the list goes on and on. If anyone has pictures of the guys mentioned, please post them. They are all great guys........and dedicated racers.

[Ron Hill]

But who are these BU guys???

56-H was Stover...

[Ron Hill]

Earl Garrison from Edmonds, Washington. Golden Shores WInternationals......Photo by TITO SMITH. Do I need to tell you It is CHief Tito Smith, now!!!

The second picture was taken by Ken Scoville, Sr.

[Ted March]

Zubak, Wherle and Pinacle's Little Patty. Come on Johnie. A Sid with a clover leaf. Red Yost. Not too bad either. First B over 60 in a kilo. And of course David D.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Zubak, Wherle and Pinacle's Little Patty. Come on Johnie. A Sid with a clover leaf. Red Yost. Not too bad either. First B over 60 in a kilo. And of course David D.
Somewhere I have/had a picture from 1954 of the BU race, first turn in Millville. Right in the middle was Johnny Wehrle, just to his inside was Dave Kough, next to him on the outside was Jum Alexander and to his outside setting up for his classic wide open chine turn was Ronnie Zubach. These guys didn't battle for who won, they did just to place. Wehrle held his own, but Kough & Zubach were there as well. Occasionally Alexander placed and might even had won. Johnny Covals was also very good in the KG7/BU days as was Bob Stout. I thought that the Shamrock/Pinnacle boat was Stout's. He had a penn Yan racer, kind of like a pram w/o square nose. I once had a picture of that boat as well.

Later came Tom Nuccio and his classic battles with Billy Simmons, Ernie Fanslau and at national level with Stover Hire and the Hedlund brothers Gerry & Gary.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

I'm posting several pictures. 67-J/68-J Zubach; 12-P Bob Stout's early Penn Yan racer; Johnny Covals at the Albany to NY marathon pit stop at Poughkeepskie.(Note he missed the dock & had to come around to stop. The little kid on the dock on the left was me as we were awaiting my father who never made it as he broke down.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Somehow some pictures didn't make it. 44-J Johnny Covals, Wehrle & Zubach. I'll try again.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Some more.

[Ron Hill]

I never met Johnny Covals...a guy named Wendell Keith came out here from New York and he always said how fast Johnny Covals was...

At the 1952 Stock Nationals in Oakland, California my dad was the inspector along with Al Hart. The Quick lower unit was pretty new and the early one had been hand filed. Carl had replaced the early ones with new "LEGAL" sand cast.

The guys from New York area....Johnny Covals...Don Guieran Jr...and a few other decided to run their hand filed units...Wendell Keith told them all PERSONNALLY that OLD MAN HILL knew how to read a micrometer and he'd throw them out if they ran those "HAND FILED" feet....

Well, they ran them anyway and got tossed...Don Guieran Sr. was a Mercury Distirbutor and he wanted his kid not to be DQ'd...

The Stock Commission up held my old man...

Here is Glenn MacDonald and I think JIMBO...JIMBO always ran a "BUBBLE" SHIELD....Orangevale, CALIFORNIA 1968..

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

I never met Johnny Covals...a guy named Wendell Keith came out here from New York and he always said how fast Johnny Covals was...

At the 1952 Stock Nationals in Oakland, California my dad was the inspector along with Al Hart. The Quick lower unit was pretty new and the early one had been hand filed. Carl had replaced the early ones with new "LEGAL" sand cast.

The guys from New York area....Johnny Covals...Don Guieran Jr...and a few other decided to run their hand filed units...Wendell Keith told them all PERSONNALLY that OLD MAN HILL knew how to read a micrometer and he'd throw them out if they ran those "HAND FILED" feet....

Well, they ran them anyway and got tossed...Don Guieran Sr. was a Mercury Distirbutor and he wanted his kid not to be DQ'd...

The Stock Commission up held my old man...

Here is Glenn MacDonald and I think JIMBO...JIMBO always ran a "BUBBLE" SHIELD....Orangevale, CALIFORNIA 1968..
Ron,

I guess Zubach had a legal gear case as he won. With absolutely no disrespect, it's interesting that we had to compete during the early fifties against families with resouirces. Covals family owned Covals Sport & Marine, alter just Covals Marine. My first hydro was a Jacoby that was originally Covals. That's where my consectutive boat name "Sleepy Time Gal" came from. Dick O'dea's family owned several radio stations. Dave Kough's family owned Franklin Lakes Dairy, back when home delivery was the thing. As you stated Don Guerin was a Merc distributor, and later APBA SO VP & then President. My BSH Competition record certificate from 1954 was signed by him. Merlyn Culver, John's dad was a Merc distributor and also an APBA President. Bob Okner, 1960 DSH national champ's family owned one of the largest eye glass hinge company's in NJ. The Miller family, Click & Cliff a & B classes owned a Mercury dealership in Kingston NY. Click took Charlie Piper's (father had a big home construction business) and moved the transom back & tucked the motor under I believe to attempt to make it prop ride. Charlie won a lot od races after that mod, but we later learned that Click found one of those padded "C" blocks. Charlie's dad then modified my Sid like Charlie's, but I didn't think it handled as well. Actually, while testing the motor came loose & off the bost held on only by the throttle cable. The list can go on of the many families with resources that we had to compete against. Even Johnny Wehrle's family, very good personal friends of my family, owned Wehrle Trucking & Rigging. Moved buildings on flat beds. I feel very grateful looking back that I was even able to compete let alone win consistently among these famous people. One side bar story, dad would bring the pay check to Mom, she paid all the bills, and always found it short. Either because of credit union withdrawals or payments. Guess where the money went. Yup, racing stuff for my brother & myself.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

John, how about telling us some classic battles you had with some of those guys, blow by blow. I know you've got some heats that always stand out in your memory.

[Ron Hill]

After Zubak won BU, Stu Downs bought his Sid Craft...but Wendell Keith had made the deal BEFORE the race...

Cheowith's motors were total box stock...my dad always said....

I wasn't trying to say anyone cheated...we cut our 45 gearcase to the minimum...might not pass Ziggy or such....When you get to a Nationals you run the fastest stuff....usually, what you've been running...

How many times did Ron Zubak win BU???

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

John, how about telling us some classic battles you had with some of those guys, blow by blow. I know you've got some heats that always stand out in your memory.
Wayne,

Yes, there are many, mostly with Kough & Wehrle in BSH, but also with O'Dea in CSH & Okner in DSH. Johnny WEhrle & I battled continually during his short term racing prior to a skirmish with his dad over focus on racing or girlfriend. He met her at a race in Northport, LI. She was just a spectator. Anyway, we both had Jacoby 3 point hydros and whoever got the start usually won. I guess equally divided. We had a race in Pitman, NJ, just a large pond with very tight turns. Johnny was out front & I was doing my damnest to out turn him. Huge center fin, more like a center board for a sail bot. Well, in one turn the fin ripped out the plank that it was fastened to and water started coming in. I still finished second. My boat was built with a planked bottom by Pop, Johnny's and all from 1953/1954 on were built from plywood. The next day was our big race at Long Branch, NJ and I couldn't challenge Johnny. He won easily.

It was interesting competing against Dave Kough. He won the first heat at the 1954 Divisionals the first year for the MK20H. He missed the 5 mile compettion record by about0.1. I win the second & broke the record. So who did his brother help in inspection? Me. See picture below. Jimmy on the left. 2 weeks later we all went to the nationals in Depere, WI. Long trip, no Interstaes but did have turnpikes. We started 16 boats in those days. Dave & I were on the far outside, see picture, Dave to my right far outside. In the first heat I was just passing him as we passed our pits and I was about to blow over backwards. My dad said all he saw was me hanging on with my feet straight out.(I'm sure he exaggerated some). Dave went on to win the heat, I finally finished 6th. I finished 3rd the next heat, Dave was way back. Overall he was 3rd, I was 4th. I was 15 years old.

In 1956 Sid built his first hydro which was for me. He built 3 others that year. One for Dave Kough, one for Jim Coulburn & one for Johnny WEhrle, but because he quit it went to Marolyn Donaldson. That was the year that the Hot Rods came out. Kough had one, we were stubborn & stayed with Merc. Dave could hardly beat me as I had better speed but also had a prop my dad had made that could accelerate with the Hot Rod. During the qualifying heats at the stock nationals in Cambridge, I was out fron with just 2 turns to go, would have qualified, but trip a sponson in a hole. (If you read the articles about that nationals I think several drivers either flipped or got pitched out as the Choptank River was notorius for swells. I was even ahead of the fast Mr. Fixit's Hot Rod prepared by the late and famous Paul Kalb. I didn't qualify, Dave Kough won the Championship.

More later about other classic battles with Dick O'Dea and Bob Okner.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

After Zubak won BU, Stu Downs bought his Sid Craft...but Wendell Keith had made the deal BEFORE the race...

Cheowith's motors were total box stock...my dad always said....

I wasn't trying to say anyone cheated...we cut our 45 gearcase to the minimum...might not pass Ziggy or such....When you get to a Nationals you run the fastest stuff....usually, what you've been running...

How many times did Ron Zubak win BU???
Ron,

Not exactly sure, but he won in Oakland then I think with the 20H conversion won Seattle I think 1959.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I look forward to hearing about your duel with Dick. I never raced with him, but my memory of Dick goes back to the first "Roostertail" I got in 1966. I read and reread all issues from those days and Dick had an ad in all of them, so my roots of boat racing has fond memories of Dick O'Dea. A few years later I got to meet Dick and get to know him as an engine builder, a great guy, and always fielding one of the top teams. Dick.....please tell us some of your stories as well! Thanks John.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

I look forward to hearing about your duel with Dick. I never raced with him, but my memory of Dick goes back to the first "Roostertail" I got in 1966. I read and reread all issues from those days and Dick had an ad in all of them, so my roots of boat racing has fond memories of Dick O'Dea. A few years later I got to meet Dick and get to know him as an engine builder, a great guy, and always fielding one of the top teams. Dick.....please tell us some of your stories as well! Thanks John.
The one that I remember most was in CSH which started at the 1958 Miami Stock Nationals and continued for several races afterwards. Prior to the nationals, Sid Urytzki (Sis Craft) made a prop for me that tested well. But I needed to test it on the race course before making the decision to race it. Unfortunately, Sid had it and wanted Skipper Ritter to test it in the gravel pit near Hallandale. By the time Sid got back to the race site, no more testing allowed so I made the decision that probably was a mistake and didn't run it. I finished I think about 7th or 8th. All these years I recalled that Dick had won, but he reminded me that Bill Brown with a Charleton hydro and padded MK30H block had won & he finished 2nd. 2 weeks later we raced at Millville, NJ with the Sid prop, and in my typical fashen started dead on the inside. Dick won the first heat so I "jacked" up a 1/4" and won the 2nd, Dick won on time. It was either the next day or a week later (memory fade) we went to Norristown, PA. I told my dad that I was going up another 1/4", I did, and won both heats. Oh for the want of having that prop at Miami.

Here is a picture that same year taken at the Delaware Water Gap. Dick is 3rd from the laft in 2-j. On the bottom is Tony Rodrigues in a Mishey & just above him is me in 19-J. I won that day as well.

[Ron Hill]

Bill Brown with a Charleton hydro......My memory says his name is Bob Brown, because in Seattle, a guy from Florida had a C Hydro Charleton that said, on the side, "This AIN'T Bob Brown."

When Jeff Merlin came to California and was going to race the Colorado River Marathon in my CU...I had the sign painter paint, "This ain't Ron Hill." Merlin got so mad at me, we added,....it is Jeff Merlin....", that calmed Jeff.

As I recall, Seattle had long mother straight aways. The first turn was a wide sweeper and the pit turn, as the boats came right at you on Green Lake, the pit turn was somewhat tight... I had watched John Alden blow over his B Stock Hydro in that corner, first time I saw a hydro blow over in a corner....so, I was watching that corner like a hawk.

Bob Brown came out of the first turn very wide, by the time he got to the second turn he had a 8 boat length lead....he slowed for the corner, damn near spinning out and when he got on the throttle to save his spin his motor sounded like it had quit....

The next lap he had a 30 boat lead, same thing... After the first heat I WENT AND LOOKED AT HIS RIG. NO AFTER PLANE AT ALL ON THE BOAT, WIDE MOTHER BOTTOM...AND THE BIGGEST PROP I'D EVER SEEN... I then looked at that Charleton's deck and concluded that it was really a big wing...all cloth deck...

Second heat was the same...every corner, he lost control, almost...Charlie Strang ispected my D motor in Seattle, I assume he also inspected Bob Brown's...

The padded C blocks were all on Wizards...and never had the Turbo Four name plate on the side...except for some padded blocks that Lon Stevens made..

I never saw Bob Brown again...The next time I ever same a C Stock Hydro win that easy was Bunky Bowerman in Hinton, West Virginia, 1976....Again the biggest prop I ever saw was on Bunky's boat...I saw J.R. Saffel pass 20 SST 120's at Bay City once, in one lap...last to first......Big prop, on the outside HUMMING!!!

I conceptualized the transom height rule, in 1975, and I believe in it today!!!!!!

Tony Rodriguez went 70 mph at Cambridge, Maryland, 1956, for a one mile record.....My dad and Tony ran into each other on the turnpike...my dad offered Tony a $1,000 if he could go 60, thaey damn near got in a fist fight too!!!.......Later, 1964, I went 64.661 (UIM Kilo Record) in a C runabout....My dad later apologized to Tony...but is was maybe 15 years later...

Never under estimate what guys can do to get speed out of their boats...and get speed legally..

Lloyd Mize, 153-0 went 94mph for a kilo record in D Stock Runabout, with a borrowed motor...No one could believe his speed until his back up run was faster... 44XS...motor, I think Jimmy Dawe owned it...Lloyd had this BIG RECORD WHEEL AND A FLOATER...runabout..

Anyone see Lloyd Mize around? He was a damn nice guy. I sold him a 30-H once, because I needed the money...I always wished I'd have kept it...My dad had built it for Mike Wetmore, Mickey Schwarzenbach got it, I borrowed it from Mickey......it was so fast, I never gave it back....Lloyd always "PRETENDED" to not know where that engine went...bet it is still in his garage!!!

[Joe Silvestri 36-S]

Great photos guys. I'm posting in this thread in hopes to bring it back to the front page so you guys can post more pics and stories. Thanks.

[one eight-w]

Back a page or two you posted who are theese guys...
56W is Ron Thomas from Milwaukee

[RichardKCMo]

Sure hope you guys continue this thread it's a fun one.!!!
RichardKCMo, love them B's

[RichardKCMo]

Center o' Gravity, curios as to what some think on subject of boat size as per rules , duh, believe it or not. There was boat size once.

And 'nother thing wha t have extremly short towers done for speeds, reduced the sides of boats , on , n, on?

Anyways i know it's relative!!!
RichardKCMo

[jon66w]

Ron, you mention 1959 Seattle Nationals so you must have memory of results. I have been trying to find out who won DSR at 59 nationals which I thought was in Hinton but obviously wrong. I was told that Gary Stippich won with the new "Floater/Quack" that Carl had built him as a present for returning from the Service. This boat was the one I later ran as 66 W. Can anyone help me out with the DSR results from 1959???? Thanks, Jon

[Ron Hill]

John Schidel (May be spelled wrong) won DU in 1959, from New Jersery, with a black,Sid Craft, beautifully lettered in gold leaf.

Keith won te first heat, but had missed the entrance bouy of turn two, on the last lap. I was passing Keith when I realized he was missing he bouy, I altered my course to go around the bouy and lost by about a boat length. Everyone had seen Keith cut the bouy and we assumed he was DQ'd for it.

I managed to get a poor start in the second heat and finished about sixth. My dad said Schidel had been seventh (legal sixth) the first heat but with Keith being DQ'd, he must have beaten me on time.

The next day, we got the paper and read where Keith HAD NOT been DQ'd and I'd lost on points, not time. I felt, at the time, and still do, had we known Keith was not DQ'd we'd have filed a protest. But, in those days, Don Guerrin, a Mercury Distributor, who was the Referrer and Stock VP, still held SERIOUS hard feelings toward my dad, because my dad had disqualified his son, for a cut down foot, at the 1952 Nationals...Guerrin also DQ'd me in 1960, in the scond heat at Beloit, after four restarts....when I was winning the second heat, each time. Dean Chenowith told me at the time, Ron, you didn't jump ONCE.....you got screwed. I won other D RUNABOUT NATIONALS....

So, with Guerrin's power, my protest might never have gone anywhere. That fall at the APBA National meeting, they raised the age limit fo 16 for DU. Had I won in Seattle, I would have been 15.

Seems to me, 1961 and 1962, at Guntersville, Alabama, that Don Pontius worked us all over pretty well in DU. Seems he won four straight heats in DU. (I got 2nd both years).

Seems "BONES" (Gary Stippich) may have been second in CU in '61, but I was second in CU in '62.

Larry Castaneto won CU IN '63 And Gary Stippich won Cu in 1964 with the DUCK BILL STIPPICH.

A little more history: In 1962, Ernie Dawe took the "TIGER" (A Clff Bedford built "Floater" to Alabama. The Tiger had won the Colorado River Marathon, in CU, everytime it ran.) Ernie could run about 5 mph faster than any Cu at Alabama, but he couldn't make the corners, as FLOATERS didn't turn)...(Had he had a John Puestow out rigger fin, as most runabouts now have, Dawe would have won the CU Nationals by a half lap).

I think it was 1962 that Carl got the idea for the Duck Bill... I know in 1964, I'd built a new CU with some "TIGER" in it, and I broke the Kilo Record in CU at 64.661. (A 10 per cent increase). Carl Stippich was just getting to Modesto when I was running the kilo, and he was so impressed by the way my boat was hanging, that he kept watching me go through the kilo. He actually walked out into the water, with his good shoes on, just to see me exit the kilo. I did win DU in '64, I lead CU for 3 1/2 laps, until the water got too rough, Gary Stippich passed me, with his Duck Billed CU. I broke a starter in the second heat, so Gary had any easy ride for the win.

Don't know if I answered your question, but these are the memories that fill my head...

I do remember my dad and Carl staying up almost all night after the Modesto Nationals, the two of them, drinking beer, happy as hell with their boys....Championships...Carl and my dad had a lot in common.

[jon66w]

Sorry for my senior moment but I had a 1969, not 1959, Stippich DSR Quack floater which was built for Gary, but I enjoyed your History. Now, can anyone tell me where the 1969 Nationals was held and what were results in DSR??? Jon

[Ron Hill]

Ernie Dawe probably has the results, I'll call him today. I know it wasn't Don Pontius or Bill Allen,as I remember they tried to qualify at Beloit, 1970. I was racing for OMC in '69 and also got married that year...I didn't run DU at all..

Can't recall....

Jeremey Stippich e-mailed me the other day... Maybe, Keith or Gary could fill in the blanks you are looking for...
E-mail me at prop19@sbcglobal.net
and I'll e-mail you Jeremey's e-mail address...