JW Myers unemployed

[Cameraboy]

This just in...JW Myers lost his ride with the Elam team today. He was replaced by a tall person last seen driving a flaming Super Stock. :mad:

ps - my bet is that he'll have a boat ride this weekend anyway. ;)

[carl lewis]

is the new guy named "Dick"

[Phillip]

He was leading the Championship wasnt he?
Is this a knee jerk reaction to him flipping the Boat? or do you think they purposely have been trying to get Dave to drive for them from the start of the season?

[Miss BK]

My friend Paul Scurlock talked to the owner of the Elam team, Eric Ellstrom, and this is Paul's report as posted on the Unlimitedsondown Yahoo group board. The discussion over there has been that Dave has been hanging around the Elam team all season, helping them out, and he has been wanting to get back in the seat.

Another rumor was that there was some sort of agreement with the other teams that Elam wouldn't hire Dave V to drive this season. Apparently that agreement exists no more.

I think having JW as an Unlimited driver brought some "youthful vigor" and excitement back into that category. I think it's sad they went back to the same'ol same'ol.



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Just had the opportunity to speak with Eric Ellstrom about his decision to
make a driving change. "I think J.W. is one of the greatest young drivers in
the sport today," said Ellstrom. "To be honest, we weren't unhappy with him
in the boat. But, sometimes you just have a gut feeling, and that's what I
had, that you need to make a change."

"We had talked with both Dave and J.W. in the off season and we were happy
with them both, and we decided to go with J.W. To make the change was the most difficult decision I have made as an owner but after the accident in Detroit I decided it was the prudent thing to do."

"The last thing we want to do is have anyone get hurt. Sometimes an
accident can affect you differently after the adrenaline has left your system
and you have a chance to go over it in your mind. Detroit gave me concers as to how the rest of the year would play out."

"Dave will finish out the year and we'll sit down in the off season and see
in what direction we want to go. We've had quite a few drivers and I'd like
to get one that works well with the crew. J.W. was great for the team and he
disagreed adamantly with my decision to make a change at this point."

He also told me that the boat damaged in Detroit would be ready for
Tri-Cities, although "...it won't be as pretty as we would like her to be."
They expect to get the final paint on between TC and Seattle. Oh, and no, he did tell me that they were NOT the buyer of the rumored Bud equipment.

I do have a call in to Joe Little as you read this....stay tuned.
Paul Scurlock, Detroit

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[David Mason]

I am officially not a fan of the Elam.

I liked JW, he would actually talk with you in the pits as if you were on his level. I appreciated his vigor for the dying sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing. He was helping in getting the excitment level up there for fans.

Oh well.

[mercguy]

My friend Paul Scurlock talked to the owner of the Elam team, Eric Ellstrom, and this is Paul's report as posted on the Unlimitedsondown Yahoo group board. The discussion over there has been that Dave has been hanging around the Elam team all season, helping them out, and he has been wanting to get back in the seat.

Another rumor was that there was some sort of agreement with the other teams that Elam wouldn't hire Dave V to drive this season. Apparently that agreement exists no more.

I think having JW as an Unlimited driver brought some "youthful vigor" and excitement back into that category. I think it's sad they went back to the same'ol same'ol.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Just had the opportunity to speak with Eric Ellstrom about his decision to
make a driving change. "I think J.W. is one of the greatest young drivers in
the sport today," said Ellstrom. "To be honest, we weren't unhappy with him
in the boat. But, sometimes you just have a gut feeling, and that's what I
had, that you need to make a change."

"We had talked with both Dave and J.W. in the off season and we were happy
with them both, and we decided to go with J.W. To make the change was the most difficult decision I have made as an owner but after the accident in Detroit I decided it was the prudent thing to do."

"The last thing we want to do is have anyone get hurt. Sometimes an
accident can affect you differently after the adrenaline has left your system
and you have a chance to go over it in your mind. Detroit gave me concers as to how the rest of the year would play out."

"Dave will finish out the year and we'll sit down in the off season and see
in what direction we want to go. We've had quite a few drivers and I'd like
to get one that works well with the crew. J.W. was great for the team and he
disagreed adamantly with my decision to make a change at this point."

He also told me that the boat damaged in Detroit would be ready for
Tri-Cities, although "...it won't be as pretty as we would like her to be."
They expect to get the final paint on between TC and Seattle. Oh, and no, he did tell me that they were NOT the buyer of the rumored Bud equipment.

I do have a call in to Joe Little as you read this....stay tuned.
Paul Scurlock, Detroit

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that was a terrible decision for the Elam owners! They will definately be loosing ALOT of the "younger crowd" that supported JW in his Unlimited outtings. Ya wonder why the Unlimited class is declining in numbers! I say screw the Elam team! I am sure JW will get another ride. We still have J.Michael to support though!!!!! I think it would be great that whoever puchases the Bud equipment hire JW as the driver!!!!

[bill boyes]

Rumor has it that JW will be here tonite in Depue to drive an 1100 runabout owned by Howard Anderson this weekend. Back to your roots.

[David Mason]

:D He must be one crazy SOB to have his roots in 1100ccR !! :D

Kneeling down is a lot more fun than sitting down anyways in my opinion. Think they can make a kneel down capsule for Champ Boats ? :D

At any rate I am glad he did not forget his roots and what is truly fun. Getting paid to race an Unlimited is probably fun to, but look at the politics behind it..... Elam can kiss my southbound end while I am heading northbound.

What is Elam anyway ? Never knew what it was, just the name of a boat.

[Miss BK]

Speaking of Elam...Did everyone catch these hiliarious "altered" Elam flip photos ? This is a local Detroit message board where locals discussed the Gold Cup and how much "height" that boat got - these guys are pretty funny...

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/5/50420.html?1121880659

;)

[Cameraboy]

JW took a fourth overall in 500. In 1100, a gun jump followed by a
spinout in one heat left them in fifth overall. The good news is JW
and his deckrider (my nephew) stayed in the boat. JW owned lane one in
all but one start, and was either the first or second boat to the
first turn in all but that start. This was in a 29 year old DeSilva
hull with a weight disadvantage and an older Konig motor - but in the
hands of the right driver can still (and did) out turn the modern
Krier hulls with Rossi power.

Howard didn't fire JW for spinning out. On the contrary, many of
Howards long time competitors commented on what a great job his young
drivers (Jamie Nilsen drove the capsule boat "like a rock star" according to Sheryl Rucker) were doing.

[Tim Weber]

I saw JW run the 500 and he ate up the Krier boats in the turns. Howard said it was the first time they ever ran a 500 on the boat. It was not really dialed in but ran well and JW did a good job with an unfimiliar boat.

I think you will see more of the boat with a 500 on it. Even though it is an older baot it is in pristine condition.

Tim

[Cameraboy]

I saw JW run the 500 and he ate up the Krier boats in the turns. Howard said it was the first time they ever ran a 500 on the boat. It was not really dialed in but ran well and JW did a good job with an unfimiliar boat.

I think you will see more of the boat with a 500 on it. Even though it is an older baot it is in pristine condition.

Tim

Absolutely. Don't be surprised if the old girl has a few tweaks to her when she shows up to Depue next year.

[jrome]

Thanks Mike for the great pics from Depue. The quality was better than great. Your comments about Howard brought back some good memories of when he and I were together at the Nationals many times. My favorite picture is of Howard giving me my flag. He said that Washington would have more championships and I said that Texas would. We bet an autographed flag. I won that year. Howard won one also at another time. As you can see, when Howard goes fishing, he is also ready at a moments notice to race. His fishing gear and race gear are one and the same. :D Seeing Mark's picture of R12 made me want to post these pics of Howard. These pics are from Hinton '77.

[Mark75H]

There is nothing like the sound of racing echoing off the hills surrounding the New River at Hinton! ;)