Karen "Sis" Cadle

[Ron Hill]

I always called my sister. My sister s 81 years old (2012). Karen Cadle and I met at the 2005 DePue Reunion. I knew nothing about here, but clearly she had a B oat Racing background. I still don't know much about her or her background, but I wanted to start her own thread.

[Danny Pigott]

I would like to know more about her too. I enjoy her post about the past, she seems to know a lot about Pro racing, tell us your story.

[Allen J. Lang]

Out with it young lady. We want to know. :)

[Karen Cadle]

53 short, or long years --- engine design, development, prototypes, performance racing was part of my informal education.

The best of family focused fun, travel adventures and the usual "near-miss" adventures which come with pistons blowing out the side of power heads, from a little too much Nitro in the hot fuel mix...

Bill Collins converting his law office basement into a dyno test tank area with the exhaust funneled up the chimney. There was no city ordinances regarding such... but it was just off the Macomb, IL town square, and when the beautiful sound (to us) of a Merc open stacks screaming and smoke routed up the chimney was misinterpreted by local business people who thought Bill was cutting people up with a chain saw in the basement and burning the bodies. 2 fire trucks and 3 squad cars later, and some pretty good chuckles later it was agreed to move the Dyno tank to the Horse barn just out of the city limits.

Back to History --- Ross & Sue Gibson

Grandpa Ross Gibson was a plumber by trade --- those that knew him well knew he was quiet, introspective, artistic, good humor and talented mathematician - logarithms, timing. A really good designer & "pipe bending" which he told me was honed at Kaiser Shipyard in Oakland, CA during the war.

They moved back to Illinois, the plumbing business started, or continued. Weekend fun was a small cabin on the Mississippi River where stock boats and boat engines quickly became modified and raced. Plumbing Shop and Nan & Pop's house basement.

The time period would have been 40's to early 50's. Jack Kugler would know much more about the early history. They been family friends as long as my memory goes.

[Karen Cadle]

Pontoosuc, Illinois - River Cabin

[Karen Cadle]

Very young Dick Pond - Iowa Farm Boy (Keokuk) with Ross Gibson and ? Boat V 28

[Gene East]

I have known Karen since she was just a little girl.

Her Grandpa Ross Gibson and her unofficial step-father Bill Collins were racing boats before I got started.

Ross and Bill were Quincy Welding customers before I began working there. They also did a lot of experimenting on their own. My first memory of Bill was seeing him turning a piston on a lathe at QW on a Saturday afternoon.

We officially closed at noon on Saturday. However, it was not unusual for Chris to allow qualified customers to use the machines on Saturday.

Today, the insurance man would have a heart attack over such a policy.

Ross and Bill loved to play with nitro. They blew up a lot of motors but they also won their share of races.They had good drivers like Dale Klaus and Dick Pond. I'm not positive but perhaps Jack Kugler drove for them as well.

Make no mistake, Ross was a pretty fair throttle squeezer himself in his day.

Bill is a lawyer, but he had other interests in addition to the practice of law. Trying to build the fastest racing engines possible topped that list.

Bill represented me in a divorce back in the 70's. He used all types of legal manuvers to stall the proceedings. My wife finally gave up and came back home. Bill never charged me anything for his services. Thinking back; perhaps I should have had a different lawyer because she left again several years later.

This is where Karen enters the picture. When my wife came to the races, she sometimes brought her teenaged niece Tina along to help watch our small son Eric who is now 45 years old. Has it really been that long ago?

Karen and Tina became friends and we often stayed at the same hotels at race sites for the girls benefit.

This is probably when Karen started calling me "Uncle Gene" since that was what Tina called me. Now she calls me that because the only living relative she has is her brother and his family. The closest person short of her brother would be Bill Collins. Although Bill and Karen's mother Ann were never married, Bill treated her and her brother as they were his kids. I know he loved them and they loved him.

Karen really feels boat racers are her extended family. Wouldn't most of you agree, we really are family?

Where else would you find someone who would loan you a spare boat or motor or prop and then you congratulate him when he beats you with your own equipment.

Joe Rome quit drag racing cars because a competitor refused to loan him a timing light.

Thank God we don't see that crap in boat racing!

Karen has an on again off again relationship with a gentleman she calls "Rebel". Yes; I know his real name, but you don't really need to. Rebel is from her home town of Macomb, IL which is about 75 miles from Quincy. He may even be a high school sweetheart, I don't know.

I approve of him and I tell her all the time, she needs to tie the knot with him. So far she hasn't taken my advice.

Karen, you asked me to help tell people who you are. Hope you don't mind me getting so personal, and for what it's worth I'm proud to be your "Uncle".

For you BRF readers; let me tell you this, Karen is the real deal! She knows boat racing!
She grew up in the pits. She's had her butt and everything else wet many times.

She knows the smell of nitro and she knows the taste of castor oil on your hands.

Bear in mind she also is a blond, and she is a typical blond. You'll find that out when you meet her at DePue. You will also see she truely loves boat racing and everyone involved in boat racing.

That's why I love her just as much if she was truely my niece by blood!

[Jeff Lytle]

and when the beautiful sound (to us) of a Merc open stack screaming, was misinterpreted by local business people who thought Bill was cutting people up with a chain saw in the basement and burning the bodies. 2 fire trucks and 3 squad cars later, and some pretty good chuckles later we agreed to move the Dyno tank to the Horse barn at the city limits.

A perfect description of an open stack alky racng engine! :D Keep goin' girl! :cool:

[Mark75H]

Love this stuff Karen, please continue

[Karen Cadle]

/:confused:/

[Master Oil Racing Team]

This is fantastic Karen. The basement dyno episode is the epitome of what alky racing, and the need to find out how good their modifications worked is all about. I am sure there are many stories out there about racers testing their motors all hours of the day and night because I've heard a few. Thanks for sharing this one and the consequences. (Please no political commentary. This thread is about those days and times and how it was)

I didn't know that Jack Kugler had started racing that long ago until I was looking through some old issues of Roostertail the late Johnny Dortch gave me. I will see if I can find anything to add to your excellent thread.

BTW Ron.......good inspiration to get this kicked off.:cool:

[Karen Cadle]

Wayne,

I kept my original copy of the 1958 Rooster Tail. I donated the 1957 and 1959 originals to the 2007 Silent Auction. Kept 58' as that was the year I was born.

I can't remember the exact year Jack started Great Lakes Boat Company in Hamilton, but it would have been before 1961. During the 60's races were not only held at Quincy, but also Hamilton. Jack was racing well before 1961 with Papa Ross.

[Karen Cadle]

Picture and Article below

[Karen Cadle]

Had a chance to catch up some with Loren & Dale in the past couple of weeks. Loren is sending me video of the 1961 race and others. Loren & Dale drove for us at various times and races, along with the others mentioned --- Jack Kugler, Dicky Pond, Tim Chance, Sam Hemp, and I'm pretty sure Bill Ela for some experimental test runs with Collins equipment.

It was always exciting when Loren, Dale & Cliff pitted beside us. I remember very well the bugle call to WAKE UP, by Dale on his trumpet, Loren holding his ears saying: "For God's sake Dale... it's day break, and the course isn't open"... Papa Cliff with a half smoked cigar chewing it and Gene Kozlowski on the plastic trumpet.

Loren and I weren't sure which course, or year it was where Dale was driving the Anzani (with 3 jugs, no less) conked out, THEN GOT the engine started and WON the race. We're not sure, but we think Dale might be the only driver to have ever started an Anzy IN THE WATER by himself on the course, and not only finish but win. We think he might have accomplished this at Springfield, Alex or at the Min-St.Paul race.

He also won a Championship in a DeSilva hydro.

[Steve Litzell]

It always amazes me that here on BRF the stories and sometimes tales of what we do and who we know. Such a case here as well, Not to steel the thread, but I never met Karen but we know the same people. I was around at these times and my hero of the time were Jack and rope King Gene, and others that are spoke about. Johny and Liz always called me the "Dirty Kid". I did not meet Gene until The worlds at Lk Alfred in 08 or 09. Me being the shy type and all it was a real honer to meet one of my hero's Gene East. As Far as Jack goes, I cannot remember the first time but it seems that we have always been friends. I have known the Christner family for many years. It will be a real honer to meet Karen. I met Wayne for the first time in 93 At Lakeland Worlds when I got cut up I 500 Hydro. Later I told him some of my stories to put a smile on his face. Gosh this is great stuff. Please keep the stories coming Karen, Steve:D:D

[Allen J. Lang]

Well young lady, between you and Wayne with your stories on experience are great and the reason I first go to BRF to see your postings. :) Great writting.
Keep up the stories. :D:cool: