Golden Shores Winter Nationals

[Ron Hill]

Name this DU driver!!!

[Ron Hill]

Looks like Bobby Herring and Wayne Baldwin (Master Oil)....The blond??? But who is behind them??? (Ernie Dawe!!!)...

I think this was about the time, Bobby wanted to go home with Jimbo's step sister!!!!

[Miss BK]

I was 8 years old with a 16 year old brother who had his own car, (both of us boat racing fanatics) and lived less than 45 minutes away....How come I didn't know about these Topock races???

Glen Gilbert lived on our street and was building a hydro in his garage at the time. I used to go over there and watch him work. He never told me about these boat races at Golden Shores.

boo hoo... :(

[Ron Hill]

I tried, but I couldn't do it all.. Now, we have the net.

The Wednesday before Golden Shores I was on with Regis Philban, that was before Havasu........No maybe, it was the Dodger's Sports Lunch......Evel Knivel spoke just ahead of me...Then John McKay (SC's Football Coach). Last was Tommy Prothrow, UCLA's Coach. Two different TV News people said they liked the way I talked...and put me on the News AHEAD of EVEL...

Larry Laurence and Associates handles the Press Releases....Larry laurie had handled the Salton Sea 500 and was McCullough's PR Firm...Dave Severson worked there. Dave started the magazines, World of Boat Racing, Power Boat and Hot Boat...I think.

In those days, Needles was in the middle of now where (As if it were a big city now).......and Kingman was 63 miles from there!!!

Here is what is left of an old Press Realse...return from Larry Laurie...

[Miss BK]

Kingman was even further out in the middle of nowhere, so I didn't expect we'd get media for the races there. We didn't even have a radio station back then. In fact, in order to listen to Wolfman Jack we had to sit in our driveway in my mom's VW bug, and tune (barely) to a high powered station all the way out in Tijuana (border blaster).


But we had hydroplane racers living on our street, not even a block away. So how come they never said anthing to us :(

[Ron Hill]

See, too many people find out about the races...next thing you know you got people all over the pits...boats all over the course...

KOMA in Oklahoma City.....Did you get that station???

[Miss BK]

Yes! I was going to write KOMA, but then remembered Wolfman was broadcasting from Mexico. But I do remember KOMA even though I was just a little kid.

Do you remember a racer named Glen Gilbert? My parents hired his daughter to babysit me after school at that time. My brother ended up buying his hydro & old B Merc when Glen retired.

[Ron Hill]

I only remember the name Glen Gilbert...

Wolfman Jack, I think, really was out of Modesto like American Grafitti pictured him. Many a night, driving home from boat races, wet crouches, dirty, tired as hell...happy as hell....listening to Wolfman Jack...Jimbo and Me went to Modesto once in my '53 Chevy....trying to keep up with my dad and brother in my Old Man's '56 Ford truck...I had Jimbo's trailer, heavy as hell....I could go about 50 Flat out...

Almost as bad as the time Jimbo, Olin Griswold (The Needles Playboy), Glen Chambers and I went to San Diego....We had my dad's credit card and five cases of DIET Dr. Pepper for the trip. Never drank Diet Dr. Pepper since, that was 1964....With our four big butts in my '59 Chevy and Jimbo's trailer we could only go 50 down hill. 12 hours from Needles, in the 110 degree weather to San Diego....My '59 had a roll 2-80 air conditioner...You know, roll down two windows and do 80...Trouble was we could only go about 40...Six cylinder Chevy...

Were we STUPID in those days or what???

Well, we did have some San Diego chicks meet us in San Diego....So, all was not lost....In fact, I drank more beer that night than I'd drank Dr. Pepper, but I still drink beer!!!

[Peter Crowley]

I know who 100-B is..... his son still races a little!

[Ron Hill]

Last time I saw 100-B was at the 2005 Winter Nationals...thought maybe he'd passed since!!! What's his son's name??? (LOL)...

I would die for a copy of this photo though....We used the original on the Winter Nationals "T" Shirts, 1969....and the picture was OLD then!!!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

The races were in Needles, but we stayed in Topock Arizona. We passed through there on the way to San Francisco in June via Phoenix, and back through there coming home by a different route. Nothing looked the same & I couldn't remember which route we took in 1969.

I do remember though as we were getting close to our destination my Dad wanted me to drive and we stopped at a store where he purchased some Coors beer. It was the first time we had ever encountered aluminum cans. When he opened the first one it was so flimsy he immediately knew what is was. Being a practical joker, he launched into talking about some politician or stupid law and the longer he talked the louder and angrier he grew. Then when he finished his beer he said "It just wants to make me strangle him.", and with his right hand, he crushed that empty can. My pit man Jerel's eyes bugged out and his mouth flopped open. He didn't know what to say and Jerel was a crazy talker. Then my Dad busted out laughing.

Dwight Eisenhower or Winston Churchill, I forgot which, passed away at that time. While we were there, I went and bought a 6 pack of beer for Jerel and myself. The guy asked me for my ID and I handed it to him. It was so dark and his eyes were so glossed over he couldn't read it very well. He climbed up on the bar and held it close to a light. He said "You're not twenty one." I said "Yes, I am." So he got down and I told him subtract 1948 from 1969 and he tried. He wrote it on a paper sack, but was so drunk he was having a hard time with math. So he did it on a calculator. He said it showed 21, but he said something wasn't right. So I counted it on my fingers and he said "O.K., I guess you're right." What he forgot to consider was that this was in early 1969 and I wouldn't be 21 until December. BTW I forgot her name, but the blonde was from Houston, Texas.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

It was the first APBA sanctioned race I ever raced in. In 1968 my sister Brenda, pit man Bud Turcotte and myself went to the 1968 Nationals at DePue to pick up 3 Marchetti's from Nick. We were only spectators. I told my Dad about how great the races were, so in early 69 we went West for the Golden Shores Winternationals at Needles.

The only drivers we knew personally were Bob Hering and Kay Harrison from NOA races in the South. We were looking forward to going up against the big names we had only read about. Ron Hill, Ted May, Fred Hauenstein, Rich Fuschlin and many others. We pitted between Sid and Bob Viera on one side and Jay Root on the other.

Interstate 10 back then was a neverending stretch of two lane highway with gas stations a rarity from West Texas and beyond. We had cans stashed everywhere. Cans of racing fuel, cans of gas, and cans of water. That Chrysler with a 440 engine could really suck up gas. AND out West it sweated out the water. We would have to stop on the side of the road every now and then to cool it down and give it refreshments.

[Ron Hill]

Been there too many times on that DAMN DESERT....We NEVER use to empty our cooler water as we never knew when we might need it...

Bob and Sid Viera...That Sid could tell better stories than me.. I'd laugh at his stories...I remember him telling me about his back going out and they wanted to do surgery....I know back pain ain't funny, but he made me laugh like a sum bitch.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

These come from the May 1969 issue of Propeller.

[Ron Hill]

Several things happened all about the same time....

Golden Valley Land Company was making SERIOUS money selling lots for $4,500 with $45 down and $45 a month. They had even purchased land in the Michigan woods. Jim Briggs, of Briggs and Stratton Fame was also the largest, I think, stock holder in OMC (Johnson and Evinrudes)...Jim's sister was married to Bob Mc Cullough or a McCullough...anyway, when the McCullough's started selling land in Havasu, Ralph Evinrude and Briggs bought part of the deal.

Ralph told me he made more money selling Havasu Land than he ever made selling Evinrude motors. (McCullough had bought the land for like $100 an acre from the government...)... But, Jim Briggs always called it the "LAND SWINDLE"...

Well, as our government has a habit of doing, they started to "PROTECT" investors from "CON ARTISTS". So, they passed some kind of law that said, in effect, if you sell lots, you have prove you can get water, electric..roads...

This law came down while I was in Trenton, Michigan at the Marathon Nationals... (Golden Shores and McCullough were not related, but the both had "Land Swindles"...). I called Golden Shores, from Trenton Michigan, 1969, to tell them I'd go look at their Michigan land and find a Lake so we could have a SUMMER Nationals... I was told that this new law had gone into effect, and that they were going out of business.

This really hurt. As I had gone to Arizona, at Christmas 1968-69 to lookat a small man made lake outside of Phoenix where McCullogh had started a new "Havasu City" and they wanted me to test on the lake and see if we could have a Spring Nationals, or such!!!! (It was perfect)..

I had also gone to Colorado where McCullough was going to have a Havasu East, as they had sold all their land in Havasu City, AZ, but their new land in Colorado looked perfect to continue the Outboard World Championships. I'll admit, I was paid to go to these places, as the Winner of the Winter Nationals, also as an expert.

It was with a very heavy heart that I heard the Colorado deal was off. I had graduated from NAU (Northern Arizona University), I had met Barry Goldwater, after he'd lost to LBJ.... I was always a Republican, though my father had been a Union painter. After the Land Swindle laws were passed I became a very strong Republican.

Truth is, my Havasu lot I'd won and Golded Shore lots, all sold for triple what they had been claimed to be worth...

Have to reread the APBA article, but Clark was given a lot free and clear, when the Golden Valley land people realized that Clark only ran Stocks and had no chance to beat the likes of Ronnie Hill.

I sold all my kneeldown equipment that year, not to return to DePue after i 1968....Damn, they had 10 cent beers...Big spender me, I'd always buy a buck's worth...

I returned to kneelers in '73, to retire again in '77. I quit MOD VP in 1985. Chad started racing J in 1986. The past IS HISTORY....sometimes, it needs to be left there, though that Winternationals was one hell of a race. 645 entries. $100 cash per heat to the winner. down to $50 for fifth...Saturday morning before the race, the Golden Valley Land guys gave my dad the prize money in cash, in a money belt, then handed him $10,000 to put on the race. After that race our club had about $25,000 in the bank...

[Ron Hill]

Jake's name is listed in BOD. He had a Marcelle Belleville hydro and a B Quincy Looper. Went pretty well really. Carried it on top his car, and he alwasy had a friend along, can't recall his name, Art......But as we pulled out of Bakersfield the week before DePue we told Jake and Art, see yu in DePue. They both said, "Yea."

Well they never showed up at DePue. When we say them at the Brawley race after DePue Carl Meyers and me asked Jake, "Why didn't you go to DePue" Art answered, "Awe Jake's car took a SH&T." Carl and I damn near died laughing. That was 1968 and my family still knows WHY JAKE DIDN'T go to DePue...

We say things like, "Why didn't you go to the river?" The answer, "Same reason Jake didn't go to DePue." I'm laughing right now....

Wayne, had I seen your dad's 440 out there on the desert

[Master Oil Racing Team]

According to the latest supreme court ruling, if Clark's lot at Golden Shores was the perfect place for a new condo, they could have it. That's why my Dad's rantings about the big spending, lying, stealing politician's ways were so believable to us when he set us up on the Coor's can squash episode.

I didn't exactly get what you meant about the 440 in the desert. But I can tell you when we got to Needles and all the pit area was taken up, my Dad didn't wait to ask questions. The overflow racers were sent down to an area where there was a shallow water crossing to some solid pit area. My Dad watched as a tractor pulled a few trailers across, and decided there was a good bottom. Not silty like we have here in South Texas. He just gunned that 440 Chrysler and we were across the other side to find us a slot in the pits.

BTW I have started a couple of times to buy some T-Shirts and BRF stickers, but I don't get anything that says Paypal. Joe Rome told me what to do but I am too stupid with computers. Is there a simpler :confused: way? (I hope I'm not the only one that dumb! ;)

[Ron Hill]

I must spend some time work FOR BRF, not working on BRF. I have not set a Pay Pal thing up...E-mail with what you want and I can send an invoice thourgh Pay Pal...

I kind of remember the pit deal...as we had gone to Topock (Golden Shores) the weekend before the race to set the sourse and plan, widen the pit area...My dad went down to Topock on Wednesday and guys were showing up like Harrisons, Max McPeek, Johnny Puestow, Clark...

When you guys showed up, I panicked thinking we'll never pit all the guys...I kind of remember your Old Man just driving out on the island...I said, "Well, that takes care of the pit problem..."

The real PISSER about Topock was that the Tullies grew in there the next year and the new regulations would not allow us or anyone else to remove them. Because, prize money was COOL.....but the race course itself was really cool, I thought...Of course, I won most of the races...

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Had to go move stuff around in our storage loft to make some room for more stuff. while moving some boxes of magazines , I sat down and started going through some issues. I didn't get much straightened out, but I found this. The article appears in POWERBOAT Magazine May 1969m Vol I, No. 10.

[Ron Hill]

If you look at the Parker pictures....I said a "GUY" in the V-8 outboard was "STROLLING"....I made it sound like they were new to boat racing...

The guy, who didn't enter until Friday was Bob "Curly" Williams.....Look at the B Stock Hydro results from the Winternationals...

The sickness can't be cured, but we need to protect and serve our masses...

Curley brother's son, races 45 in the Western Formula Lights Series....(Jason Williams) and has do quite well this year...

Do I look GREAT in my DeSilva with a CHRYSLER on the back.....At the time, and now too, I thought, "Christ, I have a 90 MPH Konig, maybe 85 with Clark Maloof hanging on to me.....probably a cool picture, somewhere...and what do they put in POWERBOAT?????? A 47 mph Egg Beater!!!!! NOTE RESULTS: I was going 47, everyone esle was going about 55!!!!

I wasn't convince then and I'm not convince now, that POWERBOAT NEVER CARED about LITTLE BOATS......It was about POWERBOATS MAN!!!!!

It is OK, we have our own MAGAZINE NOW!!!! It is called WWW.BOATRACINGFACTS.COM (http://www.BOATRACINGFACTS.COM)


Wayne, you need a Tri Hull and I need one too...I'll keep it in Texas and we can race the TEXAS LEAGUE!!!!!!

Help me here... I have two trophies from Golden Shores...One says 1969 and the other says 1970....Which years DID we race???

ADD: Steven Curry took many of those Parker pictures......Did you see his dad'sname in 36 Runabout (Lane Curry)...??

One thing, I notice about BMX Magazines and Motorcycle Magazines......The people that write articles seems to LOVE what they are writing about...Reading most, if not all, boating magazines, I never seems to feel the passion that I do in even LOW RIDER MAGAZINE...

Our SPORT has the passion, we just need to cultivate it....Some of the RESTORED BOATS.....hve some great stories to be told and retold...I hope to read about them...right here, someday!!!!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

.....just the two? You walked away with a whole boatload of silver goblets in 1969. That was the year of this article. Unfortunately, after we built our house in 81, I brought almost all of my trophies here, but left the Golden Shores trophies at my Dad's house. They survived the hurricane in 70, but not the fire in 91.

[Ron Hill]

I have more, boxed somewhere...

I posted this top picture before, but left out the silver cups....I guess, most on the table were mine!!!

The Over-All Trophy stayed in the Golden Shores Marina for about 20 years....

Here is my F Runabout with Clark Maloof "Hanging On"...He told me we had NO COMPETITION.......I said, "Yea, Fuschlin and Rucker's six bangers are National Champions...My Koenig is just fast, Clark..." This was the picture I'd liked to have seen inPOWERBOAT....

[Ron Hill]

When I promoted this race, we didn't just promote RON HILL. We took many pictures, of many drivers, and sent them out to newspapers.

The Race Queen and and unknown driver...

[mercguy]

If you look at the Parker pictures....I said a "GUY" in the V-8 outboard was "STROLLING"....I made it sound like they were new to boat racing...

The guy, who didn't enter until Friday was Bob "Curly" Williams.....Look at the B Stock Hydro results from the Winternationals...

The sickness can't be cured, but we need to protect and serve our masses...

Curley brother's son, races 45 in the Western Formula Lights Series....(Jason Williams) and has do quite well this year...

Do I look GREAT in my DeSilva with a CHRYSLER on the back.....At the time, and now too, I thought, "Christ, I have a 90 MPH Konig, maybe 85 with Clark Maloof hanging on to me.....probably a cool picture, somewhere...and what do they put in POWERBOAT?????? A 47 mph Egg Beater!!!!! NOTE RESULTS: I was going 47, everyone esle was going about 55!!!!

I wasn't convince then and I'm not convince now, that POWERBOAT NEVER CARED about LITTLE BOATS......It was about POWERBOATS MAN!!!!!

It is OK, we have our own MAGAZINE NOW!!!! It is called WWW.BOATRACINGFACTS.COM (http://www.BOATRACINGFACTS.COM)


Wayne, you need a Tri Hull and I need one too...I'll keep it in Texas and we can race the TEXAS LEAGUE!!!!!!

Help me here... I have two trophies from Golden Shores...One says 1969 and the other says 1970....Which years DID we race???

ADD: Steven Curry took many of those Parker pictures......Did you see his dad'sname in 36 Runabout (Lane Curry)...??

One thing, I notice about BMX Magazines and Motorcycle Magazines......The people that write articles seems to LOVE what they are writing about...Reading most, if not all, boating magazines, I never seems to feel the passion that I do in even LOW RIDER MAGAZINE...

Our SPORT has the passion, we just need to cultivate it....Some of the RESTORED BOATS.....hve some great stories to be told and retold...I hope to read about them...right here, someday!!!!

Ron, Bob's brother and Jason's dad, Gary Williams, also raced back then also. So, they are another "boat racing" family. Real nice people!!!!!! They be the ones that have offered a 45 for me to run......

Bob Williams also races FEH, DMH and CSR, along with racing the Top O' Michigan Marathon race the last two years. He will be taking over the DMH that Jason Williams raced the last couple years, next season. He is another "Team Darneille" mod member.........

[john lawrence]

Wayne: I want to thank you for all the pics and the posting that you have done. The other nite I spent about 3 hours just going over your stuff and it brought back many old memories. I went to Depue for the first time this year as a spectator and now a lot of your memories are starting to add up. I will be going back to depue next year and sure would like to meet you there. Thanks again. john lawrence

[Master Oil Racing Team]

What years did you hang out at DePue before? I have many great memories from there as well. Do you have any stories or photos from DePue?

[Ron Hill]

Here's a picture taken just before CSH. (I'm backward in the white Sid Craft.... Is that a Rhoads Hydro next to me...

That's Gene Chamber's in the Winternationals T-Shirt....(With Race Allen's picture)..

[sponsonhead]

Here's a picture taken just before CSH. (I'm backward in the white Sid Craft.... Is that a Rhoads Hydro next to me...

That's Gene Chamber's in the Winternationals T-Shirt....(With Race Allen's picture)..

Nope, I think that's a Goff-Hagness next to you. The R&D's had Cockpit sides that got shorter toward the back of the boat. That boat next to you has tall cockpit sides all the way to the transom, like a Goff.

Hard to tell who that is, but it might be John Lasher. He used to wear a flip-up face shield like the driver in that picture has.

R_19

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Ron--I found these the other day taken at the Golden Shores Winternationals in 1969. The camera was not good and boats were too far away. Without computer enhancement they would not be viewable, but I thought I would try to see how these turned out. I forgot who gave us the Polaroid pit shot. L-R Baldy Baldwin, next I think is maybe Jay Root, me, Sid Viera with the cowboy hat. Don't know who is on the other side of Sid. Maybe Bob Viera.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

They turned out better than I expected. Here is an example of one I didn't even try to post before. Just a little bit of playing around makes this much difference. The first is the original. There is a magic wand feature that I could have used to actually work in the exact contrasty portions, but I haven't figured out how to make it work yet. I know that if I turn it on, I cannot turn it off and it won't go away until I turn the computer off for a day. It is supposed to turn off if I put it in the trash can, but the pointer on my mouse must be a union arrow because when I try to move the wizard to the trash can the arrow won't carry it.:mad: "Not my Job!";) :D

[Ron Hill]

Nice trophies, too. Not to mention the $50,000 in CASH prize money...The Golden Shores people brought the cash to my dad in two money belts....My Old Man carried 50 grand around with him for three days...

I was in Needles two weeks ago, and I heard, about 10 times, about a "LAND SWINDLE" in Arkansas on a lake....Seems they'd fly you in to see your lot....Anyonew know where this place is???

Maybe, I should go down there an put on another race....

[Master Oil Racing Team]

All I have left of my Needles trophies is a picture. One is just to the right of the middle and the the other two are at the far right. They were burned up when my Dad's house went up in flames in 1993. I also lost my certificates for purchasing lots. Man, I sure with I had those momentos still. It was our first APBA race and my very first trip out west. Interstate 10 was only two lanes and the mountain parts in Texas were not yet shaved down to better traveling grades.

I also found another pic. I think this is a C Konig on my Marchetti.

[Ron Hill]

The Golden Valley Land Corporation knew how to promote. They made these cards, 8 1/2 X 4 and sent them all over the state of Arizona promoting the race...

[Master Oil Racing Team]

...and I thank you very much. It was bigger than the ones I had. Mine were second, thirds and fifth. But this one will be one of my conversation pieces along with the blue bubble shield and St. Jude medallion. I plan to find a place to put it next to the pic of you, Kay Harrison and I. Then I can tell about how it was given to me by non other than Ron Hill. I am serious. When I first started racing you and Kay were famous racers. For me it was like a dream to be in a picture between you and Kay and receiving a trophy.

[Ron Hill]

I thought I'd posted this picture...The Golden Shore Winternationals was the richest Pro/Stock Outboard race ever. Around $45,000 in cash...and land...were paid out. plus the Golden Shore Land Company gave SCOA $10,000 to put the race on!

Ted May and Vito Adragna build this boat in Vito's driveway, in Bellflower, California

[Master Oil Racing Team]

The queen was from Houston, Texas. You can see I rearranged the trophies and got the one you sent me under the photo.

Every time I hear the song "Get Back" by the Beatles I think of Golden Shores. It was at or near the top of the charts at that time and we listened to it all the way there and back.

[Ron Hill]

The lots sold for $4,500 then, now they are back down to $4,500...I really don't know, but at one time they were close to $70,000.... Sold my lots for $9,500 each, I think...

We didn't give away discounts in 1970...only CASH!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I might be wrong, but it seems like it was $4,500 no matter the location. Being from Ohio, Wisconsin and Texas respectively Kay Harrison, Bob Hering and I joked we should pool our certificates together and buy a lot. Who would have thought that it would have turned out the way it did.

[Ron Hill]

Golden Shores Ad in Powerboat...

[Ron Hill]

Ken lived and died loving 36 Runabout, but he was also a loyal CLUB MEMBER who wrote thousands of words about boat racing, not just 36.

Ken had it set up with the L.A. Times so we could call collect after each race and have our results in Monday morning's paper...Frequently, Ted May, Ernie Dawe, Ron Hill and Jimbo McConnell's names appeared right along side AJ Foyt, Parnelli Jones...

Ken had the club give Lupe Saldana, Sports Editor of the LA Times, a quart of whiskey every year...We never knew if Lupe drank, but the Times always accepted our collect calls after the races...

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Ken did it any Mr. Odessky sent the pictures Ron. That's how I got mine. You guys did it right out there.

[Ron Hill]

Wayne when you say "We did it right..." We had people like my dad who would build your engine, like his kid's motors, and charge almost nothing. So, good equipment was available and cheap. He worked tirelessly to make sure everyone ran legally. He saw things black and white. Your boat made weight or it didn't....

We had monthly club meetings where we made plans.

We had "WORKER BEES" like Ken Scoville, Sr. and Danny Schwarzenbach. Schwarzenbach probably, if the truth be known, rebuilt, had parts on, or out right owned all the 36 motors in California, except Pete DeLackner's...

Pete was a good club member, made all the meeting and did anything asked of him...

Pop and Doc Collins had the interest and the money to help. Pop built probably ten boats and sold them for close to cost or less.

George Ishii came to ever meeting and never left without saying what a good job everyone was doing and ASKED if we needed anything.

Bob Davidson in San Bernardino and his wife Pat worked 24-7 to keep the San Bernardino group racing...

Dave Bryan helped with club equipment and built judges stands and such...

My brother was a great organizer and his wife worked 24-7 for the club...

The Dawe Family worked 24-7. Jimmy Dawe is really the one that got the WinterNationals started. (He used to have a few drinks in the Topock Bar and when they started selling land, he said they needed a race)...That is when Jimmy got a hold of me...

Jimbo coming along, living in Needles on the river, helped with Needles races...

Bill Boyes, Sr. and Jr....family worked 24-7 for boat racing...

Bob Martin worked 24-7...

Frank Williams, who had made several millions selling SunPower batteries, worked for the club many times...

Harold Wicks, our cousin, brought the patrol boat, bouys and clock to every race.

The Stoker Family, John's Cutom Marine, donated parts, motors and even a boat or two to help the club. They supported the club 100%.

AND THEN there was TED MAY, TED made a show out of every event...

We seemed to just have lots of fun....When we weren't racing boats many of us went Go-kart Racing, to the Motor cycle races, horse races, fishing..together.

It was simpler times...You could fish all day for $2.00 scoop of bait...and a $10 rental boat...

In 1968, Jimbo and I were heading to the Parker Enduro....We saw a Del Taco being built and we stopped and looked at the place. $35,000 for the business and land...Jimbo and I knew a Del Taco in Victorville would be a gold mine....all the way to Parker, Jimbo and I discussed buying that Del Taco...

We figured, if we sold all our boats, trailers and our cars we'd have $3,500. We were only $31,500 short...

Look at the prices in those days...Don Williams wanted to trade, what three boats for chrome reversed wheels...

I know I left out people who worked hard.....Lane Curry was finance Chairman, he was always having raffels...

Boat racing was our life style...we weren't rich, we weren't really famous. Everybody pulled together for the sake of the club...

Art Carlson, Carlson Boats, and son Bob helped. Bob designed T-Shirts that sold like crazy...Bob raced A Hydro.

The year Chad was born, 1977, SCOA had $20,000 in cash in "T" Bills, and $10,000 in the checking account...

I dropped out of the club, 1978, to be Region 12 Chairman and to race Mod VP.

Factors that hurt racing: Hansen Dam flooded and was never reopened (2 local races per year). Long Beach City priced us out of business. Golden Shores filled in with toolies (weeds), Diego Flood control channel was closed because of floods..Mission Bay became too rough to race in because of all the pleasure boats...Puddingstone only allowed Saturday racing....So, we ended up with Needles, Brawley and Bakersfield...

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I have a few more pictures to scan from our trip out west to the 1969 Golden Shores Winternationals. The remaining photos I have got wet during the hurricane that blew my Dad's house away in 1970 and I have tried to soak them in water to separated them, but the coating does not allow the water to soak down to the emulsion for them to unstick. So when I bought a new scanner, I got one that would do the larger format negatives that I took on that trip. The scanner doesn't work exactly how I think it should though because it split this 2 1/4 X 3 1/4 negative in half and made two pics. Maybe I should read the instructions.;) Anyway, I just rescanned and cropped the main part. Need to figure out though how to scan the full negative of the boat trailer without it being in two pieces.:confused::D

I think this is the C hydro race where Norm Weiss and I traded 1st's. This is the paint scheme I had on my first named boat "Spyder". And the same paint scheme I did on my Gordon & Smith long board.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Another shot of the same boat. Don't know who the other driver is.