Frank Zorkan: 12/19/2022 is 98 Years Old Today

[Ron Hill]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.png Alan Ishii (C-3) suggested for those interested in sending Frank Zorkan a birthday wish do so by by sending a birthday and Christmas card:Wanda Zorkan and Son Curtis Zorkan
1501 E, Cambridge Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85006

Frank will be 98 on December 19, 2022

I first met Frank in 1956, at Lake Weist, Brawley, California. He had a Mishey Hydro and a 20- H.

We were sort of friends for years. I became closer to Frank when Wanda started officiating at our races. She was once the Chief Referee of the Mod Nationals, 1976.

Frank built many boats, many of which I didn't think would run well, but I was more often wrong than right. His boats won many championships.

Fred Hauenstein, Denice Morris won championships that I can thin of...

Fran rode Deck in my F Runabout several times, winning in everyone race. Winternationals, twice, Lake Pleasant once.

Frank finished 4th in the Parker 9 Hour, 1970, he co-drove with Jimbo McConnell. Jimbo once had a Zorkan B Runabout.

I once owned two Zorkan boats myself.

Frank has raced many classes over he years.

I hope Frank has a great day, he's at a Veteran's Home with 5 other vets. Merry Christmas to Frank and everyone else.


Frank Zorkan.....
Frank has been building boats since at least 1955. He raced a 20-H on a Mishey hull, natural wood and red deck for many years, when the Hot Rod was winning. Seems he never gave up on the 20-H.

Later, he had a pretty fast 20 SSH and a very fast VC Konig B...

He rode deck for me several times in F Runabout...not sure I ever thanked him...He got hurt riding deck at Sparks, Nevada (Not riding with me).a long time ago...but I think that ended his racing.
His boats have won countless races. His prices have always been more than fair.
He has always given his all to anyone that needed help.
I'm not sure how old Frank is, but it doesn't matter to him. When there is a boat race, he goes.....His wife Wanda Refereed several Mod Nationals and went to the races for many years...but, Frank usually goes to the races along, now...all the way from his home in Phoenix, AZ...
He has been loyal to boat racing for at least 50 years...

This is Frank at the Winternationals, 1970 at Topock!!!



In 1976, we had our Divisionals at Folsom Lake. Then, we headed for Hinton, West Virginia. I got up the hill to Reno all right, pulling my two boats in my Winnebago. About 60 miles outside of Reno the engine in the Winnie died. I got out and started to try to figure out what was wrong when Frank and Wanda Zorkan stopped to help. We decided the fuel pump wasn't pumping. I had abut ten foot of surgical tubing that I used for a "torque Strap" on my Scotti. So, Frank and I took my gallon gas tank out of my D Runabout, duct taped it to the hood of my Winnebago, ran the surgical tube to the carb, blew in the vent line and the motor started right up. Well, a Winnebago gets about 9 miles to the gallon. Frank and Wanda followed me clear across the state, going nine mile and stopping for more gas. It took all day, but we made it to somewhere where there was a Dodge dealer and we got a new fuel pump.

The hydro is the Winternationals, 1970. 166-C is B Runabout, Needles, 1963.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

My Dad Baldy and I first met Frank and Wanda Zorkan at our first APBA race at Topak, Arizona in 1969. We hit it off with the Zorkan's right away. Baldy stayed in touch, and we would get together at the rare times when you West Coast guys would clear the Rockies and head east.

It was after Tim Butts had revolutionized the hydro design that Frank, Wanda, Curtis, and can't remember the youngster's name that Frank and Wanda came to visit us. They stayed at my Dad's house at Barbon.

Baldy applied for UIM World Championship races to be held at Firebird Lake in Arizona in 1974. He asked for it all, hoping to get one or two classes. He got OA, OD and OF. Nobody in Europe every really tried to get OD and OF, but OA was a prize. Apparently UIM thought the first UIM OA, OD and OF race in America in 1973 that Baldy and Carl Rylee put together was a good stepping stone. So they awarded those classes to the United States.

Baldy always thought ahead and had a plan. He was confident that he could get more foreign racers to come over with a good venue and good officiating. When Baldy first received notice that the U.S. was awarded those classes, he started to put together the team he wanted to run the race. Lone Star Boat Racing Association had the finest scales and scorers in the southwest. They worked with Carl Rylee at Alex. Jack Waite from Houston and former NASA laison officer between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was Baldy's pick for Referee. Jack was an Inboard and OPC referee when we first met him. Jack and Baldy hit it off right off the bat. Jack agreed to referee the Outboard World Championships at Phoenix even though he had not done any PRO work. Didn't matter. He was a professional and that's what Baldy was looking for.

Baldy went to Phoenix to scope things out, then I made a trip with him early in the year of 1976. There was an inboard race and we wanted to check the layout. It was also a time to check in with the Zorkan's. We had not seen them for a couple of years, but Baldy had already gotten a commitment from Wanda to be the chief scorer. Even though we had our own Lone Star team, Baldy wanted someone local, and someone that was extra special in a job. Baldy knew that Wanda was that person. And Frank knew everything going on around there.

We met with them, and got things lined up for the race in about six weeks or so. Frank wanted me to take a photo of a new hydro he built for his son Curtis. It was an M hydro and he had a very nice paint job that he thought would look good on the cover of Powerboat Magazine. I really didn't want to go to his house to take the photo because in the first place, I had only been writing stories for a couple of years and have never had any influence on what was published, but there is no way I could take a photo of an M Hydro to make the cover of Powerboat.

We went to his house. I took some pictures, then we went back to Firebird Lake. We had a great race. Wanda did as my Dad expected. She was a PRO. We had a good time with the Zorkans. We saw them many times after that over the years, including APBA annual meetings.

Happy Birthday Frank.

[Al Lang]

I spoke to Frank and Wanda last night. He seemed in good spirits and we talked about years gone by. Ron, he turned 92 yesterday. A year ago he fell and injured his shoulder which since, according to Wanda, has locked up. This is why he is no longer building boats. He does enjoy talking with old friends. All his equipment and boat patterns are held by a local racer who may carry on the boat building. He does wants to get out in his shop just to piddle around to keep his mind busy. It was interesting talking with him filling me in on the west coast racing, well U.S. wide, as I was just racing in the NE and attending some NOA Pro nationals with the Long Island group.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Al, can you pm or email his number to me? I would like to talk to both of them.

[1100r]

What a great guy in Frank. Happy belated BD. He attended so many region 11 races over the years delivering boats he built. Always sat and enjoyed his company.

[1100r]

Just talked to Frank and Wanda for over an hour. They are going to see about joining our family here. What great history they both have to share. Wayne they mentioned there visit to your families place to race and would love to hear from you. Let me know if you need the number

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I talked to Wanda very shortly, and she handed to phone over to Frank, That was day before yesterday( 2017). I'm sorry I didn't call sooner when you gave me the number, but you are right. Frank and Wanda spent a couple of nights with me and my Dad in the 70's and Frank stood just to my right as I was spacing out a crank in an A Konig. He didn't say a word, but I could hear him breathing over my right shoulder as I centered the crank and spaced out the rods. I figured he knew a lot more about this than I did, but I never asked and he never ventured an opinion. Frank and Wanda may have stayed at Baldy's twice, but I don't remember. I know that they stayed there several nights, and they probably arrived a couple of days before the race, hence Frank watching me work on our A Konig. Have to look at pictures and notes to bring up more details. I do know that we had known of the Zorkans to be long time, and well known racers long before we got involved, and Baldy was very pleased to host them as guests to his house.

[Ron Hill]

Some pictures of Frank.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'm gonna give Frank a call. Haven't talked to him in six years.

That's a lot of trophies. And that was way before he was done. I took a few pictures of a J hydro he built for his son Curtis but had not yet been rigged up with hardware. We went to his house and Frank had stood it upright on the transom because it had a beuatiful paint job. I have looked for the photos but cannot find them. Must have been on a roll I filed under another name. Frank and Wanda are some unsung champions of boat racing.

[racnbns]

Frank worked with us[Mouse,Ray and Bruce] at the Parker and Havasu races. He worked at Doc. Jones marina in Phoenix.I didnt know he was older than me. He let me drive his A hydro testing so he could see how it looked. We were about the same weight.

Are you out there FRANK. We need your opinion on things!

Bruce