Super Swede ... Lars Strom

[Lars Strom]

To Ron Hill,

Dear Ron,

Please help me put the 4 photos on Boat Racing Facts this time, next time I train my son.

Picture 1

My SE Boat from 1974, I won the European SE Championship 1973,74,75 and 76.
At that time there was no World title for the SE class.

Picture 2

Poster of my F 1 V 8 Boat 1983, Stockholm GP, very big race part of the world Championship that year downtown Stockholm, 250,000 spectators.

Picture 3

A little story and photo in Swedish about me, but very interesting so please put it in.
I Translate one day. (Maybe)

Picture 4

World famous Erik Eriksson and Lars, I think Marina Del Ray, CA
Erik Eriksson was a good friend of mine, and a close friend to Ron Hill.

He past away in a Helicopter crash a few years ago, and Ron asked me for a Picture of Erik


Regards

Lars[/QUOTE]

Lars, you are good to go. Look for an email from me about your password. Time to start bragging about all those races! :)

[Lars Strom]

First, I need to say thanks Mark75H to help me get started at BRF.

This is just a test, and I will be back soon to tell you who I am and my
long background in the Outboard Business and a very successful internationell
Outboard Racing career.
Evinrude and OMC has been a big part of my life.

Thanks

Lars "Lasse" Strom

[NERSTROM]

Lars, good to see you on the site. I am sure the group will enjoy your many stories.

[Allen J. Lang]

Welcome aboard Lars. Good looking equipment you had to run. Will be looking forward to your future posting of racing days.
Ye Olde Desert Geezer :cool:

[Lars Strom]

Hi again,


I have been writing my Boat racing story's in Sweden for the last 6 month at www.Boatlife.se and the Swedish Powerboat
Federations Home Page. www.svera.org

My stories have been of big interest, and the Swedish Powerboat Federation made a folder
and gave them out to the public at the Stockholm Boat show this year when they celebrated the 60's
anniversary

All that in Swedish, but like to try my English now, so please have some patience with me.

I was born in Stockholm Sweden 1953 and my Family runs a Coffee processing plant that was founded 1890.
My dream was not coffee, but Outboards and Racing so I never worked in the Family business

Racing gave me the opportunity to start my own dealer ship and I sold lots of Evinrude Outboards, more than anyone in the world according to some at OMC, but not the way I was supposed to
all the time. "Some export" back to the USA in the eighty's that turned the overseas Outboard market up side down.

That's a story I maybe tell you later, but in 1991 after I sold my business we moved to Florida and
I was a Resident Alien (Green Card holder) for a few years and then become an American citizen after 9-11.

So I am now a really proud American that fly the Red, White and Blue everyday at my 200 Acre Ranch
in Warsaw, MO close to Lake of the Ozarks.

I have seen many places in the world, and I strongly believe this is still the land of opportunities and the
only place to be.

Yes, gas prices are high, but still far lower than where I come from.

Now I think you know me little bit better and I slowly are going to tell you my Racing History that started
in 1970 with a 60 Hp Evinrude with electric shift and two stupid breaker points, but that engine made me
a Swedish Champ that year.

I raced for about 20 years, and my plan is to tell you the highlights.

Here is same US names you recognize that has made my Racing possible and they know me if you ask them.
Sorry, I know some are not with us anymore.

John Tucker, Jack Leek, Paul Kalb, Jim Wagner, Jim Brackenfield, Charlie Strang, Jim Nerstrom,
Ric McChesney, Ron Hill, Edgar Rose, Gary Garbrecht, Ralf Evinrude and Mouse.

I am sure I forget some, but I am going to start next time with the first Big race I won that made
it possible to make a living out of Boat racing.

SE European Championship
1973 Lappenranta, Finland
I went to that race with a brand new Clerici SE Boat and a Evinrude 65 SS with
the old X - 115 gear case and the shifter on the mid section.

I did not have a propeller with me(Backordered) and never tested the boat, an won the Race!!!!
A very unhappy Roger Jenkins was second.

Full story about this next time...

Lars Strom

[Lars Strom]

Lars, good to see you on the site. I am sure the group will enjoy your many stories.

The only Nerstrom I know worked for OMC Engineering, and he was very good
and helpfull to me, but spent to much time flying his airplane in a circle!!!
Thanks Jim

Lars

[Lars Strom]

Welcome aboard Lars. Good looking equipment you had to run. Will be looking forward to your future posting of racing days.
Ye Olde Desert Geezer :cool:


Thank you,

The picture of the yellow SE Boat with # 48 was taken the week after
Paris 6 hours 1974.
Evinrude Sweden made this poster.
That was the first year the 70 HP came with the smaller gearcase, for Racing
only.
Standard in 1975, short shaft only 75 hp

If you look close you see the big fuel cap for fast refueling.

That was my first Paris 6 hours and I remember that Race as it was yesterday.
C. Scotti crasched and I did see when it happend.

I was in Paris for the 1973 6 hours, but the Swedish Powerboat
Federation sent my entry form to late and Mr. Bradinaire refuse to
let me start.
At that time all the entry forms for internationell Races had to go true the
local NA.
On top of that, Paris 6 hours 1973 was the first Race OMC paid me to do,
and it did not start out very good....

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Looking forward to more stories and pics Lars. This is from the November 1979 UIM News Bulletin, and I think it must be you Lars. I have seen a number of typos in these bulletins.