Mod VP Pictures..

[Ron Hill]

This is Tim Soares behind the wheel in a Witch Craft, 1980.

Tim and I co-Drove together and finished, 4th or 5th or 6th....We had a great time...

Was glad to get the Eliminator Tunnel, though, so much easier to drive...

[Ron Hill]

We had a 24" setback, which at that time was UN HEARD OF. Tim made it out of a bunch of aluminum and welded it with a ton of weld, but she was HELL FOR STOUT... Truth is, we could have run a lot higher...

Brad Miller had helped with sponsorship... Crazy Horse Campgrounds was owned by Brad at that time, the Steakhouse wasn't open....well, maybe it was..largest country western stage in California...

[Ron Hill]

Seems like we ran a fifty gallon tank. Two hours nonstop. Stock OMC 235 Gercase...whatever came on the motor that Jim Jost LOANED us....

Jimmy loaned me motors for the year, then billed me at theend of the year for 60% off...That meant they cost me $2,000.

Of course, JIMMY was a GREAT supporter of MOD VP, and one year we have about 25 Evinrudes running in MOD VP at Havasu....Jost had a hand in just about everyone's MOD VP....

Of course, he was going against company policy... Company policy was the Engineering Department ran the racing of OMC...Policy was not racing PRODUCTION MOTORS... But Jost loved MOD VP...He'd say, "WOW, they sure got their boats 'DOLLED UP' , whatever that meant!!!

I once sent a gearcase back to OMC that was blown. I got a nice letter back explaining that my gearcase had a nose cone and exhaust reliefs, and there fore they could not cover the warrantee...and that they were returning my gearcase...WELL, THEY SENT ME THE LETTER, BUT IN THE BOX WAS A BRAND NEW 235 EVINRUDE GEARCASE...

Oh those were the days, THANKS Edgar (Rose) and Jim (Nerstrom).

[Ron Hill]

Tim and I are looking at my "CREATION". I made the "CLEAPER. I took a 14 1/2 X 32 cleaver and made a 14 X 36 Cleaper...A few MOD VP races were won with these wheels...

Note: The stainless gloves I wore!!!!

[march3stv]

Havasu Pre Start...Now this was racing!

[march3stv]

Start!

[march3stv]

Ron, trying to find the down button!

[march3stv]

Ron, sitting on his "Down" button...

[march3stv]

Alan Stoker - in search for that same damn button...

[march3stv]

Kim Howard - never had a "Down" button!

[march3stv]

Kim Howard...again and again!

[march3stv]

Hydrostream Wings...

[march3stv]

Hydrostream Wings - Howard Pipkorn bending over...

[march3stv]

One more Stream...

[march3stv]

1981 Powerboat Mag Shootout - on the ramp!

[march3stv]

Ron Baker at the Shootout - glued in tunnels!

[march3stv]

Side View...

[march3stv]

Here it is running through the radar traps!

[march3stv]

Round 1 after the radar shootout...
Ron Baker vs. Alan Stoker :mad:
The inside boat was a Seebold Eagle (merc colors) pace boat...

[march3stv]

This was "the" first Baker/Stoker air entrapment hull...RST (Rally Sport Tunnel) layed up by Baker. Look closely at the tunnels... Prior to these modified tunnels hulls they were RS (Rally Sports) by Baker. Now everyone knows them as SST (Stoker Sport Tunnels)...although Baker continued to build the RST after that...

[march3stv]

Lonnie Hoke (Marine Engineering) was so impressed with the performance of that boat on that weekend...he simply bought right on the spot (Sunday) and towed it home...and raced it himself.

[march3stv]

A better shot of Stoker on that weekend...

[march3stv]

Al @ Parker with Capsule SST...

[march3stv]

Parker - Fuel and driver change (Hill's 9x Boat). Remind you of a NASCAR pit stop?

[march3stv]

Ron in the 9 boat @ Parker

[march3stv]

Ted Bravo in the Hill Marine, Sleek Craft, 9x

[Ron Hill]

The white Sleek, great pictures by the way, is Capnzee...you can tell by his "Shoot" jacket he use to use in his Five Liter Hydro...

I sure loved those Sleeks....they rode some smooth, cornered great....to me, these boat ARE MOD VP....Production Line engine cowlings, ski boats going about 90....

It would be hard to go back to this type RACING, SKI BOATS ARE 40 FOOTERS AND OUTBOARDS are "River Rockets' that go 110-140.....

I think 9x is Ted Bravo...Johnny Castelli usually wore white...

Boat Names...the red Sleek was always called the "Crayola Boat"...because of its colors...

[march3stv]

You're correct, here's John - same race...he is also getting carried off the bow of the fueling pic...

[march3stv]

Jerry Owens - Eliminator - He always had some of THE prettiest rigs around.

[march3stv]

Alan Stoker - Red, White and Blues(s)...

[march3stv]

Seebold Team Eagle...

[march3stv]

Nice shot of the 9 boat...

[march3stv]

Bullet Boats - Fly'n high!

[march3stv]

Fred Bowden (his boat at least) taking his black motor hat for a ride down the Colorado River...on a rope.

[march3stv]

Laser LTV (actually an STV - same boat) #303

[march3stv]

The other Seebold Eagle...

[march3stv]

34 - Fred Bowden

[march3stv]

34x OMC

[Instigator]

Very cool shot's.
Maybe my favorite class of all time.
Todays O/B's run the way they do thanks to those guys.
Gary

[march3stv]

Tim's own Mod VP hull creation...

[march3stv]

One of Two

[march3stv]

Ron Baker in the 55

[march3stv]

The white one...again

[march3stv]

Ross Keil

[march3stv]

777 Jerry Owens

[march3stv]

Pat Murphy in the #62 Sleek

[march3stv]

Not sure who's in the boat. Possibly Greg Foster. Anybody help?

[march3stv]

#69 Eliminator driven By Floyd McCloud and Al Zink to second in Mod VP

[march3stv]

69 Boat - Better Picture

[march3stv]

One of Mr. Pipkorn's Hydrostreams

[Ron Hill]

I just got off the phone with Greg Foster...we didn't talk more than 15 minutes because we had a long talk yesterday....

Greg drove the winning Eliminator with Greg Ewald. Greg Foster drove three hours, Gerg drove and hour and then Greg Foster drove the las three hours...

Greg Ewald's dad use to own the GN El Cid.

Greg said the Eliminator went 75 miles per hour on the first run at Elsinore. They came home and put three inch aluminum angles on the tunnel walls and both sides of the center pod and the speed jumped to 100.

They were testing at Havasu and the Eliminator didn't like to turn without hooking. Greg unbolted the angle at the front and bent it up toward the top of the tunnel...rebolted it and the boat turned like a "TRUE" Tunnel..

The next year, he ran a GMT with Gordy Jennings... Greg said he took Gordy for a ride on the tank, behind him, to help him get the feel....I said that iis what I did when Jerry Gilbreath first drove an outboard....

BAD NEWS: Greg told me, yesterday, the Sherman-Williams transporter has been sold and Greg has committed to driving Drew Belk's Off Road Car for 2005.

The worst part for boat racing, as I see it, Greg made the choice...the Sherman-Williams deal was still on the table...Craig and Scott Wendt are the greatest, Greg said. I'm guessing here, but Greg's kids are getting older, when you get older, time with family is important, Off Roading is closer to home, more races, more time behind the wheel....

ChampBoat will miss "MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER" as they called Greg...

[march3stv]

1985 St Louis

[march3stv]

1985 St Louis - Mod VP Start

[march3stv]

The Start!

[march3stv]

St Louis 1985 - Start...

[march3stv]

One more...

[march3stv]

A lot of Roark Tails out there! Stoker way out wide right as always. Al kept his rpms up the long way around...

[march3stv]

Look who made it through the first turn - Chris Bush in the #1 STV Picklefork..

[march3stv]

Running first - lap 1 - Mr. Bush

[march3stv]

Bush in 1st...Stoker on the outside...

[march3stv]

Fred Bowden - SST/Merc

[march3stv]

Turn 2 (first lap)...Turn 3 subsequent laps...

[march3stv]

Al Stoker and Greg Foster...
#55 SST and #5 GMT

[march3stv]

Greg Foster #5 - Barbary Coast

[march3stv]

#2...Look at Chris Bush (far left / orange STV)...flat in the water...

[march3stv]

#3...Now look where he is...amazing!

[march3stv]

#4...

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#5...

[march3stv]

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise...it's the #1 boat leading in the 2nd turn / lap #1 - Chris Bush...

[march3stv]

It was AL Stoker's day...

[march3stv]

444 Boat - Art Kennedy...
128 Boat was Lyn Foster...

[march3stv]

1984 Havasu - Fred Bowden

[march3stv]

1984 Havasu - Alan Stoker - Rear fairing / non-capsule...

[march3stv]

Another shot of Al

[march3stv]

Big John Stoker (yellow hat)...

[Ron Hill]

Tim Soares built the bottom "PLUG" for this Mod VP boat in my shop...

I made a deal with Jerry Baker to finish it...It became known as The Darth Baker... Made an excellent jet boat....needed some more work for MOD VP...

[Ron Hill]

I never liked anything but flat bottoms, on my boats that is.

Was my hair cool or what? How about the threads??? (Clothes for you young ones)...

[AnthonySS]

GREAT Photos...keep them coming :)

[fyremanbill]

Parker, 87 or 88

[fyremanbill]

Havasu 85, unlapping myself from the leader. Check out the size of the chop in relation to the boat. Crashed out 3 laps later.

[fyremanbill]

Hey Ron, who's that guy giving me such a tough time in the back ground? Every corner, he'd look over his shoulder at me, then throw water in my face. What an honor to race with the old man!

[fyremanbill]

Dick Sherrer (or SD, depending who you were). About the 3rd race I ever ran, he passed me. I moved in behind and started following his line thru the corners. Next thing I know, I'm passing boats.

[Miss BK]

Great shots Bill! Bringing back waves of memories.

I was Ted's scorekeeper at Havasu & Parker from about 1979 until he quit racing about 1990. Even when I went off to college in Colorado Ted knew I'd always show up for the scorer's meeting. He never asked - he just expected me to be there. :) And of course, I never missed one! LOL

Even the year I started racing, about 86, at Havasu was obligated to score the Mod-VPs (my crew chief) which was right after my race ended. But Ted saw me at the scorer's meeting the night before - meaning, I was now signed up to score the early tunnel race too. So that weekend I spent 6 hours in the scorer's stand, and 3 hours racing my boat - both days.


In your picture of Dick Sherrer -- the guy sitting behind him in the pink shirt -- that's Kurt Seebold (no relation to the well known family). He worked for Dick for years. We all hung out together back in the 'old' COBRA days. He went on to race PWC's, & became extremely successful making crank shafts for all the top teams, Machine Werx. He had moved someplace back east and I lost touch with him for over a decade.

About 4 years ago, Kurt found me on one of these lists! It was great to chat with him again -- and he said had moved back to California after a divorce. I contacted everyone I could find (the old COBRA brats) and we began to plan a "COBRA brat reunion".

But before we could get it together, I got an email that broke my heart --- Kurt was delivering some parts to a shop for his buddy and collapsed on the floor. It was an aneurism - he had no clue. Death was immediate. He had just celebrated his birthday the day before. :( He left behind an adorable 4 yr old daughter.
http://www.sbtontheweb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=879

I miss Kurt ---

[Ron Hill]

Just got off the phone with Mike Miller of All Season's Marine....Seems MAYBE, we'll see Pat and Mike Miller at the Enduro in Division 5 running an STV......

And, they still have their two 45 SS motors, so, maybe they'll come to the Long Beach Sprint Nationals...and consider JOINING the Western Formula Lights Series in 2006....

Got to watch them MILLERS.....Especially the OLD MAN, TED...They CHEAT LIKE HELL....(You know what CHEATING IS don't you???? That's when you do your homework. Test and and test...Then, your kids drive like FRIGGING CHAMPS and win...That's the definition of cheating......LOL)...

I'd love to See All Seasons Marine back on the water!!! A great family tradition there!!!!

Picture: MVP CLUB...from 1981 Powerboat Magazine....Same phone number today for ALL SEASONS MARINE.

[Miss BK]

I can give partial credit to the Miller family for my meeting my husband.

Here's the story....
Mike and Pat Miller raced Mod-C in COBRA, and so did I - though I never really got to know them. They hosed me down, often. In 87, I was still running my 10' Kober Kat while all my competition were upgrading to the larger 12 footers: Gran Prix, BobCat etc....

But then Millers showed up with something NEW -- a 12' Tom Cat by Mirage --- and I watched as it passed me in the rough water, while I was getting beat to a pulp - but the Tom Cat just glided right on by me, not affected by the big waves at all ......I thought "WOW!"

Right then I made my decision on what boat I was going to buy!

A year later I met the builder of my "smooth riding" Mirage boat .... he was a very nice guy. ;) He became my husband 4 years after that.




Ok -- sorry for getting off-track, I know this thread is "MOD-VP Pictures", so here is one from Havasu around 81 or 82 or so... That's Fred Bowden in #34.


That's a LOT of Mod-VP boats!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Val, I found this note while filing stuff. Would Louis be referring to Brad here? I don't know if there were any other sons. Just curious now back to Mod VP boats.

Wayne

[Miss BK]

Wow! Cool note!

Wayne, Yes, that would have been for Brad - he's LH's only son. But Brad never raced kneel down boats, so apparently Louis never found the equipment he was looking for. Either that, or LH may have changed his mind - there was an awful accident about that time that left one man crippled for life. From what Brad tells me, it really had an impact on the Collins family.

Brad raced ATV three-wheelers in the late 70's. He didn't start racing boats until he was in his 20's - around 1987 - when he raced a boat he built himself (The aforementioned 12' Mirage "Tom Cat"). In his first year in a boat, he won 12 of 13 races, including the Nationals in the most competitive and most popular OPC class of the time (Sport C)

But despite whooping up on everybody all over the country in a boat he designed himself and sold to many other competitors, he never made the Hall of Champions. He was told that he was still young and would have many more chances. So the HOC award instead went to an "old" guy in a class that was nearly dead (Sport E). Brad was too wrapped up in business after that to do another cross country tour, so he never got into the HOC. :(

[Master Oil Racing Team]

When I saw the note Val, I figured that was Brad. I sent Louis the names of a couple of guys that had some boats, but I figured he never got one. Seems to me that 3 wheelers were a lot more dangerous to race.

That's really a shame about the HOC situation. To me, that kind of performance would have been choice number one. When Gulf dropped out and APBA established the HOC it was up to each racing commission to adopt its own rules as to choosing the inductees. The first set of rules in the PRO division didn't differentiate between classes with very few drivers and those which were highly competitive. And multiple class drivers had an advantage over the drivers that ran only one class. We had a situation like that with Brad so I came up with a weighted point system that gave extra points according to the amount of competition the driver had as well as extraordinary performances. Brad would have been a shoe in with the points rather than politics.

[Ron Hill]

2005 Rules, and for quite awhile...the rules are pretty set in STONE...If you EARN the HOC now, you get in, no matter the age....

THE ONE JEWEL IN APBA'S CROWN IS THE HALL OF CHAMPIONS....

LH...?? Louis H. Collins.....Think we could DRAG HIS *** to Parker for the Enduro????

The FASTEST MERCURY I ever saw on a MOD VP was Louis's at Parker one year on an Eliminator...Seems that boat stands out in my mind..Did he have a 19 Daytona??

He had a 2:1 gearcase on that mother and a 1`4 1/2 X 32...Testing he blew out of the pits so fast is scared half us MOD VP drivers... (Of course, he never admitted 2:1 gears, as they weren't legal...but nobody looked anyway!!!!)


Cool letter Wayne...and thanks for all the stuff that just came in the mail...It is in a pile...and I know where my stufff is, everything in a pile and a pile for everything...

I could bore **** out of everyone with my Ann Strang?Charlie Strang stories...but will tell a few one of these days!!!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

your stories are all interesting. It's like reliveing history, combined with history currently in the making. I especially like the situations and predicaments you tell in a way that we can all identify with.

[Ron Hill]

I was talking to Ted March the other day...about MOD VP..He reminded me, after I was saying many nice things about Roark Summerford, that Roark had once wanted to kick my ***....I reminded Ted, that in my life time, many have wanted to kick my ***....but that doesn't mean they don't like me or that I don't like them....Roark was usually on the "OTHERSIDE" when we were racing MOD VP..

I called Roark and Earl Bentz and BEGGED them to come to Parker....Earl's boat company has been bought out by Mercury Marine. Roark seems to say, "We can beat the bass boats, we know that...and we don't care to race with THEM other boats........but then, he did ask me the date of the race...."

I would like to really know more about Roark, I know he built Laser Boats and STV Boats....

Hope they show at Parker....Here is a picture of Roark in Powerboat 1981...at the St. Louis MOD VP SHOOT OUT!!!!

[AnthonySS]

Here is something from our STVowners Site regarding a brief History on STV Boats...see Link and ENJOY


http://www.stvowners.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=95

[Dabull1919]

Ron, I know you don`t remember me cuz I only ran Havasu& Parker one time each. I drove for Louis Collins the first time Mirage was at Havasu with a
Mariner and we did realy well till the gas tank split. I took out a bouy at the
Nautical Inn turn while Running second to Greg Foster. We made up that lap
and was running second to Stoker (Gregg pitted for fuel, we ran the whole
load-No stops) when the tank broke. Thirty min ta go and I sat in the infield
With the best seat in the house ta watch Allen lead on the first day. Day two
Louis, Brad and myself are all pumped up with a newly repaired gas tank and
something to prove. Then came the word-TO ROUGH TO RACE and we all hade to go home. This was very dissapointing as I had waited a long time
to get to Havasu and didn`t care how rough the water was, I wanted ta
race.

I`m sure glad you and the others are trying to keep our class from being
forgotten and it sure is nice ta see all of these great pictures-Thanks

Do you know if Reding Productions is still in buisness?

Mod VP forever
Bobby sanders

[Ron Hill]

Bobby...

When I DREAMED UP MOD VP RACING........my goal, as it is today, was to have a class that when the gun fires, you race.......Too rough??? Take up drinking full time....When I come to an ENDURO I don't want the SOB stopped until it is over....

When I won Chicago to Milwaukee to Chicago in a 17 foot boat....trust me, there were 10 foot waves on Lake Michigan...not the whole time......John Schubert, just at a few places....

Ross D. Boss and me talked today. IF we are to REBUILT OUR SPORT, we must look at the millions of past mistakes, and try to not make them again.

My son, Chad Hill, is racing 45 (Formula Lights)....which Ross has a pretty good little circuit going...but, at the races I see my mind wondering back to 1956....No, no, no, I can't go there...we need to move to what real people would want.........

AND I believe it is a boat that they could use on the weekends and race sometimes if they wanted to race......This could be a 14 foot boat or a 24 foot boat...

To be quite honest, two things really hurt my wife in boat racing:

One was the Mini Boat Enduro, where she had a 30 horsepower motor with an aluminum prop (C-NOD) racing in the same Enduro with 40 Horsepower motors, with Stainless props on tunnel hulls...The race was scheduled for five hours....Long story, but her three vee hulls with WOMAN drivers were running 2,3, and 4 OVERALL...Oh, there were MODIFIED 40's too...The officials called the race because it was TOO ROUGH...NOT ONE C-NOD had turned over and we had six women drivers, two of which this was their first race...

The straw that finished my wife was at San Diego when the tunnel MEN complained to the officials that the Women Vee Bottoms made the water too rough...That was my wife's last race... She has never been back into it like she was....Of course, Jimmy Hauenstein's death....with Chad as his team mate...didn't help either.

But my point....We NEED boats that RACE DAMN IT...no matter what the water is...Ever heard of an OFFROAD race being cancelled???? (Because the road was too rough???)

I feel your pain, Bobby, (I knew that he isn't Barry)...and we may never be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again!!!!

Ron

[Miss BK]

Ron, I know you don`t remember me cuz I only ran Havasu& Parker one time each. I drove for Louis Collins the first time Mirage was at Havasu with a Mariner and we did realy well till the gas tank split. I took out a bouy at the Nautical Inn turn while Running second to Greg Foster. We made up that lap and was running second to Stoker (Gregg pitted for fuel, we ran the whole load-No stops) when the tank broke. Thirty min ta go and I sat in the infield With the best seat in the house ta watch Allen lead on the first day. Day two Louis, Brad and myself are all pumped up with a newly repaired gas tank and something to prove. Then came the word-TO ROUGH TO RACE and we all hade to go home. This was very dissapointing as I had waited a long time to get to Havasu and didn`t care how rough the water was, I wanted ta race. Mod VP forever
Bobby sanders


How wild, Bobby!
I was just looking at that photo album earlier this evening...





PS Ron - it's "Bobby" Sanders, not Barry.....lol

[Miss BK]

I was running a Mod-C Kober Kat that was built like a tank. So, even though we had 12 crashes in 13 minutes on the first day, I still wanted to keep running. I knew my boat could handle it just fine. Too bad for the guys who brought paper-thin sprint boats - but that kind of water is the primary reason the Kober Kats were built so tough.

The race director needed to let the "Enduro-built" boats run their race - and the rest be told to "run at your own risk". I was disappointed when it was decided to cancel the event. It was my first Havasu too.




A couple more ModVP shots from that same weekend...#66 is Gary Tutle...

I don't see any white caps....

[Dabull1919]

Your right Val, I see no white caps either so hell I`m ready lets go race.
Man that boat would go over some garbage. We won several races with
that rigg. It had a special center pod that LH and Brad built. Running pad
was 9 in. wide others were 12.

Val, while were on the subject of pads I`m thinking of changing something
on the bottom of my 95 model mirage. I would love to talk to Brad about it
first in case he`s already done it. my numbers are
cell-318-218-4955
home-318-868-0389

Love the pixs-thanks
Bobby

[Ron Hill]

This is Tim Soares in a Witch Craft...He and I drove MOD VP together at the 1980 Havasu Classic...We finished fourth in Crazy Horse

76 miles an hour...We ran a out of the boat OMC 28 cleaver, thinned some.... Bill Muncey ran a Glastron, and he was 5th....as I recall...

Seems Stoker was first with Bowden second...Both ran 14 X 28 small blade Choppers and both had serious cracks in the blades at the end of the four hours of racing...I had used the cleaver, because I didn't think the Chopper would run four hours...I knew they were faster, but chose a more solid prop!!!

Stoker and Baker lengthened the Witch Craft out 18 inches, I'm going to say, in the middle and built the Baker MOD VP (V Hull, not yet, the tunnel)... using a Taylor deck...

[bajarick]

Wow! These are great pics!

There is an article on the International Hydrostream Registry called the "1981 Powerboat Magazine Shootout". I read this article about 5 years ago and it got me hyped on the 20 ft Mod VP boats with 200/250 hp, jack plates, transom notches, hot foots, and 28 to 32 inch props! What a blast!

Alan Stoker's boats wound up battling Pipcorn's Hydrostreams in some very close racing finals. Made me want to go out and find one of those SSTs or a V-King! I printed the article and have read it over and over again.....now to see all of these pics is a real BLAST!

Would post the article here, but it is too large. To see the article, go the the International Hydrostream Registry home page and click "literature". Then click "magazine performance reports". Click "CLICK HERE" for the reports. Then click "'81 Shootout-Torpedo King" for the article.

Dam...Im hyped up all over again :D

[Ted March]

1. Al Stoker in the winning Baker Ralleysport Tunnel. Al also won the Radar Runs on Saturday using my Ron Hill 14.5 X 32 Cleaper.
20 The transom of the modified Hydrostream Viking driven by Ron Baker To second place.
3. The Roark Summerford Lazer driven by Alan Miller.

[spn#43]

In picture number 30, that is Ron Hill's boat, but Rod Zapf is driving...the Parachute life jacket gives him away....(He used it in his 5 liter hydro)...

I never like the full face helmets as I never felt I could see, and I always liked to see everything and everyone...


If I had open face helmet in my roll over accident, my face would be slashed in half, by the edge of the cell. Chin part of the helmet had really deep and about 2.5inch long gash in it.
Full face helmet is the only way to go.

[Ron Hill]

IF I raced today, I'd probably run the full face helmet...but ....

If I ran a capsule, I'd run a full face for sure!!!!

I found, when I ran kneel downs, my head was always on the floor boards (Because the full face was so heavy, but today, they weigh very little).. instead of up where I could see...I don't think JIMBO ever ran a full face helmet....

Times change!!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I always preferred open helmet for the view. Tried on full face but they were very restrictive and VERY heavy (in the old days). I always liked to be able to see where everyone is as much as was possible. Started with a Bell helmet, but in 1972 met a guy that sold Premier helmets and other safety stuff. He was tied in with John Mecom. Remember him? The Premier helmets had a good impact liner and a tight but comfortable fit around the cheekbone and Cheeks, with good spaces around the ears. Unlike the Bell which may rotate back at speeds in a C or D hydro. The Premier stayed where it was strapped. You had to spread the straps to put it on, but it was very comfortable. The full face back then were too rigid to get a tight fit.

Sometimes it is the luck of the draw, but I think if I had been wearing a full face when I stuffed in 75 I would either not be here or not be able to type. BUT, that was a long time ago. Full face has bound to have come a long way by now.

[Ron Hill]

As in the John Mecom who owned the New Orleans Saints???

[Master Oil Racing Team]

He used to be involved in boat racing too, but I forget how. I'll get out an old Motorsport Magazine and look. Maybe he was distributor for Premier. Now that I think about it, maybe it was car racing, but I do know he was involved in racing. The editor of Motorsport, Harry Echols was placing some ads and the Premier guy had some samples of their stuff and a store in Houston. Believe me they had some quality products.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

But something in the back of my mind thinks he had fast boats too. Since the editor of Motorsport lived in Houston, Joe got to go around with him sometimes while he sold ads or was working on stories. Several times Joe got to hang out at AJ Foyts shop. But I think his favorite was going with Harry to one of the clients he did promotions for---The Red Baron Clubs.

[Ron Hill]

Having grown up being an AJ Foyt mega fan, when I actually met him, face to face (Ontario, 1978)....I could hardly talk, becasue I was in shock that he was smaller than I...Hell, I figured Ole AJ would have been a foot taller than me......

Mecom's boat was a Lou Brummet, Mandella...called "The Saint", she may have been one of Red Adair's boats as I think she had a Louie Unser Ford Cobra motor...Somewhere, I've got an article of two about John's boat...

After Lou's death, October 1969-70, flat bottom marathoning slowed way down...The outboards were taking over...and many high dollar guys felt they couldn't compete against the outboards, so they went away...Many went Ski Racing, many quit boat racing all together...

Add: Lou wasn't the ONLY Inboard Marathoner to die racing....plus losing Bill Cooper, to cancer, about this time, things change...

Great pictures... Wayne...

Sure you don't want to get a TRI HULL and we could race in Texas????

[Master Oil Racing Team]

today! You're right Ron. Joe was going to put some stuff up tonite--maybe. He said he had some articles about John and Red Adair and Michael Reagan. About Tri-hulls...........what would you think about your racing school doing hard time, in reality,.... with a 16 year old?

[Ron Hill]

If you are asking what my Driving School would think of having a 16 year old drive a Tri Hull, I'd say, "SURE".... A 16 foot boat witha 140 HP, full shifting gearcase, with a roll cage in the boat....

1. A 16 foot Glastron has side that are at least 30 inches high...So, the side itself is a pretty good bumper.

2. A 16 foot Glastron doesn't have a very pointed bow, so, it a MAJOR "T" Bone accident, I see broke fiberglass, mostly.

3. The best V-4 140 without a cone and bottom water pick ups has to run the propshaft no higher than level with the bottom, so, the boats should turn without spinning out...

4. A 16 foot Glastron will run in OCEAN CONDITIONS...

5. The side are great bill boards.....

6. They race with Modified Le Mans starts, on big courses, with many laps...This reduces the first turn 'CRUSH".

I personally can't think of a class for anyone starting out that would be better...You should get two...One for you and me, and one for your son....always good to have someone to tow you in when you run out of gas...

John Rinker told me they beat you up, and that he wished he was 16.....

I use to race a 17 footer with twin 115 Evinrudes...Mike Reagan, Bill Cooper and Rudy Raymos won Havasu in a 21 footer, I was second in a 17 footer...1967...Loved every minute of that 8 hour race...the boat was a handful with twins, but I called it my GASTRON as I just loved to driver it...She was a "GAS"....

ADD: Tri Hull...Electric start, sit down, pump gas, local dealer for parts....(KISS) Keep it simple stupid)....and no real engine rules, so you can modify the engine if you want...

Call John Schubert....Or see the Tri Hull page...

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I was in a hurry last night to run back to the shop to load up for a job in the Valley today. I was meaning, not computer lessons on your thread school (which I enjoy by the way), but sitting in the cockpit next to him. I was thinking maybe somebody that wanted to test a trihull down here this winter may bring it by so we could check it out. So far that's the only local racing I have heard about that may be a possibility for someone starting out that is within a reasonable distance.

[Ron Hill]

E-Mailed with Jerry Rinker the other day...Confused where he is in relationship to you...But maybe, he could bring John's Tri Hull down for a test....He can't seem to run John down either..Seems John doesn E-Mail or answer phones...

I'd fly down to test with you!!! Besides, I want to look up Pete DeLackner...Hell, maybe, I'd just drive down....and stay a month or two!!!

Going to go to Elsinore next week and see IF my Tri Hull is where I left it, four years ago!!!

JOB??? DID YOU SAY, "WORK??" Like Jimmy Hauenstein said, "I had a job in the summer of '67, but dindn't like it so I quit."...Never entered my mind you might WORK!!!!!! (I thought you were into that NASTY OLD EARL..I mean OIL business...)....I figured your idea of work was counting your money!!!! LOL!!!

[Ron Hill]

One of these days, I'll get with Al and John and I'll do a section on John's Custom Marine.....Today, just some pictures from their wall...And as usual...I only "VISIT" them when I need something....

Though my daughter and Al both told me...She gave him a tow this weekend at the river......AND Al admitted to my daughter that I, Ron Hill, is the one that got him started in Boat Racing....I know that's true...A Bill Boyes runabout that I had bought from Rod Zapf...and a Mercury Mark 30-H...Brawley....Far cry from what he was "RACING" last weekend..Paul Pfaff Motor, 24-26 Stoker tunnel...110 PLUS MPH........when running...

The Stoker Family has done a lot for me over the many years we have been friends...

[Ron Hill]

Dick and I wrote the MOD VP rules. Though Dick's FINEST HOUR was winning the Parker 9 Hour, when it was NINE HOURS...Dick's, Ed Lane, 2.4 out ran and out lasted Mercury Factory equipment...

Dick though a Mercury DEALER, never liked the "FACTORIES" in racing...AS he and Howard Pipkorn would say, Mercury doesn't want to just win the race, they want to say WHO WINS WITH A MERCURY....

Mod VP was Dick's and MY way of trying to keep FACTORIES OUT OF RACING...It lasted long enough that we had about 20 boats at every race....Then, Mercury built a SPECIAL MOD VP motor and Evinrude built a Special Mod VP motor...Then, the rest of us QUIT...

Here is Dick in his Eliminator...MOD VP...

[Ron Hill]

Rod drove my Yamaha and the battery blew up at the first pit stop...And when the race was over he gave every kid....no matter their age, rides until dark....Of course, he'd paid for half the gas, more or less!!!!

Pat Murphy and John Castelli drove the black, white and yellow Lavey with a RENTED MERCURY powerhead, that MURPHY managed to melt down to zero power...(Wasn't his fault...we should have rented a gearcase, too)..

I sold that boat to John Vossmeyer after Parker.

Chris Carmine (He and his brother, Jeff, now own Lavey) drove the Blue and White Lavey that was sponsored by Hoiag's Marine....in Stockton or Sacremento...But don't recall the Hoiag Marine's owner's name...Maybe, it was Dean Willis??? I know it wasn't Dean Hoaig.

Craig Nelson owned a Stoker was Mark Edmondson. Craig and his ex-wife's daughter is a pitcher for FSU (Florida State University), in her second year of a four year full ride. Talked to Craig on Friday, he was in Florida watching his daughter pitch in an NCAA Tournament.....But what we really talked about was David Gillaland....How we, Craig and I use to sponsor his dad, Butch Gilliland, in Street Stock Enduros... http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?p=29777#post29777


Top picture: craig Nelson just finished third in MOD VP, parker 7 Hour...Using a Mercury I rented from Mercury Racing
Second picture is Craig getting ready to start the race.

Third picture is Castelli at a pit stop with the Number 11 boat
Fourth picture might be Pat Murphy, or Castelli in the number 11 at speed.
Fifth picture is the Yamaha boat at Puddingstone....Once we got the electrical problems fixed that thing "ROCKED" until we had to run STOCK HEADS....Jim Harris at the wheel...I think
6 Castelli launching, Hoaig's boat next to the 11 boat...
7th picture is Hoaig's Marine lavey, Evinrude powered...

[Ron Hill]

I think this was Parker 1990...

A few more pictures...

1. Craig Nelson and Mark Edmonson's Berg-Nelson, Hill Marine Sponosred MOD VP at speed
2. BHO Teaming helping at a pit stop..Harris was the H, Oslen was the O and can't remember the B..
3. Bob Wartinger and Joe....Joe worked for Hill Marine...but can't remember his last name.
4. #9 Lavey, Yamaha power Lavey, driven by Bob Wartinger and Rod Zapf, ET 79, Mitch Lemke right behind number 9...race is over..
5. GMT Hull, Del Taco sponosred, Gre Foster driving...Jerry Gilbreath, Crew Chief.
6. Flying Lavey's boat??? This is number one Lavey Sebring 20 Foot tunnel...Bottom by John Castelli, Ron Hill and Jerry Baker..

[647and918]

I tried to upload these once, but I think I messed up...

I'm trying to dig up old pics, but I've moved too many times since I was involved in this... The first two should be from Parker in 1986, the one and only time I actually got to drive (even then, I was too young I think!)... Third are some of the patches I picked up along the way, 4th is our old Howard we ran in the mid-80's as a ski racer, and last is the Eliminator (this is Mission Bay if I remember right)...

I'll keep digging in the garage to see what else I can find. I used to have all the programs from Parker and Havasu from the early/mid-80's...

[runwhatchabrung]

test,,2nd post

[runwhatchabrung]

St Louis

[runwhatchabrung]

havasu

[runwhatchabrung]

Mike Quindazzi, Sr. Laser, Evinrude 235 by Dick O'Dea.

[runwhatchabrung]

beautiful mod-vp

[J. Sherlock]

Havasu & Parker...

[Smokin' Joe]

Yes, that was racing. In 1979 I spent a month reworking the Allison bottom, got a special higher displacement V-6 via Tom Ireland and Jim Jost but had to send it back after running 3rd because Tom was hacked off that I took a co-driver instead of driving the whole 9 yards myself (he was right, as Alan Stoker showed time and again, and as I did myself in 1981). Kenny Shaw and Bill Muncie got the other 2 factory motors, and Kenny won.

[MN1]

Two Mod VP boats racing.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm315/MN392/ModVP.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm315/MN392/ModVP1.jpg
Mark N

[Lost-in-MX]

MOD VP (or something similar to it is back in Mexico) This picture was taken las march (2010) at The UIM Marathon World Champion. This Laser won the title.

[Lost-in-MX]

This boat was doing pretty well at the 2010 Worlds. Sadly the rolled over during the last leg, and the boat sank and was never recovered. Driver still in the hospital today :(

[Lost-in-MX]

Is this a Mirage?:confused: