The Family Aspect of Boat Racing

[Mark 72@E]

Me and My Dad

This photo of me and my dad was taken Labor Day weekend 1974. What made this weekend special was that it was the first time that my mom, dad, sister, and I were all at a race together.

And it was the first time I ever led a heat start to finish in a combined BSH & 25SSH field. Which of course wasn't supposed to happen because everyone knew in 1974 that a Merc 20H had about 2 MPH on a Merc 25SS.

Does anyone recognize this race site? I would describe the course as "very long". So long you could exit a turn, fix yourself a sandwich, eat the sandwich, and finish licking your fingers before entering the next turn. Or maybe my memory has been exaggerated through the decades.

[ian]

Curwensville 2008

[Dave_E71]

This photo of me and my dad was taken Labor Day weekend 1974. What made this weekend special was that it was the first time that my mom, dad, sister, and I were all at a race together.

And it was the first time I ever led a heat start to finish in a combined BSH & 25SSH field. Which of course wasn't supposed to happen because everyone knew in 1974 that a Merc 20H had about 2 MPH on a Merc 25SS.

Does anyone recognize this race site? I would describe the course as "very long". So long you could exit a turn, fix yourself a sandwich, eat the sandwich, and finish licking your fingers before entering the next turn. Or maybe my memory has been exaggerated through the decades.

Turn 2 at Hinton, WV?

[MGallagher]

My motor man!

Just checkin' a few things?

[Mark 72@E]

Bingo!

Turn 2 at Hinton, WV?

Bingo! You got it.

[L. Allen]

How about this one?

[benf27]

Here`s a snapshot I took at the worlds of a father sniffing his sons butt to see if it`s time to pass him back to momma.

<a href="http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l72/PTB_01/?action=view&current=IMGP5386.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l72/PTB_01/IMGP5386.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Thats is the fourth and fifth generation of Eldredge Racing!!! Jason and Cooper

[sponsonhead]

Kyle and I in the early days of his J Hydro, circa 1996, and then us about 8 years later,

It's nice to stick around racing long enough to have the kids pit crew for you too.....

[Mark 72@E]

I second that!

It's nice to stick around racing long enough to have the kids pit crew for you too.....

I second that!

Here's my oldest son getting ready to start me.

[seanp3]

Seaside 2008

Annie and Randy, Kyle and Carl, Mike and Tony getting ready for the start of 20SSH

[fbref5269]

great shots!

mark,

great shots. now where you you labor day weekend in 1974...... hmmmmm that 9 hour drive over mountains of beautiful west, by gosh, virginia. hinton.. oh the memories.

what you need to find a group shot of the augustines. that is if they made a lens big enough to get all of them in. those were great times in the pits before, during and after the races.

remember in hinton one year we had a room above the augustines and we were playing thumper, beating our hands on the floor. dave came up and took exception to our timing of the game since the kids were asleep. i think davie was old enough to stay up later back then.

frank
collector of old stuff that was new when i raced

[VanVliet]

Re: photo

The Mark Ritchie photo: I was just there in February and delivered them a Swift truck full of Coors beer. That is Hinton, West Virginia. Rt 81 S, Rt. 64 W. The view is looking upstream from the pits on the point near the Rt. 20 bridge and Bluestone Park Rd. Indeed, the course was long there, with a big dam the other way. That place is quite a ride to get to, lots of gears to shift and an easy place to get lost.

Tim

[Tomtall]

The Holt family

Many,many years of racing. Dana and Carl are the best and have contributed more to the sport than they have ever taken. This is a true bond between father and son caused by the sport they both enjoy. Moms pretty awesome for being there also

[Mark 72@E]

I Find That

[QUOTE=VanVliet;120524] That is Hinton, West Virginia...an easy place to get lost. /QUOTE]

I find that if I go in circles and always turn left, I never get lost.

Wait...are we talking about boat racing or getting >>to<< the race site???

[rocky peterson1]

1st generation

Our early years of racing, 1st generation but many more i'm sure! Peterson Racing. Aaron,Alicia, Lisa and Rocky