The Man Who Beat 106 A Hydro's

[David Weaver]

At the 1976 Stock Outboard Nationals at Hinton, WV there were something like 107 A stock hydro's entered. My parents and the Augustines (Pop and GiGi) were the race directors for the event. The night before the A-Stock hydro elimination heats, they drew the heats (each boat ran twice) by hand. Then they typed the heat sheets and ran the mimeograph machine all night and morning.

It seemed to take the entire day to run all those elimination heats. Maybe 3-4 boats were pre-qualified, so the rest had an almost impossible task to qualify. Many, very good boats did get into the finals.

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to meet the individual who won that year in ASH. I thought this was quite an accomplishment and certainy one of the greatest wins of all time.

Any guesses who won?

[csh12M]

Coop?

Cooper Jess?

Just a guess.

CSH12M

[David Weaver]

Strike 1

Cooper Jess?

Just a guess.

CSH12M

Not Cooper.

[crfabbro2F]

Maybe Hutchins?

[reed28n]

Ash

Kenny France?

[DeanFHobart]

Chuckie

It Was:

Chuck Zolkowkeski. He was running Andy Hanson's outfit.

I know..... I was there.

[David Weaver]

Winner, Winner

It Was:

Chuck Zolkowkeski. He was running Andy Hanson's outfit.

I know..... I was there.

Dean wins the contest, but 5 points are deducted for spelling errors. Chuck Zolkoske won ASH in 1976 and I believe he used Andy's boat in the finals.

No worries Dean, I also butchered Chuck's name in the recent USTS write-up for the Spring DePue race. Chuck is a great guy and we are lucky to have another top-notch compeitor in the USTS.

[DeanFHobart]

Copy and Paste

No worries Dean, I also butchered Chuck's name in the recent USTS write-up for the Spring DePue race. Chuck is a great guy and we are lucky to have another top-notch compeitor in the USTS.[/QUOTE]

David,

That's where I copied and pasted it from!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, for history: I had the fastest elimination heat time. But, I blew the first final heat start. 12th in the first heat and 2nd in the second heat...
4th overall.

[David_L6]

I'd like to see a race with that many entries in one class. I'd never heard about that one before.

Cecil Johnson told me about a race (I think it was a Nationals.... NOA? or AOF?) that had a ton of B hydros. You had to win your elimination heat to make the finals! I believe the race was at McAllister, OK. Hopefully Mark will see this and fill us in.....

[bill van steenwyk]

getting in the finals was tough

At Depue in the late 60's APBA Alky Nationals, some classes, even if you won your elimination heat, did not guarantee you a spot in the finals. Last years champion, and the eastern and western divisional champion were already qualified, so in several classes just winning the elimination heat would not do it. You had to win and be among the 9 fastest. I remember one year there were 10 or more elimination heats in either B or C hydro and several elimination heat winners were left out of the finals.

[MN1]

Chucky Z at Kankakee, IL in SST 120 class.
Mark N

[champhotrod]

Hinton 76

I posted this on my Guess who thread.

1976 SO Nationals
Dateline Hinton
1976 winners:
JR Todd Nelson
AR Andy Hansen *
BR Red Yost
CR Ernie Dawe
DR Racer Allen
25R Tom Nuccio *
15R Cooper Jess *
JH Scott Shuman
AH Chuck Zolkoske *
BH Vern Kargus
CH Bunky Bowerman
DH Glasses Neely
25H Jeff Hutchins
Super C Brad Snow
15H Lenny Falcone

* still active racers
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#18 Add to champhotrod's Reputation Report Post IP: 207.118.152.242
Old 06-02-2008, 05:58 PM

[bh/]

bunky

Bunky Bowerman is an active oyster fisherman down in Yankeetown, FL. He also designs and builds some novel [no transom, front engine] outboard powered oyster boats.

[Freedom Fighter]

I remember.

I was number 12.