1974 Dayton Stock Outboard Nationals Reunion . . .

[Wagneracing06]

This was me, but in was in 75.

I remember getting there and could not believe the number of boats that were there and still running slims on Sat morning. Sitting down just outside the first turn on the beach, the Super C start in a heat was a classic, all coming to the first turn at once. Someone on the inside climbed a rooster tail and was able to get it back down, but his body was out of the cockpit, hanging on to the throttle and wheel, body and legs flailing on the side decks back and forth. He finally got stopped and collapsed inside the cockpit, to not move for quite awhile.

In , I think ASH, Andy Hansen stood it straight up, crawled on the nose, got it back down and went on to finish well. Remember also Charlie Gonyea and Rick Davidson tangling in CSH in first turn, with Charlie taking the brunt of it.
Lots of floating pieces all weekend, and the sounds of Merc's for the most part.

I have found that the 74 and 75 Nationals kind of combine themselves in my memory. I know it was 75, because I placed 5th in super C runabout in 75. In 74, it was my first race with my brand new out of the box, super C. I didn't even finish my elimination heat, and I blew out the bearings in the gear case. The clearance of the prop shaft gear O.D. and the I.D. of the gear case was too tight and the aluminum shavings from the gear case got into the bearings and trashed them. In today's age of racing I'm pretty confident that someone would have had a spare gear case and loaned it to me. Our sport has definitely changed for the better in this aspect.
The first turn your talking about in 75 was spectacular. I remember having this really nice lane of calm water in front on me on the inside and then at about 2/3 of the way through the turn, Billy Simmons comes from the outside right accross my bow. Man he was smokin fast. I was up, then down and I think all around his rooster tail hanging on for my life. I remember backing off because I thought I was going to T bone him. The motor was still running on 1 cylinder. I got banged up pretty bad, but not nearly as bad as another crash a couple of years later. Somewhere I have a sample sequenced picture from the photographer who was in the first turn. In one shot you can make out my deck and numbers at 90 degrees to the water.

Rick Wagner Sr.

[Jean Mackay]

Rick,

If you have some pictures you would like to share with the group at the Reunion in Reno, please scan or sent to me via email.

Trying to get something together . . . although I'm in a little hot water right now, as my laptop with Power Point on it has decided to crash on me and I do not have Power Point yet on my main frame computer . . .

Anyway my email address: is jean84c@earthlink.net

Thanks,
Jean

[Ron Hill]

1975 Super C Runabout National Champion

When I got to Dayton, 1975, Reed Riddle, asked if I wanted to run Super C Runabout. I said, "NO". Reed wasn't one to say "NO" to. I told him I did'nt want to put his Cresent on one of my boats. Reed came back a few minutes later and said I could use "DING's" boat. Ding was Jimmy Dawe's friend and he had my 1973 Hill D Runabout.

I told Reed if he'd get it ready, I'd drive it. We had some testing time and the kill switch bothered me, as I felt I could easily pull it while driving, so I wrapped the kill switch string around the thumb screws about twenty times and out I wen t test. To my surprise the **** thing went fast as hell.

Without going in to it, I won straight heats.

I DID NOT know that Reed had added 100 pounds under the floor boards to make weight. After Dayton, Ding s=ran really slow in D Runabout. It was only after he'd quit did we find out there was 100 pounds of lead under the floor boards of his boat.

[Ron Hill]

I'm Not Sure About The Rule

Seems to me, I wrote the rule change for the ballot, but then again I could be wrong. I was racing OPC for OMC, but I still wanted to race Stock Outboards. I think I lobbied the Stock Outboard Commission to "open up"
the Nationals for more qualifiers.

I went to Beloit, 1970, becasue I knew there would be 11 opening for D Runabout.

My thoughts about Dayton, 1974, was that Gene Whipp promoted the City of Dayton to think aboat race was a good idea, and Gene promoted the Dayton Hydro Globe as the next Miami Marine Stadium. It was Gene Whipp that promoted the Dayton 1974 race.

I could be wrong!

[Big Don]

Ron I think you are correct. I was only 16 but I seem to remember Gene was the one behind it.

Who was it from California that brought all the Coor's beer on their trailer? Dawe? Seems to me there was a story behind that, like the axle breaking or something. I can remember standing by the trailer seeing the water from all the melting ice dripping out of it.

[DeanFHobart]

1975 However

To All,

I didn't have the money to go to the 1974 Nationals. Rusty Rae wrote a book about the 1974 Nationals called, "Speed and Spray", The Story About The APBA 1974 Stock Outboard Nationals. So in in 1975, Everyone wanted to go.
Over 1000 boats, 103 A Stock Hydros.

Here is a picture of A Stock Hydro in 1975. I am passing Mark Demaray who is in 2nd place. The wake is Jeff Hutchins who is in first and who won. I got third place overall. I couldn't put two good starts together.

Best Regards To all,

Dean Hobart...

[CSR4C]

I think the correct entry amount was about 835 for both '74 & '75.
I believe in '75 there was over 100 A Stock Hydros. The slowest first place did not make it into the finals.
It was Jimmy Dawe with the Coors beer.

[dholt]

Looks like Hobart's rig is tucked in about 1/2".

I'm guessing the center of prop shaft was even with bottom or higher.

[DeanFHobart]

Yes and Higher

Looks like Hobart's rig is tucked in about 1/2".

I'm guessing the center of prop shaft was even with bottom or higher.

Dana,

Yes, tucked in about 1/2". And, about 1" to 1-1/8" above the bottom. The Ficket Kick Out Tool was almost touching the bottom of the boat.

Fun ride. Big Papa Smith propeller, Z527. Motor, KG4, Serial Number, 506879.

An honest 60+ mph.

Best Regards,

Dean Hobart............................................

[walleye]

My first Coors

Ron I think you are correct. I was only 16 but I seem to remember Gene was the one behind it.

Who was it from California that brought all the Coor's beer on their trailer? Dawe? Seems to me there was a story behind that, like the axle breaking or something. I can remember standing by the trailer seeing the water from all the melting ice dripping out of it.

I think it was Lister's. That's where I got my first Coors.

[Ron Hill]

Couple Up Bar

Ron I think you are correct. I was only 16 but I seem to remember Gene was the one behind it.

Who was it from California that brought all the Coor's beer on their trailer? Dawe? Seems to me there was a story behind that, like the axle breaking or something. I can remember standing by the trailer seeing the water from all the melting ice dripping out of it.

Jimmy Dawe worked for the railroad in Needles. He made very good money but seldom held on to it. He and his mother, Helen, opened a bar called The Couple Up as trains "Coupled up". Helen made a "Mean Pizza" and Coors was easy to drink. Helen also kept track of Jimmy's finances for him

Jimmy did well in those year, he owed the building and rented half to Sears and Robuck Catalog business

Jimmy was ahead of "Smokey and the Bandit" and he decided to take 100 cases of Coors beer to Dayton. Coors needed to be cooled in those days. Coors could not be purchased east of the Mississippi either.

Jimmy had bought him self a new Corvette and his mom a new Cadillac. He loaded the 100 cases of beer in a trailer, with ice and headed for Dayton, 1975. He got to Kingman, 63 miles from Needles and broke an axle. Anyone but Jimmy would have thought, Dayton is 2,500 miles and I've gone 63 miles and broke an axle. Maybe, I should reconsider this.

Four days later, and several broken axles later, Jimmy arrived in Dayton. The day Jimmy was leaving Needles, his 16 year old neighbor GIRL asked if she could go with Jimmy. He said, "Yes". And her mom let he go.

Jimmy shows up in Dayton, his eyes burned from watching guys weld his axles (Eyes were pussie), 100 cases of cold Coors and 16 year old "CHICK".

Dave Bryan and Jimmy were to share a motel room. Dave walks in, see this 16 year old and asks, "How old are you?" When she says, "16". Dave grabs his bags and gets his own room.

Jimmy and the 16 year old start seling the beer unti the local COPS show up.

Jimmy heads to Constantine, Michigan the week after Dayton. They start to sell the COORs and the local COPS "BUST THEM". With a little "SMOOTH TALK" Jimmy sells all his Coors to the COPS.

[csh2z]

1974 was the first year that only the prior year's National Champion was qualified so there was 11 open spots for each class.

[CSR4C]

There were Divisional qualifiers, I was was one.

1974 was the first year that only the prior year's National Champion was qualified so there was 11 open spots for each class.

In '74 there was still Divisional qualifiers. On the west coast they made on division out of it. I was living in Eugene OR at the time (R10) The divisionals were at East Park Res. out of Maxwell CA (R11). The reason Jim McDonald & I went to Dayton is that we were qualified in ASH & 25SSR by winning the divisionals.

[Mark 72@E]

How many places?

In '74 there was still Divisional qualifiers. On the west coast they made on division out of it. I was living in Eugene OR at the time (R10) The divisionals were at East Park Res. out of Maxwell CA (R11). The reason Jim McDonald & I went to Dayton is that we were qualified in ASH & 25SSR by winning the divisionals.

First through third place divisional winners qualified for the nationals? Or only first place divisional winners?

[CSR4C]

I think in '74 it was changed to just the winners, the divisions were cut down to 5 also.
I do remember that in '66 you had to place 1, 2, or 3 in a race to enter the nationals. I was racing BU & couldn't keep up with the fast guys. At Estacada I finally got a 3rd place. But then just before the nationals at Prineville it was opened up to anyone.