Thinking outside of the box

[HRTV]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>SunLive - Stadium to turn to jet boat heaven - The Bay&#39;s News First <a href="http://t.co/XxzPPdepXf">http://t.co/XxzPPdepXf</a> <a href="http://t.co/aSGCJNx0y1">pic.twitter.com/aSGCJNx0y1</a></p>&mdash; HydroRacer Live (@HydroRacerTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/HydroRacerTV/statuses/422026512171167744">January 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Smitty]

FWIW, the oval dirt track was a little over 1/4 mile, as I pencil it out from figures on Google.

[B1PRORACER]

They did that in the 30s or 40s in Massachusetts..... There was a small race track in western Massachusetts- maybe Agawam or Springfield. Anyway, they flooded the racetrack from the nearby Connecticut River and raced outboards there. I don't know if they raced under the lights...... They might have done it at Seekonk Speedway too. That was before stock outboard racing ruined it for the alkie guys.

[Fast Jack]

Danburry Fair Speedway

Pete , They flooded the race track at Danbury Fair, Daburry Ct , Opening night was Saturday May 20 1950. The boats were specially built inboards with cast block Crosley 48 ci direct drive 4 cyl @ 26 hp. I have one of the origional boats on loan to me to build a tribute hull. And the price was Kids .42 cents plus .08 tax and adults were a buck. Free parking and a free program..!!!!

[B1PRORACER]

That isn't what I am talking about, although it has to do with thinking out of the box in the same way. These were outboards racing on a flooded racecar track (KR, SR and PR's). I have seen the photos and talked to people who were there and remembered it.

[Smitty]

Jack, this is off-topic, but are you sure the boats were specially built for that event? I remember long ago seeing two old Inboard classes listed in the APBA record book for 44 Hydro and 44 Runabout, that were the stock engine analogues of the modified 48 class. And FWIW, and even a little farther off-topic, Lou Fageol of SloMoShun V Gold Cup fame was originator of the Crosley-engined outboard motor. His Fageol 44 eventually became the Fisher-Pierce Bearcat and then a Homelite-branded motor, as I recall. Hope you don't mind a little digression, Dan.

[Fast Jack]

Danburry Fair

From what I have learned these boats were built for Danbury Fair specifically - there were wooden - about 15 ? and 2 fiberglass boats were built. They were sold at an auction in Ct a few years back . The boat hull reminds me of a Mini Most meets a sea skiff. the 44 hydros were much more of a race boat than these are . They were not built to fit a set of rules , but all were the same ( think IROC ). neat little boats with a cool little ohc motor with an Offy style head. Bearcats are neat outboards , I guess the lower unit was the weak link.

[jeff55v]

Jet boat heaven

In reference to the linked article that started this thread, I'll bet this stadium is not going to be "flooded" with water, as the conversation is leading. Instead, I'm sure what they're going to do is dig narrow channels to form a maze-like track that the jet sprint boats typically use. I think this story comes from New Zealand.

Jet Sprint boats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpdWU5Tg8F8&sns=em