Reality Check for the Lunatic Fringe ...

[Dr. Thunder]

My own thoughts and observations as to the top ten "Best things that ever happened for kneeldown outboard racing growth and promotion":

10. Sid-Craft Boats
9. Champion Hot Rod
8. Unlimiteds
7. Boat Sport and Speed & Spray Magazine
6. HydroRacer.net
5. Swift Hydros
4. Mercury KG4H
3. Mercury KG7H
2. Mercury 20H
1. APBA

[sws115]

here here
now if we can get some tv time in there maybe just maybe
we can get some payback for the teams they deserve it and new teams need a lift up to get going
oval boat racing rules
hows that for looney
that would be the icing on the cake for best of the best for boat racing

[AOFoffice]

Noa

NOA/(now AOF)
Has to be in there somewhere....
Claude Fox did a lot to promote the sport in his day.

Lots of championships which should have been considered "world"..
north/south

[bh/]

The 'grass roots', what we are missing today.
Hal Kelly, Hank Bowman, the whole NJ connection; Sid, Marchetti's, O'Day etc .
Not knocking APBA/NOA/CBF, but in the 50s and 60s more boat racing was done outside the sanctioning bodys, than in it.
But a good list, for a 1st cut.

[bh/]

'but i am so... east coast"

Jones, Hubbell, Toprahanian.
McDonald, Entrop,
-and would we have known of Ron,
if it were not for his father Russ

[Mark 32]

Swift hydros were huge in the development of stock racing, they were competitive AND affordable, how about that!

[Skoontz]

Added to the list..Ralph Evinrude and the 100MPH club.

The Johnson PR, The Evinrude 4-60, The GT and X series OMC motors which gave Merc some serious headaches and took away their reign. Don Hendrich for making some of the most awesome propeller advances since cupping. Ron Hill for doing the same thing. The OMC V-8 OZ motor.

Then there was both factories, OMC/Brunswick at war, producing awesome showmanship. That, evolving into classes that one brand of motor dominated, which took some away. Anytime you can get competition between brands, you get crowd pleasers....You can go out and buy a brand, but rooting for a driver you can't own is not the same...

How about Switzercraft for the Wing and the Shooting Star, and Bobby being one of the best drivers ever to enter the sport...

Or the contribution Bernie Little made over the years.....

I don't think you could ever pick a top 10 in this sport, with no disrespect to the title of the thread....

[Ron Hill]

Havasu Classic

Bob McCulllough bought Site Six for a dollar an acre from the government. His wife was Jim Briggs's sister. Jim Briggs, of Briggs and Stration fame owned OMC (Johnson and Evinrude).... When they promoted the Outboard World Championships they always referred to it as the "LAND SWINDLE"....as they REALLY never believed that Havasu would become the city it has become...

But, there were some fantastic OUTBOARD RACES AT LAKE HAVASU...TRUST ME!! I won $8,500 in cash is 1967 plus a $4,500 lot....I was making $6,700 a year teaching school, then...Serious CASH!!!

[sws115]

Bob McCulllough bought Site Six for a dollar an acre from the government. His wife was Jim Briggs's sister. Jim Briggs, of Briggs and Stration fame owned OMC (Johnson and Evinrude).... When they promoted the Outboard World Championships they always referred to it as the "LAND SWINDLE"....as they REALLY never believed that Havasu would become the city it has become...

But, there were some fantastic OUTBOARD RACES AT LAKE HAVASU...TRUST ME!! I won $8,500 in cash is 1967 plus a $4,500 lot....I was making $6,700 a year teaching school, then...Serious CASH!!!

what classes pay the best now ???

[Richard K.C. Mo.]

None!!!

what classes pay the best now ???

Boat Racers do it for family and friends, but NBRA usually has about $3000.00 for tow and heat money for about 100 boats.....
Anyways.
RichardKCMo

[sws115]

kool thanks richard
so is that the total purse or 3000 per boat tow money
whats the pay out say 1-10th place

[Dr. Thunder]

The 'grass roots', what we are missing today.
Hal Kelly, Hank Bowman, the whole NJ connection; Sid, Marchetti's, O'Day etc .
Not knocking APBA/NOA/CBF, but in the 50s and 60s more boat racing was done outside the sanctioning bodys, than in it.
But a good list, for a 1st cut.

You're right but the Hal Kelly Hank Bowman connection was all embodied in the Boat Sport/Speed & Spray phenomenon ... which is why I put those in the top ten ... their contributions were immense!