Omaha, Nebraska

[Smitty]

I once saw a race in Omaha listed in the USTS schedule. I used to have relatives there, so i was wondering how that race worrked out, where exactly was it held, how well attended, how often did you race in Omaha, what happened to that race, . . . .

[KURPS]

The race venue was located in a city/county park, opposite the city's airport. I seem to remember racing there two or three times. Nice pits, a fare number of spectators, lots of racers. As I remember USTS stopped racing there when the water level dropped making it unsafe to race.

[Dave M]

Boat Races

The NBRA and AOF and USTS has raced on Carter Lake. Last time the NBRA Nat's were supposed to be held there they cancelled due to high water. There was a NO BOATING rule passed to protect the houses that were inches from flooding if not flooded, and wakes would have washed inside !!

Nice place to race, I would go back.

[runabout333]

I believe Jack Lehman was instrumental in setting up the USTS race years ago.
At that time, Jack was an outboard mechanic for a Marine dealership right there
in Omaha.. He raced stock,, mod,, and pro.. Super individual. Have lost track of him.
The AOF races were fantastic.. I helped being the PIT BOY for Steve and Craig
Johnson,,, Chucky Z. There were a lot of other APBA guys there. Terry Witham also,,
running his usual Merc motor in CMR. Enough said. Oh yeah,, one of the Lund daughters
ran FER.

[Smitty]

Thanks for the info! One factor in it's favor would have been that it was a USTS race that was not quite so far from the west coast than the rest of your schedule.

[runabout333]

I forgot to mention that this USTS race at Carter Lake was so long ago that
RH hydro will still a class.. I know that Jack Lehman modified his stock Y-80
to compete in RB hydro.. Now that was a long time ago...

[1100-one]

Carter Lake

The last race I remember there was in early 200? and there may have been one there a year or so after not sure now. A few of the Calif group made this trip a few times when the USTS held the race there. It was always fun to head back to all the USTS races just vacation got shorter to make anymore trips back to other race sites once we completed Constatine and Depue


Todd

[stevegray]

rb

RB is still a class, it's just called D-MOD now! Humor!!

[Smitty]

Were there too few RBH's to keep it (the class) viable? How many were there in the best years of the class? Did any region ever have big fields of RBH's at local events?

[25xs]

AOF ran there in early 2000’s. It's IOWA, not Nebraska.

The AOF Nat's were there in 2000...
Carter Lake, Iowa is the only town in Iowa on the West side of the Missouri River due to a channel change after a long ago flood. You actually have to cross into Nebraska, then drive to Carter Lake, Iowa...

Pretty nice lake for racing... Hope someone gets it back. I had dinner with the Snell Bros. And Frank Zorkin there and it's one of my highlites.

[Dan M]

USTS was last at Omaha (Carter Lake Iowa) in 2005. The water was down pretty far and the race course was a little tight. Real nice area.

[Dave M]

2000's

The IOA put a AOF Nat's on there, around the same time or slightly after the USTS was there. I know I have raced there twice with the mod stuff.

The one poster is right, you pit on side, the other is another state ! So you are racing in Iowa and NB in the same lap. We camped at the casino campground, and they provided vouchers for meals in the casino... a devious trick they came up with... LOL. That was in Carter Lake IA. Lots of casinos around there for entertainment, and some nice bars in downtown Omaha. Great pits, nice course.

I remember one race there very well.... the one and only time the Roper ever flipped on me. In SEH. (FEH). Stupid me got a bad start and was trying to get to first place in less than a lap. Didn't work out so well in turn 3. But that boat did win the Nationals just last year with Dad driving it as a backup to my newest design. That Roper (Marc Johnson) was the chit in its day ! And it still has it nearly 20 years later.... maybe Dad had somethign to do with it as well.

[Bob Rusnak]

Were there too few RBH's to keep it (the class) viable? How many were there in the best years of the class? Did any region ever have big fields of RBH's at local events?

The RB (restricted B) class was an inexpensive class that allowed several obsolete alky engines to complete. At one time was a very large class and we really enjoyed running it with a old FA Konig. There were plenty of them around. When Quincy came out with their RB engine it made everything obsolete in one year. You needed one to win and the cost was three times greater. Most of the drivers in that class quit.

[David Weaver]

Omaha

Loved the USTS races there.....an exciting race course, great locals, wonderful cookouts, unpredictable weather and a great downtown. Let's go back!!!

The condition of the lake varied greatly, good and bad. Still remember many fun evenings at the Upstream Brewing Company. A very long drive and always worth it.

[YankeeRacing]

The last USTS race was cancelled do to 'Blue Algae" in the water. I think there was always blue algae in the water, but that was the excuse of the 3 million dollar homeowners on the lake. They think the sailboats are too noisy.
AOF and Indiana Outboard put two nationals on in Levi Park in Carter Lake, Iowa, a small town right in the center of Omaha. As was posted before, it was originally on the Iowa side but because the Missouri River moved, it changed the landscape and the boundaries.
The Kriers worked hard, especially Bev to get the sponsorship for the USTS races. With AOF we worked with the Vietnam Vets to put on the races with help from Jack Lehman and Swamp Peterson. They were long time racers from old NOA and AOF days. Unfortunately Jack passed away last year, the result of his Vietnam duties. Both he and Swamp would quit their jobs at Omaha Marine to come and pit for us for many years. They were great mechanics so always got their jobs back on Monday. He will be missed. He had the PR engine that was built by Clem Landis. We are very proud that he left the engine to us and will probably go to the RC Hawie museum some day.
Brian (Payn) ran RB and was very competitive (3rd) with his C mod with horns built by RC Hawie. It was a screamer and got lots of comments, and was known as "that" engine. No one could describe it. I can remember Kenny Krier stating he wished RC had it running on alcohol instead of gas. He bet it would show them all up. That was a fun class.
Our last USTS trip to Carter Lake included a tornado and a tree down on the Payn and also the Chuck Davis trailer. We all had to cut and carry wood before racing the next beautiful sunny day. The locals brought chain saws and helped get it cleaned as the park people had the day off. We also had problems with the DNR as the lake was in both states and seems Nebraska did not get the notice of the permits issued in both states. We almost got shut down. It is a good thing boat racers are good schmoozers. (especially when they want to race).
Connie Payn