*In Memoriam: Ron Bolton, SCSC member and K boat racer passed away last Saturday night, due to a heart
attack. The viewing is Monday, March 27 at All Souls Mortuary, 4400 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach from 3-8pm
and the service is Tuesday March 28 at the same place at 11am. Cards can be sent to Debbie and Kattie Boulton:
3693 Hackett Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90808. The Mortuary phone number is 562-424-8601. (Jo Ann Pfaff)
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1) Good morning, Thank you for your vintage coverage in your latest newsletter – your hard work is very
much appreciated! Bill John Vintage Race Boat Shop 603-569-5824, http://www.vintageraceboatshop.com &
http://www.network54.com/Forum/15733...WSLETTER+%2328
Bill: I saw your column in Brian Reed's DRRA newsletter. Keep the history and heritage of boat racing alive.
2) I raced at Marine Stadium with two different hydro's, both in the 266 and later the 5 liter hydro class from
1959 until 1971, both hydro's were named Aqua-Holic. During that time I won Hi point Region 12 once,
Western Div. Champion twice, National Championship twice and when I quit I held the 5 liter record at
Marine stadium. I served on the board of directors for the Southern Calif. Speed Boat Club for a number of
years in various positions and was Commodore of SCSC in 70-71. Boat racing was a very special time in my
life. I enjoy reading on your site about what's happening in the boat racing world. Thanks much Richard.
Mike Waters Mike and the readers: Mike Waters has been landspeed racing very successfully with the SCTA,
and has served in many jobs. I asked him to let us know his background and he has. His partner is Dana Wilson.
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3) Detroit River Regatta Association (DRRA) Regatta Review newsletter by Brian Reed. The Chrysler/Jeep Super-
stores APBA Gold Cup, July 14-16, 2006, Detroit, Michigan. U-21 owner is Kevin Aylesworth who may also
be the driver. The team is completely re-doing the U-25 they purchased from Ken Muscatel at the San Diego race
last year. They expect to run the entire circuit in 2006. U-99/U-100 owner is Fred Leland. No new news. It looks
like there will be 11 boats on the circuit this year - maybe more. It appears that the competition will be very close
and top-notch! On March 4, at the ABRA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet held in Indianapolis, the DRRA
was acknowledged with a Special Contribution Award for its contributions to the sport of unlimited hydroplane racing
and the Chrysler-Jeep Superstores were acknowledged as Race Site Sponsors of the year. In accepting the award
for the Superstore dealers, DRRA's Joe Schulte said: "Jim Schebil, Mark Snethkamp, Mike and Jim Riehl...
all of the Chrysler-Jeep dealers are much more than sponsors to us in Detroit... they are partners in every sense of
the word. Because of their support the great tradition of the Gold Cup lives on. We could not do it without them."
When presented with the Special Contribution Award by Sam Cole, Chairman of the ABRA, Joe observed that
without the dedication and hard work of the eight team owners who made the Unlimited Series such a success in
2005, awards such as this wouldn't be possible. "Looking ahead, we know that 2006 will be even more exciting."
4) Ken Warby, the Fastest Man on Water, 317.60 MPH, http://www.kenwarby.com/pre_intro1.htm. (Bill John)
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5) Just double-checking, but the last that I heard was that there would not be a Boat Racer's Reunion this
year at the Pomona boat show, right? Let me know. Thanks, Matt Meeker, Operations & Marketing Co-
ordinator, Southern California Marine Association. Matt: I was asked by a dissident, small group to leave
the reunion. They controlled most of the boats and they wanted to do things in a new way. To stay would have
created a feud, and boat racing has enough feuds. The last thing that I heard was that they want to do a small re-
union at Irvine Lake in 2007. They did not want my email and U.S. postal lists, stating that an open invitation to
the event probably will not be allowed. They want NDBA/SCSC racers from the 50's and 60's to attend. Those
that received an invitation from me in the past may or may not receive an invitation in 2007, if there actually is a
reunion at all. I have my own Boat Racers Newsletter but it is not affiliated in any way with this dissident group
and they have not sent me any information as to their intentions. Your group's support has meant the difference
between success and failure and we cannot thank you enough for your support and help. If the new group does
not ask you for help in the future, then that will be a grave error. Our thanks go to everyone at the SCMA, a
very professional and great group of people.
6) Dave Yeager's TINKER, a Jersey Speed Skiff, see http://www.vintageraceboatshop.com/Tinker.htm.
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7) Hello Richard, Thanks for the quick response. I do have Bob Burd's book, and it is a great resource. But,
no info on this particular race. Thanks again -- Randy Mueller, Gig Harbor, WA matt42mtq@comcast.net
Randy: I'll refer this to two very well versed historians, Bob Senior and Fred Farley.
8) Long Beach Marine Stadium & Frankie Cornelius...Remember?...A YUP! We had the fastest UBFH and
BGH runs ever made there from '67 thru '70, both APBA/UIM & NDBA records. We ran with Gary "the
finger" Gabelich, Murphy, Edhe, Gleason, Jack Bradley etc. Bob Garner hadn't even built his hydro yet.
I think Del Mascino and his turbo machine was the first to outrun our blown rig. But I'm also not sure what
I had for breakfast. Mike Waters and the AQUA-HOLIC's (266)...Remember them WELL. Fast machines
and well driven. Got any pictures? It WAS the GOLDEN AGE OF RACIN (boat/car/ drag racin - roundy
round {sprintcars-midgets}) whatever. To Steal a phrase from Don Ewald "WE DID IT FOR LOVE"! (Don
Rudy) Don: Thanks for the memories. Anyone have pictures? If so, we'll send your email on to Don and others.
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9) Where was Long Beach Marine Stadium located as it was referred to in this newsletter? Do you know if
the old NDBA held their nationals there? I remember going to the boat drags in Long Beach, but I remem-
ber the lake as being more in a residential area. Jim Dawson Jim: Long Beach Marine Stadium was built
near Los Alamitos Landing and Long Beach Harbor, for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics as a rowing venue. May
be some of the boat racers can tell you what was the earliest boat race at the site. In 1949 I remember that there
where homes on one side and oil derricks on the other. It isn't a lake but a channel to the sea. Danny Oakes and
Bud Meyer told me they raced there in the mid-30's.
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10) The Eileen Crimmin project is called, THE HYDROPLANE HISTORICAL RESEARCH DATA BASE. It is
everything that my mother saved, plus other donated material that have amounted to another 60 pounds of clippings
and scrapbooks. Eileen left me five cabinets full of material, including cutlines for photos, draft articles (that include
all photos sent in, not the ones just used) final articles, sections of Hot Boat Powerboat, Speed and Spray, and
Boating Magazine. (Ned Crimmin, archivist)
11) As to the question about Jim McCormick's role with the U-3 HARRAH'S CLUB in 1968: Burnet Bartley
drove the newly repowered (Griffon) pickleforked HARRAH'S CLUB for the first three races of 1968. His
performances were less than stellar. McCormick ran the first three races of the year in Bob Fendler's
SUPER SKATE BOARD ATLAS VAN LINES. From the fourth race on, McCormick sat in the seat of
HARRAH'S CLUB. In the two weeks between the Tri-Cities Atomic Cup and the Seafair Worlds Cham-
pionship, the picklefork of the HARRAH'S CLUB was filled in-back to so that it was only a couple inches
deep. The added lift provided a much better ride for McCormick. I believe the best finish of the year was
a third and a couple of fourth's. Brad Haskin, Seattle, WA Brad: Thank you for the update.
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12) APRIL 2006, SOA (Seattle Outboard Association) PIT PREVIEWS Newsletter. Dave Anderson says that
there will be a 2007 Stock Nationals Planning Meeting held at 7:30 p.m., 4 April at Kirkland Eagles, 258 Central
Way, Kirkland, WA. Here are the classes selected to run at the Inboard Lawrence Lake regatta on May 13/14:
A-Stock Hydro, C-Stock Hydro, 20ss Hydro, D-Stock Hydro, D-Mod Hydro, Formula-E Hydro. The race
will be on a 1.67 mile, surveyed records course. Bridgeport this year promises to be a bigger event, and will include
all OPC classes, AOF racers out of Spokane and PRO 500 Sprint Hydro. (John Paramore)
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13) It is very difficult to get info on the scheduling test dates for the restored unlimited hydroplanes. Usually
they do something in April each year, but nothing on their website. Also several restorations in some stage
of restoration have been publicized recent years, but then the momentum (and funding?) seems to get bogged
down and you don't hear anything for months or years: A. MISS BARDAHL '62-'65 hull. Will it be tested and
run on Lake Washington this Spring? It looked absolutely stunning at the Museum of Flight display! B. MISS
BARDAHL '59-'61. What happened to running this one on a regular basis? This one's a real draw for me,
but it seems to have now disappeared from the restoration's active circuit. C. MISS THRIFTWAY 1950's
mahogany version. Nothing heard in a long time. D. THRIFTWAY TOO. Same. E. MISS SPOKANE, the
"Lilac Lady" there was a local Spokane group restoring this hull a few years back, but it seems to have dis-
appeared off the radar. F. Any chance of a MISS WAHOO or MISS EXIDE restoration, using a similar hull
like HAWAII KAI's restoration used a similar hull? Mira Slovak & Bill Brow made these hydros famous.
Whatever happened to Milo & Glen Stoen, the owners of MISS EXIDE--what a cool name, design and color
scheme. Good old days I guess. G. HAWAII KAI restoration running at SeaFair without it's full engine
cowling is sacrilege, and just loses some of the impact of recalling its heyday. It's tantamount to running
without a tail fin. It just doesn't fit. But these museum guys work so hard to coax the old hydros to life, it's
hard to sit back and criticize, and I know their zest for realism. H. Another one that seems to have dis-
appeared after some terrific appearances is the restored SLO MO V. The IV was run several years ago to
open the SeaFair Race, and I understand has been relegated to permanent display at it's old home the
Museum of History & Industry, but why has the V gone away and hid? Thnx to any & all who can shed a
little light on these dilemmas! -Ron Suttell
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14) In response to the question about Jim McCormick's role with HARRAH'S CLUB at the 1968 Tri-Cities
Atomic Cup, here's the story. Mira Slovak was scheduled to drive HARRAH'S CLUB in 1968 but was
seriously injured in a plane crash a week before the start of the season. Burnett Bartley replaced him at
the first three races: Guntersville (Alabama), Madison (Wisconsin), and Madison (Indiana). Bartley
achieved mediocre results and was fired. Jim McCormick replaced him for the rest of 1968, starting with
the Tri-Cities race. McCormick had driven the first three races of 1968 with the U-35 "Skateboard"
ATLAS VAN LINES. Jim's contract with the U-35 only covered the first half of the season. He was then
free to accept the HARRAH'S CLUB assignment. Jim won the Semi-feature Heat that year at the Tri-Cities
with HARRAH'S CLUB. Fred Farley - ABRA Unlimited Historian
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