VOLUME 72, ISSUE 4 • JULY/AUGUST 2018
APBA.ORG • USA: $5.00
NGK F1 SERIES
Port Neches, Gulfport
DRIVEN TO FLY Four Driving Students
TERRY RINKER A Great Driver Retires
HOWIE BENNS
A True Racing Legend
IN THIS ISSUE 17640 East Nine Mile Road, Eastpointe MI 48021-2563 PHONE: 586.773.9700 WEB: apba.org EMAIL: apbahq@apba.org twitter.com/APBARacing facebook.com/APBARacing DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS ACCOUNTING MEMBERSHIP SANCTIONS/ HIGH POINTS PROPELLER EDITOR
Sarah Ealy Linda Likert Sabrina Haudek Cindy Minoletti Tana Moore
s.ealy@apba.org llikert@apba.org shaudek@apba.org cminoletti@apba.org tmoore@apba.org
2018 APBA OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER SECRETARY EX-OFFICIO LEGAL COUNSEL REGION REP CATEGORY REP
Howie Nichols Chris Fairchild Steve Compton Mary Williams Mark Wheeler TBA Jean Mackay-Schwartz John Runne Fred Hauenstein Mark Tate Jerry Davids Kyle Bahl Adam Allen Rick Sandstrom Jeff Brewster
president@apba.org VP@apba.org treasurer@apba.org secretary@apba.org mark.wheeler@wmich.edu legal@apba.org jean84c@earthlink.net j.runne@hotmail.com fhauenstein@new.rr.com mtate@suncoating.com racer3d62n@hotmail.com racerkyle@hotmail.com azallen@hotmail.com info@propshopltd.com jeff_brewster59s@yahoo.com
COUNCIL-AT-LARGE: Penny Anderson, Jeffrey Conant, Richard Fuchslin, Patrick Gleason, Sheri Greaves, Alex Jennings III, Jack Meyer, Steve Noury, Jan Shaw, Rachel Warnock, Bob Wartinger, Matt Yarno
2018 RACING CATEGORY CHAIRMEN Inboard Modified OPC PRO Stock
Dutch Squires Tom Sutherland James Chambers Jr. Kristi Ellison Jeff Brewster
inboardracing@apba.org modifiedoutboard@apba.org jchambe1@tampabay.rr.com prooutboard@apba.org stockoutboard@apba.org
2018 COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Inboard Endurance Ted Kolby Junior Classes Jeff Williams, Mark Wheeler Offshore Mark Wheeler Outboard Drag Chris Fairchild Special Event and Thundercat Robin Shane Vintage and Historic John Krebs H1 Unlimited (interim) Charlie Grooms
ted@tedkolby.com junior@apba.org offshore@apba.org chris@fairchildracing.com robin.shane@verizon.net krebs233@yahoo.com cgrooms@cliftyengineering.com
2018 REGION CHAIRMEN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16
Dave Jones Scott Reed Ann Marie Shaw Richard Shaw Jeff Titus Eli Whitney Kris Shepard Aaron Wachholz Denver Ray Mut Rick Sandstrom Julian Rucki Roger Carr Buddy Tennell Carleton Callahan Justin Squires
dmj-dmj-32-d@att.net reed28n@gmail.com instpov@yahoo.com shawracingt2@yahoo.com jstitus2@embarqmail.com donaldeli.whitney@sbcglobal.net racershep46@att.net xtremeh2@gmail.com denvermut@hotmail.com info@propshopltd.com renegadep28@aol.com rcinr12@aol.com btennell@bellsouth.net carletoncallahan@yahoo.com novakid@yahoo.com
From the Top 2 Race Calendar 3 In Brief 4 APBA Region Restructuring Plan 7 Suited for Safety 8 From HERE to THERE Meaningful Marketing with Facebook 9 Driven to Fly The Diverse Passions of 4 Driving School Students 10 THUNDER on the Neches NGK Formula 1 Series 12 NGK F1 Gulfport Grand Prix Stop 2 on the Series 14 Let’s Go! Northwest Racing Starts 16 2018 Race the Joe! Jet River Racing in St. Maries, Idaho 18 Hooked on Vintage 19 Terry Rinker A Great Driver Retires 20 Howie Benns, Racing Legend 22 Category Corner Stock Outboard 25 Inboard 26 OPC 27 Modified Outboard 28 Junior Classes 28 Region Roundup 6, 10, 11, 12 29 Race in Peace IBC ON THE COVER Tracy Hawkins has a “Yahoo!” moment on winning his first Port Neches race. F. Peirce Williams photo
PROPELLER© welcomes unsolicited articles and photos. Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publication and do not represent official APBA policy. Advertising herein cannot be construed as an endorsement by APBA or its members. PROPELLER (ISSN 0194-6218) (USPS 0047-800) is published six times yearly for $35.00 (U.S.) $55.00 (foreign) by APBA, 17640 E. Nine Mile Road, Eastpointe, MI 48021-2563 Periodical postage paid at Eastpointe, MI, and additional mailing office. Postmaster: send addresses to APBA, 17640 E. Nine Mile Road, Eastpointe, MI 48021-2563.
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from the TOP BY HOWIE NICHOLS, APBA PRESIDENT Championships and Changes
APBA President Howie Nichols with dad Pete and daughter Becky at Hinton, West Virginia.
Racing is now in full swing throughout the country, Divisional Champions have been crowned, and preparations are underway for each Category’s National Championship.
These folks are breathing new life into the racing that we all know and love. Don’t shun them; welcome them with open arms, embrace them, and do what is necessary to keep them around!
I wish each and every competitor the best of luck and the safest of trips to every event they attend. During these events, look around—we have many rookies and drivers without a lot of experience. Each of us should take the time to talk to these folks and help them in any way possible. You may provide a friendly piece of advice, offer to go testing, or share setup or racing experience you have had that would assist them as they move forward into their own racing careers.
The Board of Directors has put together a new Region Restructuring Concept. This plan was explained to our Council, the Region Chairs, Category Chairs, and Committee Chairs via a conference call. The restructuring idea was originally presented in Chicago, and has been a work in progress since that point. We feel as though we now have the best solution moving forward. We do understand that the restructure does not suit everyone. However, we have looked it over, listened to the suggestions that have been coming in since January, made revisions, and feel that this is our best option. It also saves the organization a lot of money with our hardware/software transition. Please look in this issue and on apba.org for more details; and don’t hesitate to contact one of your Board members should you have any questions. Our new Operations Director, Sarah Ealy, began her career with APBA on June 4th. She has jumped in head first and is learning all the processes that occur in the office. Sarah has provided some great input to date, and we are encouraged about her future with APBA. Please welcome her; Sarah’s email address is s.ealy@apba.org. The Nomination process for the Board of Directors was changed for this year. We have 4 openings. Nominations were due by July 1. We utilized Survey Monkey for nominations this year and had a phenomenal response compared to years past. Thanks to all who responded. Keep an eye out for the ballots (around August 20) and remember, they must be postmarked by Sept 14 and received in HQ by Sept 19 to be counted. Regards and safe racing!
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REGION 1
7/13-15 8/26 9/7-9 9/22-23
RACE CALENDAR
Thompson CT Fall River MA Standish ME Kingston NH
REGION 7
PRO-MOD-SO-J CLSES OS PRO-SO-J CLSES PRO-SO-J CLSES
REGION 3
9/1-3 9/8-9 9/15-16 9/23 10/13-14
Lock Haven PA Mays Landing NJ Landing NJ Lake Hopatcong NJ Millville NJ
PRO-MOD-SO-J CLSES INB INB OS MOD-SO-J CLSES
REGION 4
7/28-29 7/27-29 8/4-5 8/18-19 8/31-9/1 9/29-30 10/5-7
Cambridge MD Leonardtown MD Ravenswood WV Parkersburg WV Wheeling WV Hampton VA Leonardtown MD
INB VINTAGE OPC OPC VINTAGE INB VINTAGE
REGION 5
6/29-7/1 Sarasota FL 11/16-18 Tavares FL 11/17 Englewood FL
OS VINTAGE OS
REGION 6
7/7-8 7/7-8 7/21-22 7/29 8/10-12 8/11-12 8/18-19 8/24-26 8/25-26 9/8-9 9/8-9 9/15-16 9/28-30
Grass Lake MI Marietta OH Trenton MI St Clair MI Springfield OH Indian River MI Kittanning PA Detroit MI Dayton OH Grass Lake MI Hillsdale MI Big Rapids MI Duffy OH
SO-J CLSES OPC OPC OS VINTAGE-OPC SO-TC-J CLSES PRO-MOD-SO-J CLSES INB-UNL INB-MOD-SO-J CLSES SO-J CLSES PRO-MOD-TC-J CLSES SO-J CLSES SE-OS-PRO-MOD-SO-OPC-TC-J CLSES
7/7-8 9/1-9/2 9/1-2 9/15-16 9/22-23 9/22-23
Madison IN Evansville IN Oshkosh WI Beloit WI Madison IN Wausu WI
INB-UNL INB MOD-SO-J CLSES PRO-MOD-SO-J CLSES Vintage OPC
REGION 8
7/14-15
Forest Lake MN
OPC
REGION 9
9/1-2
Shreveport LA
OPC
REGION 10
7/7-8 7/7-8 7/15-22 7/27-29 7/28 8/18-19 8/18-19 8/24-26 9/2-3 9/8-9 9/8-9 9/15-16 9/15-16 9/22-23 9/22-23
Gold Beach OR Olympia WA Moses Lake WA Kennewick WA Christmas Valley OR Eatonville WA Pateros WA Lewiston ID Grants Pass OR Sea Tac WA Spanaway WA Oak Harbor WA Yelm WA Lincoln City OR Manson WA
SE-OBRR VINTAGE-INB-IE-KPH-MOD-OPC MOD-SO-J CLSES VINTAGE-INB-UNL SE-JET SPRINT PRO-MOD-SO-J CLSES VINTAGE-INB-IE-OPC SE-JRR SE-OBRR PRO-MOD-SO-J CLSES INB-IE-OPC VINTAGE-INB-IE-OPC PRO-MOD-SO-J CLSES SE-INB-IE-PRO-MOD-SO-OPC-JCLSES VINTAGE-INB-OPC
REGION 11
8/18-19 Klamath CA 9/22-23 Nicolaus CA 10/27-28 Lathrop CA
SE-OBRR VINTAGE-INB-PRO-MOD-SO-OPC-J CLSES INB-PRO-MOD-SO-OPC-J CLSES
REGION 12
9/14-16 San Diego CA 10/12-14 Bakersfield CA
UNL INB-IE-PRO-MOD-SO-OPC-J CLSES
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in brief... sabrina hits 40! If you have been an APBA member for any length of time, you have probably asked Sabrina Haudek a question, begged her to send you something really fast, complained, ranted, apologized, or shared a story or a laugh with her. Sabrina has heard it all, because this month marks her 40th anniversary as an APBA employee.
Sabrina Haudek.
Sabrina DiPronio (she was single until 1986) began her first day at APBA on July 17th, 1978. Memberships and Propeller subscriptions were her main responsibilities.
PNC Bank Roar on the River Here it comes! The 68th Annual PNC Bank Roar on the River is July 20-22. This year’s races in Trenton, Michigan feature a Salute to the Military! Event organizers are happy to welcome back PNC Bank as the 2018 Title Partner. All are grateful for their dedication to this event, as well as to the community. The most exciting tunnel boat racing in the world happens right here on the Detroit River! SST 45 and SST 200 racers travel from far and near to compete. You’ll see J Hydros, Thundercats, and a Stock Outboard Marathon too.
In 1978, HQ had a small staff. “At the time,” Sabrina recalled, “there were no titles.” Chuck and Mary Guarnieri ran the office. Mary was considered the office manager/bookkeeper. Esther Frank edited the Propeller, and Pat Dombrowski worked on sanctions.
This year will feature amazing live bands, and Typhoon Tommy will perform aquatic feats all weekend!
John Love succeeded the Guanerris. Gloria Urbin joined the staff in 1979, and eventually ran the Headquarters office for 32 years. Sabrina said, “Gloria was a wonderful Executive Director. We were and are still good friends.”With Sarah Ealy now serving as APBA’s new Director of Operations, Sabrina has worked for six bosses in 40 years.
New for this year on both race days: a parade of boats bearing flags honoring the military. Flag sponsorships are available for only $250.
She has seen major transitions among the racing categories; fluctuating membership numbers; staff, Board and Council changes; and technological advances in record-keeping and communication.
You better come hungry too, because Friday night will feature the annual Taste of the Races, and this event is sure to be exciting and delicious.
The park will be decorated with a military theme, and Victory Gym and Downriver for Veterans will be participating in the event. There will also be a motorcycle convoy through the park on Saturday, July 21 around 10:30 am for the Wounded America Run.
Meanwhile, life went on. “My daughter Bianca was born July 6, 1989. I was off work for 8 weeks and then returned.”
Along with all of these activities, there will, of course, be vendors and other food options. You’ll even be able to commemorate this great weekend with a special Salute to the Military T-shirt available for sale at the park.
Bianca graduated in 2011 from Wayne State University, and now practices as a Registered Nurse. Sabrina happily cares for her dog Ace while Bianca is at work.
This year’s Roar on the River will be terrific. See you there! Visit trentonroarontheriver.com for the complete weekend schedule.
Sabrina’s current job responsibilities include memberships, speed records (which includes dealing with UIM), scorers’ supply boxes, responding to phone and email requests, and countless other tasks.
2018 apba board elections
“Meeting so many great people from all different states. I have admired so many people in APBA. Stan Fitts, in particular, was a dear friend. I truly miss him.”
APBA elections this year will be a bit different, as terms of service for APBA Board and Council members are changing. See the pertinent Bylaws below (changes in bold). For a full description of the election and voting process, please refer to the APBA By-Laws on www.apba.org.
And, of course, Sabrina enjoys attending boat races.
ARTICLE IX - ELECTIONS.
“The best race I ever attended was my first Detroit Unlimited/Offshore race. Back then it was Race Week. They ran Offshore during the week, then Unlimiteds on Sunday.”
Section 9.1. Nominations. Any member in good standing that receives a nomination which is received at APBA Headquarters by July 1 shall be placed on the ballot.
Her favorite aspects of working for APBA?
Finally, she exclaimed, “I can’t believe 40 years...YIKES!” Next time you communicate with Headquarters, please take a minute to congratulate and thank Sabrina Haudek for 40 years of service to APBA.
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Section 7.2.2 The Board of Directors shall include nine (9) at-large directors who are directly elected by the members of the Association. Three (3) atlarge directors shall be elected annually by the membership for 3-year
terms. The at-large directors shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee. During a transition period, the annual election that takes place during summer 2018, the three (3) directors receiving the most votes shall be elected to 3-year terms, and the director receiving the fourth highest vote total shall be elected to a 2-year term. During the election that takes place during summer 2019, the three (3) directors receiving the most votes shall be elected to 3-year terms, and the directors receiving the fourth and fifth highest vote totals shall be elected to 1-year terms. Note: The wording in italics is to be removed at the end of the transition period. Section 10.3. Council-members-at-large are directly elected by the members of the Association. Each year, four (4) council-members-atlarge shall be elected by the membership for 3-year terms. The Council Members-at-Large shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee. During the transition period, no election shall take place during the summer of 2018.
should be credited with the win for that day. On Sunday I drove the boat to a win and a fourth place for the day. I always like to give credit where it is due, and hope that you will make an editorial correction in the next publication highlighting Jeff’s win in the E 5 Flyboy. Kindest regards, Gary Chalfant
Remember When... Flying Dutchman Cees Van Der Velden (below) won 7 world championships and 9 European titles in his 20-year career. The builder/designer of F1 tunnel boats raced to first place with an average speed of 118.22 mph in his Velden hull, powered by a Johnson V8 in 1988 at the USFORA (United States Formula One Racing Association) series event in Cincinnati, Ohio. Paul Kemiel photos
Note: The wording in italics is to be removed after 2018.
corrections In the May/June issue, the article on the late, great Fred Bowden actually pictured his brother. Fred’s son Todd graciously wrote to correct the error. Thank you for running the RACE IN PEACE feature for my dad. Unfortunately, the photo is of my late uncle. I have attached a few pictures of my dad from the racing days for reference. Just wanted to be sure to touch base and have it corrected. I’m sure most of the racing community folks recognized the error, but I wanted to be sure you had the correct information as well. Hope all is well with APBA! Sincerely, —F. Todd Bowden Thank you, Todd. We regret the error. At left, Fred Bowden as so many knew him in his racing days. Bowden photo Also in the May/June issue, on page 8 we listed Gary Chalfant as the winning 5 Litre driver on Saturday at the Orange Cup. Again, we received a gracious correction: My name is Gary Chalfant, and I own and drive the 5 Litre E-5. I just received the latest Propeller Magazine and would like to bring to your attention a correction that I feel should be made in the next edition. I attended the Lakeland Orange Cup Regatta; my boat competed both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the boat was driven by Jeff Bernard of Kent, WA. and he 5
in brief... AWARD NOMINATIONS due oct. 1 MDCD hydrofest Aug. 24-26 The Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Association (MDCD) will carry on Detroit’s century-long boat racing tradition as the Gold Cup sponsor of the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Hydrofest 2018. A fleet of eight H1 Unlimited teams, along with 10 boats from the Hydroplane Racing League, will take to the river for testing on Friday, August 24, followed by races on Saturday and Sunday, August 25–26. The winner will grab the Gold Cup, the oldest active motorsports trophy. This coveted prize was first contested in 1904 on the Hudson River in New York. The first boat race on the Detroit River was in 1916, and that too was the Gold Cup. The H1 Unlimited Hydroplanes are powered by turbine engines producing 3000 horsepower, topping 200 mph and trailing a 60-foot high, 300-foot long roostertail. The HRL runs the Grand Prix Class. These boats feature supercharged, 468 cubic inch, big-block V8 Chevrolet piston engines producing as much as 1,500 horsepower and reaching speeds of 160 mph. “Once again, we are going to host some of the fastest boats in the world and race for the most prestigious trophy in all of boat racing—the Gold Cup,” said Event Director and Detroit Riverfront Events Inc. President Mark Weber. “We are fortunate to have the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers back as a partner for the second consecutive year to support one of the longest continuing sporting events in the city.” Jimmy King driving the piston-powered U-3 at the 2017 Gold Cup. Paul Kemiel photo
The Don Allen Sr. Memorial Leadership Award is presented each year during the APBA Annual Meeting. This award honors service contributions to the American Power Boat Association in the areas of leadership, officiating, safety, or other activities contributing to the benefit of the APBA not directly related to the racing of a specific boat. The contribution may be judged on the efforts of a single year, or for work done over a period of years, at the judgment of the selection committee. The selection committee is chaired by the sitting APBA President, and shall comprise the previous five surviving selectees. It is not required that there be a selectee each year, but it is encouraged that there be a selection process each year. Any interested member may submit a nomination for this award with written details to APBA Headquarters. All nominations must be received no later than October 1st. The APBA Honor Squadron is the highest non-racing award that the APBA offers each year. 1. Nominations reminder will be in the June, July, and August Propellers, and on the APBA website. 2. Nominations are due October 1st. 3. Ballots and copies of the nominations are mailed to the Honor Squadron Committee by October 15th. 4. Ballots are due October 31st. 5. To be a candidate for induction, the nominee must receive a vote of at least 50% of the Honor Squadron Committee members. 6. A maximum of two (2) nominees will be selected by the Committee for induction into the Honor Squadron, for presentation at the next APBA Annual Meeting Banquet. In case of a tie, the chairperson will resolve it with her/his vote. CRITERIA FOR NOMINATION/SELECTION- Extensive service and contributions to APBA and powerboat racing such as: (a) major boat race promotion accomplishments (new race sites; race sponsors); (b) major structural improvements in APBA’s organization; (c) major contributions to APBA’s functioning through rule restructuring, driver and official recruitment, committee activities; (d) Major technological improvement to one, or several, aspects of the sport; (e) Exceptional long-term racing accomplishments may be considered. The description of each contribution, exceptional service, or accomplishment must be specific.
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APBA REGION RESTRUCTURing PLAN SEE THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION AT WWW.APBA.ORG/NEWS WHY DO WE NEED TO CHANGE APBA REGIONS? The APBA office has long been in dire need of a complete hardware/software upgrade. Many fixes have been tried over decades, but they are Band-Aids, not systemic solutions. Currently 3 systems are operating, and none of them communicate with each other. As Ryan Johnson of Easy Click LLC started revamping APBA’s database and software, he noticed a problem with region boundaries. They don’t follow state lines. That gives the map a kind of quirky charm, but makes programming a nightmare. It affects software for memberships, mailing, points, championships, categories—basically, all aspects of APBA record-keeping. Even using ZIP codes or county lines would not solve the problem. ZIP codes can cross state lines, and county lines vary as they annex in different land areas. What to do? To maintain existing region boundaries would add $50,000 to $75,000 to the total cost of the upgrade, and require updates to the entire program at least every 2-3 years. Thus, APBA region boundaries had to change—they have to follow state lines. So, as discussed at the Annual Meeting in January, the Board got to work redrawing APBA regions. Ultimately, they settled on the most conservative
change possible that would still solve the problem. APBA’s 16 regions were reduced to 9 regions, all bounded neatly by state lines. Such a change will have significant ripple effects. The new regions will have to coordinate existing region bylaws, meetings, official titles, region-owned equipment and funds, clubs, officers and category commissioners. Some region officials will have to travel longer distances to meetings and races, especially in the Western states. It will require unprecedented cooperation among APBA region officers, clubs and members. Ultimately, however, the Board is confident that regions will be stronger with added area and additional members. You will still be well represented on category commissions. All regions will now have one commissioner each per category. The 3 largest regions (determined by previous year’s member count) will each get a second commissioner. And remember, category chairs are allowed to appoint 3 at-large commissioners. Note that the BoD still must finalize changes to the By-Laws, and will keep working on the commissioner numbers to come up with what is best for the members. Questions? Please read the entire presentation on http://www.apba.org/news/apba-region-restructuring-plan-8979 . Finally, below is the new region map layout.
APBA REGIONS RESTRUCTURED FOR 2019 Region 1: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island Region 3: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware Region 4: Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee Region 5: Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Bahama Islands, Puerto Rico, Ecuador Region 6: Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana Region 7: Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri Region 8: Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico Region 10: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska Region 11: California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Hawaii
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Suited for safety
BY DON (ELI) WHITNEY, APBA SAFETY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
This issue, we shall feature two notices involving driver safety gear: First, for some of our unrestrained drivers in our PRO, Stock and Modified Outboard and ThunderCat who intend to compete in UIM events: UIM has modified their “Circuit rule 205.11”, rescinding mandatory use of cut resistant clothing of a minimum level 3 of ISO 13997:1999. Instead, the rule now simply recommends use of level 3 cut resistant clothing. This action was taken by the UIM Executive Committee on May 29th, 2018, communicated and effective on May 30th until further notice is given. Our APBA rules for the above outboard categories specify “cut resistant” gear. That means that the gear you have been using is legal to use. By the way, as a reminder, keep these in good shape! You can find the complete notice in the NEWS section of the APBA website. Second, for the restrained driver crowd, SFI has sent out a recall notice (at right) effective May 14, 2018 for several part numbers of RJS brand arm restraints. Now, you are going to ask, “What the heck is an arm restraint?”Well, I have not personally seen these used in our boat racing. These are straps connecting each arm with the restraint harness buckle. They are required for open wheel car drivers (sprint cars, midgets, and others, including dragsters) to keep from pinning an arm between the ground and the roll cage during a flip or bad crash.
15708 Pomerado Road, Suite N208, Poway, CA 92064 May 14, 2018 Notice of Recall: Arm Restraints Manufactured and Certified to SFI Specification 3.3 by RJS and equipped with snap-clasp tethers. To All Racers, Sanctioning Body Officials, Equipment Wholesalers and Retailers, Arm Restraints Manufactured and Certified to SFI Specification 3.3 by RJS and equipped with snap-clasp type tethers have been found to be non-compliant with SFI Specification 3.3. All snap-clasp type Arm Restraint Assemblies Manufactured and Certified to SFI Specification 3.3 by RJS must be immediately be removed from service and returned to RJS, per the attached notice from RJS. This recall only includes RJS Arm Restraints with snap-clasp tethers. RJS Arm restraints with double “D” ring tether attachments are not affected by this recall.
Even if you do not use arm restraints, maybe you know someone who does. The point here is that we will continue to notify our APBA membership of UIM developments, SFI recalls or other SFI communications, even if remotely applicable to our sport. The goal is to keep us all aware of what is happening in the safety world in motorsports. These notices are promptly put on the APBA website; and when possible, they go into the SPIN Newsletter. (We do read SPIN, don’t we? APBA staff and contributors put in a lot of effort to publish the e-newsletter, so please make their efforts worthwhile!) Meanwhile, keep an eye out for these safety notices! Use the right stuff; protect yourself at all times! 15708 Pomerado Road, Suite N208, Poway, CA 92064 • (858)451-8868 FAX# (858)451-9268 website: www.sfifoundation.com email: sfi@sfifoundation.com
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From HEREu to t THERE apba promotional and marketing committee JEAN MACKAY-SCHWARTZ AND SHERRON WINER, CO-CHAIRS MEANINGFUL MARKETING WITH FACEBOOK Every minute, Facebook users “like” more than 4 million posts and share over 2.46 million pieces of content. It is unquestionably the largest social network platform. To tap into this active marketplace effectively, you need to understand a few basic statistics and follow some guidelines. Demographics indicate that 68% of active users are adults; young adults, ages 18-29, account for 88% of those. Gender is not important, but content (what you post and the formats you choose) counts. Marketing on Facebook may be simple and inexpensive. However, posting for optimum exposure of your event requires good timing and format, and should include a “call to action.”You must be passionate about your event, and convey why everyone in your target audience should attend. At its best, Facebook helps you to connect with your potential spectators. Right now, someone you know is on Facebook, and someone you know is posting. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? It shows Facebook is too huge to ignore. This is the social media site where your future spectators hang out. This large consumer base spends time being social, every day. The average person spends up to 28% of their online time on social media networks— about 1.72 hours per day. What a market to explore to promote your event! Start by creating a Facebook page. Be committed to keeping your text and photos current and meaningful. Understand that out of the estimated 1.55 million users on Facebook at any time of the day, 1.39 million of them are using a mobile device. That is important for two critical reasons: length of text content and design. Too long, and your post is not read; an odd-sized photo may be distorted or poorly cropped for viewing. Helpful advice is readily available on the Facebook site, and once you start posting content, Facebook makes it easy to expand your audience via ads and
by “boosting” your posts. Both can be beneficial, and inexpensive. CONSIDER THIS: if you have an event page, on average, less than 0.5% of your fans will see your updates. For most of you, simply “boosting” your posts is the best marketing method. Facebook will often ask if you want to “boost this post.” Using Facebook’s algorithms and your history, you can choose a target audience from an easy menu. Facebook does the rest, including updates on the progress of your boost and the numbers reached. Initial costs for boosting are below $25. Advertising, using a specific ad in an acceptable format, will amplify your content, and it’s more targeted. About $50 will place your ad in front of 5,000-10,000 people, and you can be very picky about demographics. Through targeted ads, you can choose location, age, gender, interests and connections. Additionally, you can get your event information in front of motivated segments of your potential audience. Boosting and advertising are great, but remember: content is king. Content quality and using keywords (event, boat racing, powerboats) creates excitement. By posting on your website as well as Facebook, those critical keywords are optimized for search engines. Taking advantage of search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the best ongoing promotional techniques. When you manage your marketing platforms, curated use of text, photos, and video pushes your visibility. Always look for creative ideas and include a “call to action” whenever possible. Action requests can be as simple as “be sure to like us,” or “share this post.” You can create contests: the first 50 people to “like” this post will receive… or create quizzes (How many boats? Name that driver? Remember when?), or ask for photos of favorite race day moments. Consider publishing an E-newsletter for longer event articles. Post the link on your Facebook page
and use the “call for action” as the signup vehicle. Photos (not videos or text) account for 93% of the best response rate on Facebook. Keep your message event-centric; always include the name of your event, location, and dates. Ask guest bloggers or Instagrammers to create a post for your page. Cross-promote with the guest to expand your audience. Brainstorm with others to find more effective ways to promote your event. Focus your efforts where they have the greatest impact: short but informative text; exciting, powerful photos; and a “call to action.” Here are two useful websites for creating Facebook ads designed to meet the required parameters. Start with www.facebook.com and follow the online directions to set up a new account to log in to your existing pages. On the menu bar at the top of the FB page, to the right of the question mark, click the arrow to access the drop-down menu. The “create ads” item will walk you through the entire process, with great guidelines and helpful hints. “Manage Ads” keeps a running record of your ads, your current campaign and the amount that you have spent. Also helpful is www.facebook.com/business/ ads-guide. It gives you the latest technical requirements and design recommendations. You can find useful information for specific formats—in particular, solid advice on creating ads for mobile apps. Do you need help with Facebook marketing decisions? Curious about creating like-worthy content? Can we assist with effective use of other social media platforms? We are an email away; part of our effort, through APBA’s Promotional and Marketing Committee, to get you from HERE (an idea) to THERE (a successful race). Jean Mackay-Schwartz – jean84c@earthlink.net Sherron Winer – winer.sherron@gmail.com
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The Diverse Passions of Four APBA Driving School Students
Driven to Fly BY NANCY KIRKPATRICK, AXIOM SENIOR WRITER. PORTRAIT PHOTOS BY AXIOM. Erin Shaw after a successful run.
Katelyn Shaw instructs Jessica Yocum prior to her first APBA Hydro Experience.
Building a Bridge
Random is Awesome
In her role as Naturalist and Educator for the Ohio State Parks, and a Watercraft Specialist for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Erin Shaw is very much at home in and on the water. She teaches SCUBA diving, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, sailing, and jet skiing. And, she’s an instructor in boating safety for all boat types at Caesar Creek Lake State Park in Waynesville, Ohio. When she saw a post on Facebook about an APBA Hydroplane Driving School planned for April 2018 at Caesar Creek Lake, Erin saw an opportunity. In addition to learning about another aspect of boating, she realized the experience represented a way to connect various groups of outdoor enthusiasts.
Jessica Yocum, Media Director at AXIOM in Evansville, Indiana, is “always working on something.” That “something” encompasses many things. She explains, “I teach Softball, Boxing, Fitness, a Marketing class at the University of Southern Indiana, and I train for running and boxing.” She became interested in hydroplane racing through Randy Lientz, CEO of AXIOM and Race Director for Evansville HydroFest™, the Labor Day event hosting the 2018 and 2019 APBA Eastern Divisional Championships.
“I wanted to be a good liaison and build a partnership between the APBA hydroplane community, the park, ODNR, our staff, the fishermen, other lake users, and everyone involved.” While Erin’s participation in the driving school will have positive long-term effects among the multiple groups frequenting Caesar Creek State Park, Erin DID enjoy learning to operate a hydroplane. She describes the experience: “I felt safe. It was fast and exciting.” Her top speed? “As fast as the boat would go!”
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With so much time spent instructing others, Jessica appreciated the efforts of those who shared their racing expertise when she participated in the April APBA Driving School at Caesar Creek Lake. She says, “I had amazing instructors who prepared me before I ever got in the boat.” Those included Tony Black, Katelyn Shaw, and Chris Owen. “Tony gave me advice on how to handle the corners to keep me where I wanted to be with speed.” Would she encourage others to take the class? “Absolutely! I want to inspire other people as much as possible and being able to do something so ‘random’ is awesome. I was probably the youngest person in the school, but there were inspiring people from all ages and walks of life who enabled me to absolutely believe it was possible to do it myself and enjoy the experience.”
Cassandra Briggs shows just how excited she is.
Jared Behrman says all systems are GO as he prepares to join the APBA Inboard Hydroplane ranks.
It was Chemistry
A Spirit Races On
A Michigan-based Chemist specializing in automotive coatings, Cassandra Briggs hadn’t given hydroplanes much thought until she accompanied her boyfriend Geoffrey Scott to an APBA race.
Jared Behrman of Darmstadt, Indiana, has always loved speed and boating. He’s also raced cars on the dirt track at the speedway in Darmstadt—a small town just north of Evansville.
“I heard the engines, felt the goosebumps, saw the boats, and that was it. I was hooked!”
Attending the APBA Hydroplane Driving School at Caesar Creek Lake in April didn’t surprise those who know him, and neither did his next move. Jared loved the learning adventure so much he recently purchased a hydroplane! He acquired his E Class 5 Litre from Tammy Oakley, the widow of Gordy, a South Carolina racer who passed away due to complications from cancer. Gordy’s memory will live on through Behrman’s competitive spirit. As of press time, Jared is developing plans to join the APBA Inboard circuit and will certainly be the hometown favorite at Evansville HydroFest™ this Labor Day weekend!
The APBA Hydroplane Driving School at Caesar Creek Lake in April was her second racing school experience. Cassandra, or Cassie, as everyone calls her, enthusiastically sums it up: “Incredible! One of the best times of my life.” Her advice to future students: “Don’t take your foot off the gas. Turn left. And go slow your first lap.”
“Incredible! One of the best times of my life,” said Cassandra Briggs. At left, a student driver flying the School Boat. RDW Photos
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THUNDER on the Neches BY VAL COLLINS • PHOTOS BY F. PEIRCE WILLIAMS
On May 4-6, 2018, thunder came to Port Neches, Texas, a lively community on the Neches River just southeast of Beaumont, as the 17th running of the “Thunder on the Neches” roared into town. It was the first stop of the 2018 NGK Spark Plugs Formula 1 Powerboat Championship Series.
Yahoo! Tracy Hawkins overcame “all kinds of adversities” to take his first win at Port Neches.
The Series was thrilled to welcome a handful of brand new drivers, including five rookies in Formula Lights and three rookies in F1. Notably absent from RiverFest were members of the Rinker dynasty—last year’s series champion, #10 Terry Rinker, who is retiring from boat racing; and his son, the 2017 series F1 points runner-up, #30 Rob Rinker, who is taking time off to focus on his business. The sole Rinker name on the F1 entry list was 2017 Series third place points champion, #20 Ashton Rinker. Winning the F1 Thunder on the Neches was veteran racer, #2 Tracy Hawkins from Willis, Texas, a driver who had competed at Port Neches 15 times without getting to go home a champion. Hawkins made history when he drove his #2 purple and yellow Seebold hull to victory. It didn’t come easy. “Let me tell you, we went through all kinds of adversities.” The weekend started with Hawkins running out of fuel during the first timing session. “We tested right before our qualifier, and I assumed we’d have enough fuel to do four minutes. I did two laps and started sucking air, telling me I was out of gas.” Hawkins still qualified a respectable 4th, only to experience a dead battery at the start of the first heat. “They dropped the flag, and it just sat there. I didn’t even run the first heat,” Hawkins sighed. He had better luck then, winning heat 2. But in Sunday morning’s 3rd heat, Hawkins got squeezed at the start. “Spencer Love and Greg Foster jumped off in front of me and I was kind of sandwiched between them. I climbed up on Foster’s deck and got a hole ripped on the top deck,” explained Hawkins. All drivers continued racing, until Hawkins’ propeller suddenly lost a blade. He rushed to the ramp. While he was changing the prop, #53 Foster tripped on a roller in a turn, causing his F1 to tilt up entirely on its side. Miraculously, the boat did not complete the full roll, but the race was stopped, giving Hawkins a chance to get back in line for the start. Still not too confident about the prop swap, Hawkins said, “My prop that I always run is a really good one, but I didn’t know if I wanted something with top end or something with punch to get off the dock. So, I went with it.” 12
That prop choice, along with two close competitors’ delayed starts, helped Hawkins grab the top spot. “To their dismay, it was a plus for me. It sure was nice out front. It’s been a long time since I’ve won a big race. I’ve never won Neches before!”
Hawkins offered thanks to all who support T-Hawk Racing: Bell Ray Oil, CDI Electronics, Palmer Power, Baumann Propellers, Tuttle Enterprises. And of course, his biggest fans: his two Great Danes, Colt and Izzy; his sweetheart Jane, and his dear mother, Ms. Betty, who all got to share in his first NGK Spark Plugs F1 Powerboat Championship victory. Top 10 Formula 1 Final Results: 1. #2 Tracy Hawkins 6. #9 Johnny Fleming 2. #20 Ashton Rinker 7. #34 Jeff Reno 3. #4 Wesley Cheatham 8. #5 Reuben Stafford 4. #24 Spencer Love 9. #57 David McMurray 5. #3 Dustin Terry 10. #55 John Edde Fans also saw other firsts, including double wins by 17-year-old racing sensation, #8 Jeremiah Mayo of Richmond, Texas. He outran every racer in TriHull class as well as Formula Lights. Mayo’s weekend didn’t start off so well; the team’s F-Lights motor blew up twice and had to be rebuilt twice. His toughest competitor, a California driver who is also his boat builder. Four-time Thunder on the Neches Formula Lights champion, #93 RJ West of Skelton Racing, was quick to lend Mayo a few parts he needed to get his motor back into shape. West had no way to predict that he’d soon be settling for second place on the podium behind Mayo, who would go on to lap every boat except West in the F-Lights final. After taking his first NGK F1 series Formula Lights win, Mayo described how turmoil turned into triumph: “We got a piston and tools from RJ West. He was a huge help. We worked until 1:30 in the morning rebuilding the motor on Friday. We showed up Saturday morning a little late, had to break it in, and the motor came together and ran great.” Finishing in third place behind West was second qualifying heat winner, #17 Chris Hughes from Santa Fe, Texas. Jeremiah Mayo also took the Tri-Hull crown, besting 13 other drivers in his very first Tri-Hull victory. Fast drivers who kept Mayo on his toes all weekend were #52 Chris Rinker, #10 Jerry Rinker and #00 Hunter Barber and #0 Wayne Barber. The Tri-Hull final heat win wasn’t exactly easy for Mayo, who started in 2nd
position on the dock behind polesitter, #52 Chris Rinker. “Me and Chris started side by side, and he was gone. But then lapped traffic held him up a little bit, so I could catch up and get back to battling with him again... (At the turn) he chose the inside line and skipped out a little bit, and we ducked under him on the inside; then it was a drag race down the 17-year-old Jeremiah Mayo won both F-Light and Tri-Hull!
back straightaway.” The top three Tri-Hull finishers were: #8 Jeremiah Mayo, #110 Darryle Middleton, and hometown star, #00 Hunter Barber. Racing in two different classes with vastly different race hulls on the same day is not easy. Mayo explained the challenge, “They are so different. In the (F-Light) tunnel boat, you have to be serious and spot-on—everything needs to be correct. You have to push and push and push and keep it off the edge of blowing over or rolling. But Tri-Hull is a completely different world. Tri-Hull is like bumper cars on the water. Everyone’s going at it. You’re bumping people going down the straightaway and then people are bumping into you. The main goal is to just try to stay alive out there.” The Junior Hydroplane class top 3 were Jack Schubert #16; Brayden Cheatham #4; and Shane Butler #5. 2018 Port Neches RiverFest Partners included: Port Neches Towing, Inc., Port Neches EDC, Neches Federal Credit Union, Del Papa/Bud Light, Groves Equipment Rental Co., Classic Southeast Texas, Marioneaux Family, Neches River Wheelhouse, TOTAL Petrochemicals, and many more. Greenlight TV is filming NGK Spark Plugs F1 racing action all season, producing six 30-minute episodes for the CBS Sports Network. Greenlight TV also produces amazing livestream video direct from
the race course, allowing fans at home to catch the racing action from multiple camera angles. NGK Spark Plug F1 Powerboat Championship series then headed to Florida for the second annual Gulfport Grand Prix on June 1-3. Yet to come on the 2018 NGK Schedule: Aug. 3-5 Pittsburgh, PA - F1, F-Light yougottaregatta.org/ Aug. 10-12 Springfield, OH - F1, F-Light www.springfieldf1grandprix.com/ Sept. 14-16 Orange, TX - F1, F-Light, Tri Hull, J-Hydro orangetexas.org/sport-tunnel-boat-races/ For more on the NGK Spark Plugs F1 Powerboat Championship Series, please visit ngkf1.com. Facebook users can also watch any of the past livestreams and race photos on the NGK F1 Powerboat Championship Facebook page: facebook.com/NGKF1PowerboatChampionship. NGK Spark Plugs – The World Leader in Spark Plug and Oxygen Sensor Technology Since 1936, NGK Spark Plugs has been the world leader in technology, innovation, and world-class quality in the design of spark plugs and oxygen sensors. Today, NGK manufactures NGK Spark Plugs and NTK Oxygen Sensors for virtually every automotive manufacturer in the world.
“Tri-Hull is like bumper cars on the water.” Chris Rinker (#52), Jeremiah Mayo (#8), Jerry Rinker (#10) and Wayne Barber (#0) do the usual craziness.
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NGK F1 Gulfport Grand Prix F1 winner Spencer Love #24 and Ashton Rinker #20.
BY VAL COLLINS • PHOTOS BY MOTO MG (MOTO-MG.COM) Fans of the NGK Spark Plugs Formula 1 Powerboat Championship Series saw intense, white-knuckle racing action at the 2nd Annual Gulfport Grand Prix in Gulfport, FL, June 2-3, as 34 racers fought the punishing conditions of Boca Ciega Bay. Only the hardiest tackled the roughest water of the year, with a slew of new winners in each of the three classes: Formula 1, Formula Lights and Tri-Hull. Taking the win in both heats as well as the final in Formula 1 was #24 Clover Construction, Spencer Love of Santa Rosa Valley, CA. His composite DAC hull handled the brutally rough water better than most of his competitors’ smaller hulls. But Love and his black and gray DAC still faced some challenges. During warmup laps for the final, water sloshed onto Love’s helmet radio, taking it out of commission. This meant he could not communicate with his crew throughout the race. The race start was delayed for over an hour after airborne spotters saw several manatees passing slowly across the bay. Ocean racing requires air surveillance to protect both drivers and marine life. All F1 competitors were put on full stop until the manatees had completely cleared the area. Wind, waves and heat grew even more intense during the hold. Several boats took on water and had to be lifted out as the spectator flotilla created new swells, restless to see the action start. Among those getting swamped was rookie John Edde, #55, from Indiana in his black and red Pugh hull; and #20 Ashton Rinker of Riverview, FL who came into the weekend as NGK F1 points leader and 2017 3rd place champ, driving his yellow Caniff hull. As the boats lined up at the start dock after the hold was lifted, the wind pushed polesitter Love sideways, forcing him to roar away several lanes off course. Love explained, “The wind kind of killed us; it blew the front of the boat over and I was aimed about 10 lanes inside the course. I had to try and straighten it out going down the straightaway.” This little misstep allowed #03 Dustin Terry to jump out into the lead, followed by #53 Greg Foster. NGK F1 Series points leader, #20 Ashton Rinker, did not 14
Formula Lights winner, rookie #01 Kelly Ireland, passes leader #8 Jeremiah Mayo..
fire, and it felt like an eternity before he could get his boat restarted and back on the course. Terry worked hard to maintain his lead in the rough surf, doing all he could to hold off Foster and Love, thrashing and hopping for several laps before Foster made his move and passed him. Moments later, Terry hit a big roller that tripped the boat and smashed the front violently into the next wave. The “stuff” broke the windshield and canopy, but thankfully, Terry escaped with only a few scrapes. Love reported, “I was right behind Dustin when he stuffed. The back of his boat went up in the air, and all of sudden I saw a big splash.” The restart saw #53 Foster on the pole, #24 Love sitting in 2nd, and #2, Tracy Hawkins of Willis, Texas (the Round #1 Port Neches winner) starting in the 3rd position. Hawkins had a frustrating weekend, struggling with starting issues in every heat. Next to Hawkins was #4 Wes Cheatham in the 4th spot and #57 David McMurray – who had moved all the way up from his original 9th spot – starting in 5th. Love, famous for his racing cowboy boots, and dressed in what is probably the first customized “boot cut” driver’s suit, jumped right out into the lead and held off an unrelenting challenge by Foster. Hawkins—just as he had experienced before—didn’t fire right away and fell into midpack, but hard driving got him back up to 4th. Ashton Rinker clawed his way through the pack and finished in a hard-fought 3rd. Commenting that this was the roughest water he’s ever experienced as an F1 racer, Love credited
his staying in the outside lanes in the reverseorder heat as a key to his victory. “It was good. It was rough. It was fun. I didn’t think I’d really get a chance to be able to win all three heats. It is a dream come true to be able to do that this weekend. It was a lot of fun doing battle with (Foster). He leaves you just barely enough room, and if you can stick with him, at the end of the day you really did something,” Love added. FORMULA 1 FINAL 1. SPENCER LOVE #24 2. GREG FOSTER #53 3. ASHTON RINKER #20 4. TRACY HAWKINS #2 5. TYLER WELCH #59 6. MARK WELCH #95 7. BILL JOULE #38 8. REUBEN STAFFORD #5 9. DAVID MCMURRAY #57 10. JOHNNY FLEMING #9 11. TOM LUDWIG #81 12. TRAVIS YATES #99 13. WESLEY CHEATHAM #4 14. DUSTIN TERRY #03 15. TIM KRAFT #15 16. FRED DURR #96 17. JOHN EDDE #55
The Formula Lights Final was a big surprise, as it was won by California rookie racer, Kelly Ireland in #01 CB Technologies, in only her second race. Ireland, a 30-year waterski racing veteran, had finished at the back of the pack at Round #1 in Port Neches, TX just one month prior. Prior to the first heat, Ireland had decided to switch
to her backup boat, which is heavier and bigger. This switch meant she would have to start last on the dock, but it proved to be a brilliant move. She was able to use the extra ballast to motor her way to the front while the other competitors were gnashing along in the rough waves. Ireland’s boat was built by Spencer Love’s father Rick, and is same hull that won the 2017 Gulfport Grand Prix with Jared Wallach driving. Round 1 winner, #8 Jeremiah Mayo of Richmond, TX, skipped his own high school graduation to make sure he didn’t miss out on some crucial points for his shot at the Series championship. Mayo’s weekend got off to a rough start when he “stuffed” just after taking 1st in qualifications. He was directly in front of #13 Grant Schubert, causing them to collide, gashing Schubert’s sponson. That caused problems throughout the weekend for Grant, who eventually finished 5th in the final. Mayo was able to get back into the groove and capture 2nd place in the final heat behind Ireland. Another racer who had a rough time in the qualifying heat was 5th generation driver, #40 Austin Cheatham of Hempstead, TX. Moments after the start of the first heat, Cheatham ran across a monstrous roller and disappeared nose-first into Boca Ciega Bay, ripping off his canopy. Like other accidents, it saturated the boat in salt water, which can wreak havoc with the electronics. But, despite starting in last position, Cheatham fought his way to the front to finish 3rd. Veteran racer, #21 Jose Mendana, Jr., finished 4th; rookie racer, #45 Debby Mobley, scratched, figuring she would seek less turbulent water to hone her emergent racing skills.
getting around him, including a pre-race lecture: “We had a little talk. I said, ‘Don’t crowd me. Stay away from me – I’m going into the turn on the buoy and you go around on the outside.’” But as Chris made his pass to the front, Jerry couldn’t hold him off. “I tried to hang with him, as you probably noticed, 2-3 laps; and then my teeth started jarring and my eyeballs started rolling – it was so rough!” Rinker was thrilled that his team finished 1-2-3, and praised Neal Barclay, who tunes the motors for all three racers. “Going with my son beside me. And to find out that our other team member Darryle got third—it was unbelievable.” Chris Rinker, who debuted a brand new boat at Gulfport, talked about chasing down his father in the lead. “It’s always tough running down my dad. He’s a tough competitor. Even when I was going to try to lap him, he hosed me down two or three times. He wasn’t giving any room. And I expect that. We have great competition on the water, and he does a lot with the boats after we are done.”
TRI HULL FINAL 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
CHRIS RINKER #52 JERRY RINKER #10 DARRYLE MIDDLETON #110 DARREN WARE #54 JOHN OTTINGER #33 JEREMIAH MAYO #8 CHARLIE DONALDSON #2 KLINT DILLARD #56 TRAVIS YATES #99 WHITNEY FLETCHER #9 DAVID WILLIS #25
Greenlight TV will film the NGK Spark Plugs racing action all season long, producing six 30-minute shows airing on CBS Sports Network. The NGK Spark Plugs Formula One Powerboat Championship headed to Nashville, Tennessee for the June 15-16 “Thunder on the Cumberland” race, the third stop of the season. Follow the series on Facebook to find livestreaming on Saturday.
Rinker added, “The competition is really tough. Everybody’s running fast, so it’s just who can hold it together for 20 laps. I had a broken reed before the race started and fortunately it held out. I actually was able to finish.”
Travis Yates barrel rolls his F1 #99 on day 1 and takes a tow.
Third place went to #110, Darryle Middleton, who had to beach his boat in an earlier heat due to taking on too much water. Jeremiah Mayo finished in 6th place in the final heat. It was unclear at press time whether Chris Rinker would be attending Round #3 in Nashville due to company commitments that weekend. But he was hopeful it would pan out. “I definitely want to be at that race.”
FORMULA LIGHTS FINAL 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
KELLY IRELAND #01 JEREMIAH MAYO #8 AUSTIN CHEATHAM #40 JOSE MENDANA JR. #21 GRANT SCHUBERT #13 DEBBY MOBLEY #45
Tri-Hull qualifying heats saw three different winners; #52 Chris Rinker won heat 1; #8 Jeremiah Mayo took Heat 2; and #25 David Willis won heat 3. The Tri Hull final was a “Rinker Boating World” sweep, as the top three racers all compete on the same team. Winner, #52 Chris Rinker, had to find a way around his father, #10 Jerry Rinker, who shot out into the lead as the flag dropped. Jerry Rinker did all he could to keep Chris from
Yeah, it was rough. The Tri-Hull winner was #52 Chris Rinker with #10 “Scary” Jerry Rinker in 2nd and #110 Darryle Middleton in 3rd.
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A big field of OSY 400 racing at Castle Rock, Washington.
LET’S GO! NORTHWEST RACING STARTS YELM, CASTLE ROCK, BREMERTON, NEWBERG AND EVERETT • BY KYLE BAHL PHOTOS BY GLEASON RACING PHOTOGRAPHY
Region 10 outboard has started off recent years with a gaggle of spring races. This year was more of the same opportunity: from April 28th to June 2nd, outboard drivers could choose from 5 region races: Yelm, Castle Rock, Bremerton and Everett, Washington; and Newberg, Oregon. Various clubs run those races consecutively over 6 weeks with (wisely) only Mother’s Day weekend off.
and Derrick Tronson in 850CCMH (also his first first!). On Saturday, Colten King won K PRO Hydro, outlasting Jack Peterson. Tim Finn won two days in 350CCH over the Valentines and Jamie Nilsen, and also won DSH. Kyle Lewis outdueled J. Michael Kelly in CSH. Aaron Adams won 20SSH, while Tanner Cole won 300SSH. Trey Marquard outlasted his sister Kierra in AXR, while also winning AXH. Jack Peterson then swept JH and JR. New racer Jim Tryon won 300SSH on Sunday for his first first place. Ron Magnuson won DSH, while Aaron Salmon pulled out a win in 45SS over J. Michael. Host Silver Lake Resort was again great to work with for the 6th annual Mt. St. Helen’s Regatta.
Spring Yelm starts us off on April 28-29 with an invitation from Seattle Inboard Association (SIRA) for seven outboard classes. This year’s Spring Yelm ran the 1 2/3-mile course on Saturday and the 1 1/4- mile course on Sunday. This year two outboard drivers set records. Kyle Lewis started his bid for a third consecutive APBA Hall of Champions nod with two records in Stock 20SSH (63.852 MPH on SOA hosted the Armed Forces Regatta in Bremerton, WA on May 19/20. the 1 1/4-mile course and 63. 791 MPH on the 1 2/3mile course). That is moving! The second driver was Trey New racer Jim Tryon won 300SSH on Sunday for his first first at Castle Rock. Marquard in AXH, setting the mark on the 1 ¼-mile course at 49.321 MPH. Congrats to Kyle and Trey! The next weekend, Seattle Outboard Association (SOA) starts off the year with the picturesque Castle Rock race in the shadow of Mt. St. Helen’s. Sunday was blown off after a few classes, but Saturday was a beautiful day for the Modified Western Winter Nationals. Winners included Kelly Hannon in 200CCMH, J. Michael Kelly in 500CCMH and 200CCMR, Jayson Shrock in 750CCMH
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On Memorial Day weekend, Newberg Boat Club (NBC) and Columbia Outboard Racing Association (CORA) combined efforts to host the 70th annual Newberg Memorial Day weekend boat races. The event was a success, and drivers were surprised Saturday night with $3700 in prize money. NBC and CORA members had collected cans and bottles to recycle at 10 cents per to fund the prizes. What a great idea! The racers were very appreciative. On the water, J. Michael Kelly won both days in 45SS (including the North American Championship), and then CSH and 500CCMH on Saturday. 45 has been a great battle between him and teammate Aaron Salamon this season, both driving for Jeff Kelly. JMK must be getting Aaron ready for his Unlimited debut in Alabama. Sport C ran their North American Championships on Saturday; and Wes Fridell out of LaConnor, WA won without winning a heat. Two consistent second places outdid Oregon favorite Russell Mead’s 1st and 4th place finishes. Kelly Hannon (200CCMH), Mike Perman (CSR), Kyle Lewis (25SSR), Kierra Marquard (AXR & ASH), Trey Marquard (AXH), Kyle Bahl (BSH) and Josh Zahn (JH) meanwhile looked good respectively in their classes, all SEVEN drivers winning both days. Charles McMurphy won OSY on Saturday; Aaron Salmon took the win on Sunday. Surprise winner and new racer Jim Tryon followed up a win in 300SH at Castle Rock to take the CSH win on Sunday. It’s great to see a newcomer excel! Team Greaves had split winners in C Service Runabout: Jim Nilsen on Saturday and Doug Martin on Sunday. Tanner Cole won on Sunday in
300SSH, and Kyle Lewis and JMK took turns winning 20SSH. Thanks to NBC and CORA for a fun weekend. The last race in the Region 10 early schedule gauntlet is Everett, WA on June 2nd, hosted by SOA. Everett is a one-day race that sees lots of entries (129 this year), classes (17) and about 6 hours to complete (racing can’t start until noon due to park restrictions). The volunteers and race committee always do a great job to make sure all heats are in. Race Director Jim Nilsen started setup at 7am and was running around until trophies at 7pm. Great job, Jim! Kyle Bahl started the day with wins in CSH and BSH. Mike Perman won his third straight CSR race since Newberg, Daren Goehring won 850CCMH and 750CCMH. Dwight Malhiot won 1100CCR and C Service Runabout. John Peeters was another double class winner in OSY and ASH over Kierra Marquard on time. Kierra and brother Trey won AXR and AXH, respectively. Ken Hehr was smoking fast, winning 350CCH. Tim Fihn won DSH over Ron Magnuson, J. Michael won 45 and 20SSH, Travis Ulsh outdueled Tanner Cole in 300SSH, Kelly Hannon won 200CCMH and Fynn Peterson won KPRO and JH. With the Stock, MOD, and J Nationals coming up in July at Moses Lake, WA, Region 10 racers have certainly got their heats in and are ready for the challengers from across the country.
Teammates Aaron Salmon and J Michael Kelly drive 45SS at Everett. Ken Zahn and Cayden Cole race J Hydro at Everett.
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Overall winner , Unlimited #285 Pure InsanityRyan Rogers of Lewiston, Idaho.
2018 Race the Joe!
BY SHIRLEY ACKERMAN, RACE DIRECTOR • PHOTOS BY MAURICE TRUDEAU / MT ACTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY Jet River Racing returned to the beautiful St. Joe River in St. Maries, Idaho, site of the 2018 Race the Joe May 18-20. The St. Joe River is nestled between beautiful forests on both sides of the course. The event was well attended by racers—26 teams from the USA, Canada and New Zealand—and fans! Teams raced 100 miles each day as they tried to capture the overall title. The winner is determined by the fastest overall time, with no DNS, DNF, or penalties imposed.
Second place overall- Unlimited #339 Bad Habit- Chad Burns of Grimshaw, Alberta, Canada
Great racing action, that’s for sure! A mere 8 seconds determined the winner of the Unlimited class. The river was certainly higher than years past, but that didn’t keep some of the racers from reaching speeds of 140 mph! Driver Ryan Rogers and navigator Larry Keatts took the win, while Canadian driver Chad Burns and navigator Nick Kruse were close on their tail. Canadian team Dale Whiteside and Mike Hudon captured the A Class win. This team is very familiar with racing the St. Joe River and did a great job maneuvering the curves. Lewiston, Idaho team Leighton Lille and Cody Holzer finished in the lead in the CX Class, completing the 200 miles in a mere 2:18:43. Driver Adam Steffes and Justin Kelly cruised through the course with the fastest overall FX Class time of 2:28:23. A new Club Class was added this year. It brought new drivers and navigators to the sport of Jet River Racing. McCall, Idaho team Beau Value and Rob Kirsch mastered the course in the new class, finishing the race in 3:33:56. OVERALL WINNERS: 285 Pure Insanity- Ryan Rogers, Lewiston Idaho 339 Bad Habit- Chad Burns, Grimshaw, Alberta, Canada 27 Preventing Insanity- Leighton Lillie, Lewiston Idaho 33 Burning Desire- Tim Harding, USA 84 Moorespeed- Cameron Moore, New Zealand
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Special thanks to our amazing sponsors: Toyota– Overall; Avista– Unlimited; Les Schwab/Truline RV – A Class; VSR Industries– CX Class; and Coors Light– FX Class. The next Race the Joe will be held May 17-19th, 2019. Make plans to visit St. Maries, Idaho for a fan favorite weekend of Jet River Racing!
Leighton Lillie of Lewiston, Idaho tok 3rd overall in CX Class #27 Preventing Insanity.
HOOKED ON VINTAGE BY JOHN WOODWARD
John Woodward on the outside in the E-76 Country Stoves, Jay Marshall in the E-102 Tijuana Taxi and Bob Hampton in the N-700 Miss Sapphire on the inside at Wheeling 2010. Photo by Daniel Turner
I can’t believe it’s been 13 years since I drove a boat at my first Vintage event. It was the 2005 Bob Snelling Vintage Memorial regatta in Madison, Indiana. My older brother Doug Woodward had spent several years restoring the 280 we ran competitively in Region 10 during the late 1980s and early ’90s. He took the newly restored E-76 Country Stoves to Madison in 2004 and had an absolute blast. I remember his phone call: “You have got to come to Madison next year! The Vintage people are so cool. They speak our language—nothing but boat racing!” Well, that was the hook, line and sinker for me. The following year, as I pulled into town, it was like entering a time warp back to when boat racing was king and everyone in town came out to support the hydros. Ironically, the same John in the E-76 on the Detroit Gold Cup course, 2007. Photo by Doug Woodward
year the movie “Madison” debuted; I got to see it in downtown Madison’s Ohio theater. And if that was not the end-all beat-all, we had the privilege of riding in the Madison Regatta parade that evening. The entire town lined the streets and greeted every team like celebrities. I thought I had died and gone to heaven, but the fun was just beginning. The following day was my first chance to drive the boat I had not sat in for 15 years. I would be out on the choppy river with the likes of Carl Wilson in the N-72 Tiger, Alan Radue in the E-173 Agitator and Dave Johnson in the N-73 Close Shave II. I was completely starstruck to be on the famous Ohio River course with these men. It was the best boat race experience in my life up to that point. It got even better, when I was able to experience the famous Gold Cup course on the Detroit River in grand fashion. I ran 4 hot laps side by side with Ron
Snyder in the F-266 Miss Supersonic II. I distinctly remember pulling up alongside of Ron and seeing him point his finger forward saying, “Let’s go,” and we did just that. My Vintage escapades peaked when I drove the Country Stoves at the 2008 Henry Lauterbach Memorial Vintage Raceboat Regatta in Wheeling, WV. Never have I met finer people than regatta directors Dan and Debbie Joseph. They took us in as if we were family, as did the entire community. That first experience in Wheeling was so delightful, I went back five more times! Nowhere else had I ever met people who shared my passion for hydroplanes. Then in 2013, I was finally able to drive a Vintage 280 back in my native Region 10 on picturesque Lake Chelan after a 23-year hiatus. I felt the same camaraderie out west as I did back east. The common denominator is the Vintage family—one of the most comforting and rewarding experiences anywhere in the sport, in and out of the cockpit. You may ask, “Is there still an east-west rivalry?” Absolutely, but it is a healthy rivalry, centered around one goal: to put on the best and safest Vintage show possible. Stand-alone Vintage events across the USA that you must put on your calendar include: Tavares, FL; Leonardtown, MD; New Martinsville, WV; Wheeling, WV; Madison, IN; and of course Mahogany & Merlot in Chelan, WA. All these regattas offer a wide range of beautifully restored Vintage raceboats that will take you back to a time when these wild and crazy machines were in top racing form, along with many of the drivers who competed in them. If you are interested in hydroplanes of a bygone era and want to have a little fun, then I encourage you to contact the closest region rep and join us in the ever-growing Vintage family. You’ll have the time of your life. See you at the races. Region 10 Vintage & Historic thanks Chris Denslow, who created the beautiful poster above, and Jill Glass, who tirelessly promotes Vintage events.
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A great driver retires
Terry Rinker PHOTOS BY PAUL KEMIEL
OPC drivers have been chasing Terry Rinker for decades, and he is hard to catch. Since 1995, when he led the way into the first turn at the first Formula 1 event, Terry has competed in every Formula 1/ChampBoat race. He is a consistent winner. At one historic OPC Nationals, he won titles in three different classes. He was undefeated in 2006, with 7 consecutive victories. He won five F1 races at the tough Bay City River Roar—against top-notch competition and the rough Saginaw River. Terry was inducted into the APBA Hall of Champions five times (2006 and 2008 in ChampBoat, and 2011, 2012 and 2013 in OPC). His sons Rob and Ashton followed him onto the racecourse, onto the podium—and in Rob’s case, into the Hall of Champions. Pretty special for a father and son to share that kind of honor. When all three Rinkers were on the course, they just might end up taking the top 3 spots. In 2017, Rinker Racing swept the NGK F1 Powerboat series! Terry joked, “Started out sounding like I was the king of a dynasty, but then realized that I may have only been the elder of a cult... Over 30 years competing and finishing on top with my sons at my side... I don’t think it can get much better than that.” Terry sometimes found it nerve-wracking to watch his sons race, skilled as they are. Sadly, Rob too is stepping away from racing this year. Some of the competition will rejoice. Fans will miss the spectacular Rinker Racing show. Fast boats are a family tradition. Terry’s uncle John Rinker and dad Jan owned Rinker Boats in Elkhart, Indiana, the oldest continuously produced American boat brand. Terry’s brother Randy also races. When Terry was about 12, Jan gave him an old boat and a small motor and set him loose on the lake. It was a chance to find out if he liked fast boats. Well, guess what? “I thought I was just out playing on the lake, but it was really his way of introducing me to race boats.” Terry even raced motocross back in the early 80s, and was good at it. But raceboats were his first love. What’s ahead? There’s Rinker Machinery, Inc., the business Terry opened in 1983 in Tampa. He is president/owner/machinist, and Rob works with him as a machinist. That will keep him busy. And surely there are other ways to have fun than racing boats... maybe. On May 29, as a beautiful yellow F1 boat was being towed away, he wrote on Facebook, “The ‘World Famous’ #10 Lee is going to its new home. Lots of wins and many good memories in this boat! Safe racing and good luck to all!” Best of luck to you too, Terry Rinker. Thanks for all the great memories.
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Clockwise from top left: Terry Rinker in Bay City, 1995; with his mother Freda after a 2007 win at Warsaw, Kentucky; the #10 takes first place at Bay City, 2012; Rinker Racing in 3rd place with a 101.8 MPH average speed in Bay City, 1995; and a proud and happy Rinker team at the Kankakee OPC Nationals, 2011.
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Howie Benns driving the SUDDEN SEVEN. Phil Kunz photo
Howie Benns, Racing Legend BY APBA VINTAGE HISTORIAN BILL DEGLOPPER AND LINDA EMANUELE, WITH DINOMYTES TEAM MEMBER CHARLIE MILLER Buffalo, New York native Howie Benns enjoyed a terrific racing career that spanned almost 40 years. During that time he earned multiple national championships, class and world records. His achievements reflected exceptional driving skills in diverse classes in the APBA. Howie earned those numerous speed records and titles in competition held throughout the United States, Canada and even New Zealand. The versatile Howie drove a number of significant hydroplanes and flatbottoms in
to compete on the Erie Barge Canal. Here he established a new World flying quarter mile class record of 176.6 mph. In 1974, iconic Unlimited hydroplane owner Bernie Little needed a new driver for his Miss Budweiser. Bernie consulted with APBA Commodore Bob Wanamaker, who told Bernie without a doubt Benns was the best. Together, the team enjoyed immediate success, as Howie won 3 races in his first season in the Budweiser. He was awarded Rookie of the Year.
A victorious Benns in LEBOEUF at Valleyfield, 1988. Photographer unknown
His contract restricted him from competing in any Limited classes. Nevertheless, fans everywhere remember the raceboats he drove over his career: Miss Gangway, Sudden Seven, Wa Ha Ki, Miss Shane, Chevy Too Much, Fantasy, Miss Budweiser, and the beloved Miss Dinomytes. In 1988, driving the Canadian-owned GP 1001 Leboeuf, Howie won the Triple Crown Championship, which included American, Canadian and World designations. In 1989 the team made its first of three visits to New Zealand. There, he drove Peter Knight’s CPR Latimer Lodge and the AWA Clarion. He won the EC Griffith Cup in Latimer Lodge. 1991 was highlighted by a victorious return to Valleyfield and another North American Championship.
his long, illustrious career. His great skill behind the wheel, fueled by nerves of steel and dogged determination, inspired him to attain speeds and prestigious honors still unmatched today. He began his racing career in the 1950s in western New York. Competing in a variety of classes throughout the East Coast, he was soon recognized as having special talent. In 1968, Howie stepped into George Lang’s flatbottom, SK-401 Chevy Too Much for the first time during the APBA National Championships held on the Niagara River. He roared to the national title for the class. In 1973, he drove the Lauterbach H-10 Sudden Seven to a National victory. The H-10 was powered by a blown 426 cubic inch Chrysler engine. Earlier in its career this hull was campaigned by Buddy Byers as the Little Miss Budweiser. On August 24, 1973, at Picton, Ontario Howie drove the Sudden Seven to the Canadian Gold Cup title. Then in the same season, Howie traveled to Marcy, NY
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1992 was especially significant, as it featured a GP qualifying heat that turned into a great match race at Valleyfield between JP Lesard in Dynasty and Howie. JP’s engine developed over 500 cubic inches of horsepower, somewhat more than Howie’s blown Chevrolet 486 cubic inch qualifier motor. The ensuing race was spectacular, as both pilots cast caution to the wind. The video of that race is still widely watched on YouTube. The capacity crowd roared its appreciation and gave both men an extended ovation. On August 9, 1992 Benns drove the GP 1001 Dinomytes one last time in the GP World Championships held at Summerville, PEI. In retirement, Howie joined the Niagara Frontier chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society. He restored a 1957 Chris-Craft Capri woody, which he displayed at Vintage events in New York and Florida. The hull was named Semper Fi, a nod to his service in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1956-1958. He spent summers in western New York and winters in Florida, attending
local races. His attraction to water continued as he worked for longtime friend and Dinomytes owner and engine builder Lyle Dinsmore. The DEC contracted with Lyle’s LDC marine construction firm to restore Strawberry Island. Later, LDC restored Motorboat Island and created several new island habitats in the Niagara River under contract with the NYS Power Authority. Howie adeptly piloted barges, delivering supplies to the midriver construction sites.
Howie passed away March 12, 2018. At his memorial service on Grand Island, NY, attendees celebrated his life by wearing jeans and racing team shirts and jackets. Toasts and stories flowed into the night as fans, friends and family relived their memories of a great racing career. At left, Howie Benns in retirement. Bill DeGlopper photo Below, Howie with Bernie Little. Photographer unknown
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B200 Roger Sanderson of Hoopa, California wins the 2018 Boatnik in Grants Pass, Oregon. Jess Reinhart of Grants Pass was right behind him. Jay Reese Sports CSR racers Adam Allen 11E and Shawn Breisacher 8F in close combat at Millville, New Jersey. F. Peirce Williams photo
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Chloe Sees takes a turn in A Stock Hydro at Millville, New Jersay. F. Peirce Williams photo
Category corner
STOCK OUTBOARD BY JEFF BREWSTER, STOCK OUTBOARD CHAIRMAN It is going to be a “cool” summer! It seems like yesterday that my Yamato Model 80 wouldn’t keep cool, back in 1979. I worked hard that summer in my family’s sawmill so I could order one. I still have my receipt from Yamato dealer Ron Saxvik for an astounding $425.00. That seemed like so much money back then for a 17-year-old! So far in our racing season, it appears the age-old problem of Yamato cooling has finally been put to bed. With several stages of progress over the past few years, our leaders were very cautious to avoid doing any damage to our classes. When it appeared that the previous stage still needed some tweaking, our undaunted, aptly named “Cool Team” went back to work. I firmly believe that without the leadership and persistence of Lee Sutter and Matt D’Agostino, the Cool Team would have never been so successful in solving our
issue. Many thanks to all involved in making such a huge problem just a bad memory of our past! Speaking of Yamato racing engines, the 300SSH class continues to grow, with over ten new drivers purchasing engines over the winter break. As the Northwest ranks join the class this year, we will be guaranteed an awesome shootout in Moses Lake for sure. Anytime you meet someone interested in joining us, have them email us at stockoutboard@apba.org for a new driver information packet. This includes all information available to start out in our racing, and especially directs them towards our 300 class. With the help of the SORC, Mike Ward, Ric Montoya, Jerry Davids and Tom Johnston, we have worked hard to have plenty of engines available whenever one is requested. We intend to keep up that pace so that there is no delay in purchasing an engine—
and, of course, one less barrier for a new driver. With the Northeast Divisionals suffering a complete blowout in Whitney Point, New York we ended up in a situation that was dismal at best. Not only did no one get to race, we would have no qualifiers from this part of our country participating in our Summer Nationals. The Delaware Valley Outboard Racing Association, led by Jill Glossner, quickly regrouped and offered Lock Haven, Pennsylvania as the location for the rerun of the race. The Stock Outboard Commission has voted to approve this addition to the sanction, and we will move forward to have the opportunity of double high points on Labor Day Weekend for those in the Northeast. I would bet there will be plenty of action, and this should make Lock Haven a race to add to your list this summer!
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INBOARD
BY DUTCH SQUIRES, INBOARD CHAIRMAN Congratulations to the Windjammer Racing team on a fantastic weekend at Lake Lawrence. Team owner Chris Fanaris and driver Jeff Bernard set the 1 1/4 mile competition record on Saturday and followed up with a new 1 2/3 mile competition record on Sunday. Outstanding performance by the 2.5 Stock US-1 team. The Lake Lawrence race was a success, doubling the boat count from a year ago. The following weekend, the Apple Cup Regatta was held at Chelan, Washington. Another success, and a welcome back by the City of Chelan. Job well done by the Seattle Inboard Racing Association, hosting both of these races on back-to-back weekends. Inboard Racing thanks you for your efforts. A number of Inboard races are being held in June, but the timing of Propeller publication will not allow for coverage at this time. I hope they all had a great event. Several regattas of great tradition are scheduled for July, and I encourage all inboarders to make every attempt to participate. Clubs are working hard to put the events on, and they need boat count to be successful. Olympia, Washington’s Black Lake Regatta is on July 7th and 8th. Good water and a beautiful 1 1/4 mile record course. Don’t miss it. Kent Narrows Racing Association has big plans for Jeff Bernard cruises to a new record in Chris Fanaris’s S-1 Windjammer. Gleason Racing Photography
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their July 28th-29th regatta at Cambridge, Md. Plan to be there; and 5 Litre (350 Hydro) teams, remember the $5000 Dash for the Cash sponsored by the Baker family. Just a reminder of our championship events in late summer/early fall: Eastern Divisionals, Evansville IN, Aug.31-Sept. 1; Western Divisionals, Spanaway WA, Sept. 8-9; and our Summer Nationals, Hampton VA, Sept. 29-30. Inboard Racing is counting on your support to make these regattas great. A note to our friends and racers from Canada: APBA Inboard Racing invites you to participate in all of our APBA races, especially the Hampton, VA Summer Nationals. APBA has granted Inboard Racing the opportunity to offer you a 14-month membership in APBA. If you join in September 2018, your membership will be honored through the 2019 APBA season. This would allow you to participate at Lake Hopatcong, NJ Sept. 15-16; the Hampton, VA Summer Nationals Sept. 29-30; and all APBA races in 2019, including Lake Hopatcong and the 2019 Hampton VA Summer Nationals. Inboard Racing hopes you will take advantage of this offer, and we look forward to the added competition you will bring. Until September...
F1 drivers Ashton Rinker and Wesley Cheatham at Port Neches. F. Peirce Williams photo
OPC
BY JAMES CHAMBERS, OUTBOARD PERFORMANCE CRAFT CHAIR The updated 2018 OPC Safety Checklist is available online on the APBA website. Navigate as follows: 1. www.APBA.org 2. Resources 3. Resource Directory 4. At bottom of page #2, find 2018 OPC Safety Checklist 5. Click on “View document” For the convenience of all OPC equipment owners, I have included a copy of the Safety Checklist below. Some OPC inspectors have run into owner pushback when the current checklist has been used. Most of the items on the checklist are not new, but when inspections have been conducted using this list, a surprising number of items were found to be noncompliant. I would recommend that everyone take this list and, in off hours, recheck their equipment at home when they are not under the time constraint of race day. The checklist also makes note of a lot of the rules and their locations in the current rule book. Remember, this is a safety checklist, not a technical checklist. Compliance with this checklist could save a driver’s life. Thank you. 2018 OPC Safety Checklist (GRR = General Racing Rule, GSR = General Safety Rule) [ ] Cockpit Training renewal date imprinted on membership card. If no date on card, then must show receipt of Capsule Training completion (within acceptable dates). [ ] Helmet: See APBA GSR-3(A) and OPC GSR-2. (Must be per “APBA Driver Helmets Accepted for Competition and Vintage”) (Snell SA 2000 & Snell M 2000 helmets no longer valid; Snell
SA 2005 & Snell M 2005 helmets no longer valid after 2018.) [ ] Upper 50% must be yellow, orange, red or lime green (all classes including Restrained.) [ ] Check Condition [ ] Jacket: See APBA GSR-3(B) and OPC GSR-2. [ ] Label that indicates type of category; A, A100, B or C. Unrestrained must be A, A100 or B (Skid collar and 1/4” back protection). [ ] Upper 70% must be orange or yellow [ ] Check Condition [ ] Engine Stop (non-reinforced cockpit per OPC GSR4) [ ] Safety Lanyard (Less than 4 ft. long & permanently attached with breakaway device) [ ] Lifting Sling: See OPC GRR3(8): Minimum 1/4” steel cable or 1” nylon strap, snap hooks or clevis pin. [ ] Check Condition [ ] Driver Restraint Boats Bottom Numbers: See OPC GSR9(I) - Assigned number must be 12” block numbers on the bottom under the driver’s seat. Black on white background, white on black background or any strongly contrasting color is acceptable. [ ] Sponson Tips: See OPC GRR13 - Sport C, SST45 & SST60 minimum tip radius is 2.5”. All larger boats minimum tip radius is 4.0”. Telescopic extensions shall have minimum tip radius of 1.0” and no more than 3 In3 of flotation foam. [ ] Boat Numbers: See OPC GRR-22: 12” block numbers, white on black background or black on white background. Use 1/2“ contrasting outline if background is same color as boat. [ ] Gas tank, battery and all accessories securely fastened: See OPC GSR7 (Prerace seaworthiness and OPC GRR21(3) Min. weights.) [ ] Engine properly bolted: See OPC GSR5. [ ] Check swivel pin and trim ram for free play and trail out. [ ] Check power trim and up & down for proper function. Up and down adjustments while underway not allowed for Sport Classes or SST45. See OPC GRR20(2)A & OPC GRR20(3)A. [ ] Steering: check all hardware & fasteners, check for full travel. It is recommended that all bolts use washers, locknuts or safety
wire and have at least one to two full threads (minimum) showing beyond the nut. [ ] Throttle pedal: check return for proper operation. See OPC GSR3. [ ] Ballast: See OPC GRR21(3) (Minimum weights): Must be securely fastened and located inside the hull. [ ] Flotation: Check for proper volume. See OPC GSR8. [ ] Display APBA logo (minimum 1.75” high and 7.25 “ long). See APBA Bylaws, Art I, Sect 1.3. [ ] Check general condition of hull. [ ] Reinforced Cockpits: See OPC GSR9 [ ] Manufacturer’s name:_____________________ [ ] Date of Manufacture: _____________________ [ ] Reinforced cockpits built after Jan. 1, 2005 must have Identification Label with the manufacturer’s name, Newton Test rating and the build date. See OPC GSR9(A) [ ] Padding inside capsule: See OPC GSR9(I) [ ] Minimum head clearance: 2” Required, 4” Recommended. See OPC GSR9(I) [ ] Quick release steering wheel: (Spring loaded) - See OPC GSR9(I) [ ] Minimum Five Point safety harness per OPC GSR9(E): Must be SFI 16.1 certified. Belts will no longer be acceptable either three years after the manufacture’s build date or after the manufacturer’s expiration date. [ ] Check engine/fuel shutoff switches mounted on left hand outside of capsule. Location per OPC GSR9(N). [ ] Check inversion switch. See OPC GSR9(O) [ ] For reinforced cockpits using a full coverage canopy, check for air ventilation and the operation of both the internal and external canopy release mechanisms including removeable hinge pins. See OPC GSR-9(F) & OPC GSR-9(G). [ ] Padding behind driver’s helmet. Recommendation is for 1/2” of Ethofoam support. See OPC GSR9(I). [ ] Audio communication from shore to driver is mandatory for all boats with a reinforced cockpit (capsule boats). See APBA GSR13(A)
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MODIFIED OUTBOARD BY TOM SUTHERLAND, MODIFIED OUTBOARD CHAIRMAN The new 125 Modified classes have raced for the first time. At the Three Rivers race in Franklin, Pennsylvania over Memorial Day weekend, a few Hydros and Runabouts showed up with little or no accumulated test time. The Hydros were not able to put together enough boats to make a race, but the Runabouts did have enough ready and did race.
Kelly Hannon 2-R and Chance King racing 200 Mod Hydro at Castle Rock, Washington. Gleason Racing Photography
The following weekend, at the IOA Harry Brinkman Memorial Race in Huntington, Indiana, five 125 Mod Hydros were registered. All five boats—with a variety of propellers and setups—raced on Saturday. One of them flipped in the second heat and was successfully dried out. Four of the five ran on Sunday. A faulty kill switch kept the fifth boat on the beach. The Nationals at Moses Lake, WA, July 17-21 will be here soon. Hope to see you there.
JUNIOR CLASSES
BY MARK WHEELER AND JEFF WILLIAMS, JUNIOR CLASSES COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRMEN Mercury Engine Specification Clarification A clarification has been added to the Mercury engine specifications. This clarification states, “During the manufacturing process, Mercury Marine removed aluminum flashing from the exterior lower corner of number two (2) cylinder lower exhaust port. Blocks with this deburring are legal for use in the Junior Classes.” This clarification is necessary because several “recently produced” Mercury 15 engine blocks have been found that were “cleaned up” at the factory. The ports in these engines meet APBA dimensions, but the removal of the flashing would have created a problem in inspection. This clarification is effective immediately.
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Travis Shew 53-R driving AX Hydro at Yelm, Washington. Gleason Racing Photography
REGION ROUNDUP
Hydro racing at the Oroville Afterbay. Nancee Gillis photo
REGION 6 APBA Region 6 activities: as the weather is heating up (with a vengeance some days), so does the racing! Racing broke out in Franklin, PA for the annual Memorial Day weekend John Read Memorial Regatta put on by the Three Rivers Club! Good times and good weather. Punxsutawney Phil, PHOOEY! Get back in your hole. The Franklin Flyers flew around their race course, with a total of 38 class wins recorded. Ten drivers recorded two wins on the weekend: John Wlodarski III, Josh Toccalino, Mike Affholter, Nate Mitchell, Logan Sweeney, John Mauck, Joe Silvestri, Laura Wheeler, Mike Smith and Jackson Morton. Three drivers collected three wins each: Karissa Mitchell, Dana Holt and Peter Lauer. Congrats to all! HATS OFF to the Three Rivers club! Tthe annual Region 6 Test and Tune at the end of April had a dozen or so APBA Driving School students mixed in. Reports were excellent in spite of wintry weather on Saturday that left many gasping for summer. For the first time, activities were held at Caesar’s Creek State Park, southeast of Dayton, Ohio. It looks good for the future!
22 July in Trenton, Michigan for the annual Roar on the River. Powerboat Nationals puts on a great show with the host Trenton community, and I mean a great show! Racing, fun, food, the community is behind this one all the way! Now, a surprise for Inboard – Rocky Fork is possible! As I write this, the latest word at the last Marine Prop Rider meeting is that feverish work makes this regatta a possibility (a slim one, but nonetheless a possibility) for this same weekend; you’ll know for sure while reading this news. If not this year, the work should solidify next year, and that is great news for Inboard in Region 6! Oh, we miss Quake on the Lake badly. News: people are seriously palavering to bring this race back to Pontiac Lake (Waterford, Michigan). Progress has been made, there is significant community backing; just some hurdles to get over, but these are not vertical walls! Ann Fitzgerald, we have not given up yet!
Three Rivers Speedweek! Where: Constantine, Michigan; What: Two consecutive June weekends of Stocks, Mods, PRO! MHRA SO/500cc thru 850ccMH/J is first up with Divisional and NA Championships; the following weekend, Mod and PRO Nationals are contested. SRO expected; congrats to all champions and hats off to all competitors!
August: Indian River, Michigan hosts the Top O’Michigan Marathon Nationals Aug. 11-12. Grit and determination are featured on the lakes and the winding river in between. The National Champions earn every accolade at this tough race! Same weekend, August 10-12, SPORT F1 tunnel boats compete in Springfield, Ohio on the stadium-like course adjacent to the Clark County fairgrounds! SPORT F1 means the big motor jobs are racing for some real $$$. The stadium-like scene puts all the action right out front of everybody! The facility is new last year, and features are being planned and added.
July gets busier on the outboard front: 7-8 July – Marietta, Ohio hosts the Powerboat Nationals Grand Prix of Ohio starring OPC tunnel boats! Same weekend, MHRA conducts Grass Lake Stock/J/SO Marathon Divisionals for the 35th or 36th year on this picturesque site.
18-19 August finds the Three Rivers Club racing at Kittanning, Pa, in a race renewed last year! Mods, Stocks, J Classes are racing—great stuff! Drivers School on Friday the 19th. Might still be room; check the sanction for info. Better yet, call Jeff or Mary Williams (they know everything).
The OPC tunnel boats are back in action 21-
25-26 August finds APBA’s extremes in boat size competing in Region 6, at a pair of wellknown venues. In Dayton, Ohio at Eastwood Lake are the Dayton Record runs. SO/MOD/J will race darn near dawn to dusk. Records are often set here, with the outboards racing on two courses, a 3/4 mile and a 1 mile; definitely a setup challenge. Up north in Detroit, Unlimited Hydros compete for the APBA Gold Cup, the sport’s most prestigious prize. Competition begins on Friday, 10 August with testing and qualifying, Unlimited racing Saturday and Sunday, with the Gold Cup awarded Sunday. The Gold Cup is the oldest continuously contested motorsport event in this country, several years senior to the famous Indy 500! Also on the schedule tentatively are Grand Prix inboards and Vintage. Keep up with the schedule on the APBA website for September racing event news; there is plenty more coming! Other stuff: Recently the APBA Board of Directors put in motion a reorganization of our regional structure. The details are not all finalized, but Region 6 has felt some effects. However, the basic structure that Region 6 has nurtured for many years is intact. Some changes will occur in facet bylaws. These will likely be minor, if any at all. Any equipment or funds managed by the facets will be unchanged. Our Region will gain and lose some members. (Suggestion: new post office box for an address?) However, no clubs are lost, and we can maintain cooperation among clubs and members regardless of where they live. The Region 6 Fall Meeting remains as scheduled, 20-21 October in Perrysburg, Ohio. Elections for next year will be held then, as always. They should include those who will move into Region 6 membership in the 2019 racing year, so your voice can be heard. (Indiana racers and clubs, it is not all that distant to you!) We will also be electing a new Region BOD and facet
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WHEEEE! Mike White makes sure Sport C shows up at every possible event. Gleason Racing Photography
officers, to continue managing our regional activities as we have done for many years. Put this event on your calendar; participate! It was decided by the current Region 6 BOD that we will still need an awards reception and other functions regardless of reorg, so the 2019 Region 6 Spring Meeting will still happen (booked and contracted), although bumped out into late February (a couple weeks) due to the APBA National Meeting moving into early Feb in Orlando, Florida. Site: Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg, Ohio! — Don (Eli) Whitney APBA Region 6 Chairman
REGION 10 Racing is moving full speed ahead in the Northwest. Jim Codling is first up, with the news from Seattle Inboard and Seattle Drag and Ski: “Here we are in May looking over the nice (and sometimes odd) spring weather and wondering where the rain gods will take us as we edge into our 2018 racing season. “Jerry Zuvich, the old Bardahl guy, is back into fixing boats. Now as Port Captain of a large pacific trawler, he still has his hands in the bilge and is having a ball. “Larry Bridges has reappeared at the Seattle Drag and Ski club meetings and is helping some of the SE guys get after some old-time secrets for the growing runabout class. He was tough in the ERR class back when. Tom Grimm, the retired commodore of S D and Ski, let me know one of his brothers had passed. There were 8 boys—all lovers of old wood Chris-Crafts. Mike Jones is resting in Hawaii, but not close to the damn volcano (so far). Mrs.
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Jones bought only one ticket to escape… hummm? “Aaron Salmon is covered with dust head to toe since taking over the old Leland Unlimited job. So far, he says it is fun but a lot of work. Meanwhile he runs a fast 1 Litre on the weekends, and a 45 boat. Another S D and S alum, Nate Brown, got another Starfire out of mothballs and ready to run the popular SE class. This made 10 SE boats ready for the Soap Lake Regatta in June, where Aaron Stephens was prepping for his big race of the year (not the Unlimited event which he also chairs, but the Soap Lake/Grant County televised race in June). Great job, Bud! “Charlie Marquard’s kids are rocking in the outboard classes, with another record for the younger of the two kids, rolling to a nice win at Lawrence Lake. There we also saw the young Travis Ulsh try the very hard 2.5 Mod class. They will figure it out soon I think. Nice to see Pat Bertram back in the fray helping them out, and bringing out his own boat again—quite a guy.
from EACH CREW to work in some capacity at the events. It doesn’t have to be the same person all the time, but ALL will be required to provide a body to help. Your thoughts? Let me know. “I had a chance to see and use Jesse Robertson just before the holiday weekend. He says hi to all of you. He’s chasing motorcycle racing right now, but misses the fast GP ride he had last year. Jesse does great decal work for lots of stores and boats. Another source to buy from. “Ran into Ben Laughlin at Fisherman’s Terminal in Seattle. He is captain of a 110 ft. Marco crab boat (American Beauty) and is leaving for southeast Alaska soon for tendering. He still wants another 5 Litre boat, and i got a membership out of him.
“Jack Sipila is getting back involved in our racing. He always said that as soon as he retired he would jump back in, so we will see him and Sherri at Black Lake. Interesting to watch the extended Cole family getting involved in Seattle Inboard events—as a Race Chairman, no less. Wowser! And they run 3 boats as well.
“Katelyn Shaw showed up at the Seattle Drag and Ski meeting at Huff’s palace. She was not intimidated by traveling west to the Pirates’ lair. I was impressed! Dave Cossette is back working on his speedy craft; and Jim Olson is promising a complete and early fix (we shall see). Meanwhile, Jeff Bernard is way out in the lead for the new 5 Litre cash awards program from Jet Chevrolet and other go-to folks who helped the Huff program get started, as the rest of the 5 Litre field have all had problems. It seems we have an early leader for the dreaded ‘Bernie Burndown Award.’
“Fun to watch all the region girls working the events as we round the season, for all three clubs. Great gang of helpers—thanks to all for what you do. Problems persist with the landowners at Black Lake Resort, but race chairman Mike Waters is wading through them and says it will be OK!
“Russ Dodge has a new 1-mile course lined out for Soap Lake. The odd lake has been very fast over the last couple of years. I will tell you it is hard to officiate one that short. Heck, you turn around and here they come again, but the scorer gals save our butts…love ya all!
“I think we will move to requiring a person
“Just finished day 6 with our Jarlpel permit
for Soap Lake; good Lord, what a cluster… 13 emails back and forth. But it is done. Aaron Stephens is working on the other end. Remember, it takes a village... “The TV contract is due for the Soap Lake event. This should be a good event for your sponsors, and our use of several lakes in Grant County. “More to come as the next couple of weeks come rolling around.” Mike White and his group of Sport C Tunnel Boat racers are off to another good start in 2018. They have fielded a strong class at Newberg, Chelan and the spring Lawrence Lake event. Here’s Mike’s report on their season so far: “With April and May behind us, we have had a great start. We had 4 Sport Cs at Lake Lawrence. Then it was pack up and head over the mountains to Lake Chelan. Boat count: 4 Sport Cs and 3 F-150s. Thank you to Seattle Inboard Racing Association for putting this regatta together. We had an awesome time, getting out of the rain into some sunshine on a great race course. We look forward to making this regatta part of our schedule in upcoming years. “Memorial Day weekend brought us down south to Newberg, Oregon to help celebrate the 70th year of racing on the Willamette River. Saturday brought on the North American Championship for Sport C, with a fleet of 6 boats competing. Congrats to Wes Fridell for the win! The 45s raced OPC Saturday and Sunday with 5 boats. We send out a big thank you to Steve Walde and the Walde Racing crew from Region 11 coming up and supporting us so much over the past years. Some great racing and great friendships will never be forgotten.” Seattle Outboard Association has completed its “front loaded” end of a busy season, with successful races at Castle Rock, Kitsap Lake in Bremerton and Silver Lake/Everett. Next up for SOA is the big one: the SO/MO/J Nationals in Moses Lake, slated for mid-July. Ana Cappelletti updates us on SOA news: “Things are starting to really move in SOA. Since the last issue, we have concluded 5 events, and this weekend we are going into our 6th event of the year at Silver Lake in Everett. Our 5th Annual Kenmore Hydroplane Cup was sponsored by 192 Brewery the 1st weekend of April. The next weekend, we went to Moses Lake for our Test and Tune event, and at the end of April we attended Seattle Inboard Racing Association’s Lake Lawrence Run for the Records. Both Kyle Lewis (2) and Trey Marquard (1) set records. Congrats, guys! The weather was good for setting records, but also allowed us not to be hiding under
tents and in motorhomes all weekend. “We then moved on to Castle Rock for a fun weekend and the Mod Winter Nationals May 5-6. We had some exciting racing in multiple classes, not to mention a few spills in the drink. Thank you to our rescue team and race committee for ensuring our drivers’ safety. The Mod Winter Nationals took place on Saturday. Our winners were: J Michael Kelly in both 500MR and 200MR, Jayson Shrock in 750MH, Rick Tronson with his first first in 850MH and Kelly Hannon in 200MH. On Sunday Mother Nature had other ideas and we got blown off, but thanks to all who helped clean up fast. You made it easy to get out of the park and on the road at a decent time. “Our last event thus far in our season was held at Kitsap Lake in Bremerton. Chief Referee Sheryl Rucker stated that it was the best water that race has seen in years. There was a big course for the 104 entries and more on Sunday. Good turnout and some great racing… just as at Castle Rock, a few crashes took place, but rescue was amazing. The volunteers kicked in; a big thank you to those who stayed after to help Dwight get everything loaded. The park was cleaned and vacant by 7:30pm. A big thank you to our sponsor Brother Don’s for great hospitality. We look forward to next year! “As mentioned, our upcoming event is at Silver Lake in Everett. Chaired by Jim Nilsen and his committee, this will be the last race before we start welcoming everyone from all over the USA and beyond to the 2018 Scott and Linda Carson Stock, Mod, J Nationals presented by Penway Media. We also have 4 PRO classes competing for the North American Championship; KPH, OSY400, 350, and 1100R. We have a lot of exciting things planned, and look forward to some awesome racing and quality time with our friends from all over that we don’t get to see often enough.
the weekend, there was much excitement from both Inboarders and outboarders that attended. Saturday was set as a large turn, short straightaway 5 mile/4 lap record course. It seemed to catch racers off guard with what felt like one big turn for 4 laps. Sunday was right back to the usual 1 2/3 mile super speedway built by Russ Dodge. On both days, records fell. At the end of the weekend, only two drivers broke both records: TIRA’s own Jeff Bernard in the Windjammer, and Kyle Lewis in the 28-R. Also, Clack Motorsports got a leg up on the 5 Litre Pro-Light Series with 4 first place finishes. “The following weekend marked the return to one of our favorite races in Chelan, Washington. This first annual Apple Cup Regatta was a great race—not only because it was set up in only 50 days by our co-club member Gordy Cole, but also the locals welcomed us with open arms. It was a good feeling to be racing in town again, not to mention the big ol’ Cinco de Mayo party the town hosted on Saturday! There was killer racing with Inboard, OPC and Vintage classes on the docket. Jason Aslaksons’ S-77 Fury did well with a podium finish; and Jimmie Shane won the first trophy of the year in 2.5 Stock. Russell Mead and Will Hough had some great racing in Sport C as well. Clack Motorsports increased their lead in Pro-Lite Series points by surviving the weekend as the last boat running. Don’t count out the rest of the 5 Litre fleet, though; I heard repairs have been made and boats will be ready for the next race.
“Hello, race fans. As you are well aware, the 2018 racing season is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest. With 2 back-to-back Inboard races already behind us, we are gearing up for 2 more races, on the Columbia River in Richland, Washington and Soap Lake in Ephrata, Washington.
“Back to club news: the joint club effort seemed to work well for the first 2 races this year, combining lots of teamwork and coordination between the clubs which allowed those races to run smoothly. Tacoma Inboard has 2 races later in the season and they are still on track. Pateros on the Columbia River in August and the Western Divisionals at Spanaway in September are still looking for some sponsorship to ease the costs a bit. Please help your local clubs and give them some leads on potential race partners; they could use the help. Quite a few of our co-club members are volunteering to run the school boat at Richland as a big team effort. It was a success last year at this same event and we are striving to create that ‘Ride of a Lifetime’ experience for up-and-coming boat racers. As instructors, our fingers are crossed that Mother Nature and the mighty Columbia River cooperate with us.
“Our first event, held in Yelm, Washington, was sponsored by one of our favorite racing partners: Jet Chevrolet Presents ‘Run For the Records’ on Lawrence Lake. With two different track sizes offered over
“Recently, some West Coast members made the trek over to Cambridge, Maryland for the first Hydroplane Racing League (HRL) race of the season; and I was one of the lucky ones. Also in
“Until the next time… here is to safe travels and good racing!” Waiting in the wings for its racing season to begin is Tacoma Inboard Racing Association. Chris Fanaris reports on races past and future in our busy Inboard schedule:
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John Peeters 499R and Nathan Adams driving 52R in C Stock Hydro at Lake Lawrence. Gleason Racing Photography
attendance was APBA Inboard Chairman Dutch Squires and Inboard Administrator Don Melillo. It was such a great time racing with familiar faces and meeting new drivers, crew members, and race officials. There were a ton of boats; and although the weather was unfavorable on Saturday, Sunday’s racing did not disappoint. I was walking around checking out how the race was run, helping to hold boats, and shooting live video of the racing. What an awesome experience. I am excited to see more of this ‘series’ style of racing. “That’s all for now. I have to get ready for the Broadmoor RV Richland Regatta.” As you can see, things are very busy in the Northwest. More racing to come, and we can’t wait to get to it! Until next time... —Patrick Gleason
REGION 11 Welcome, racers and fans of Region 11! April was off to a good start, with decent numbers representing us in Bakersfield and at the Time Trials in Oroville. We had Stock drivers in the ASH, 20SSH, CSH and 300SSH classes; OPC racers; and a major Region 11 Crackerbox contingent to help out our friends in the South. Meanwhile, in Oroville at the Afterbay, some unofficial records were set on April 21st: Bob Smiley, ASH Kilo - Unofficial 64.51mph (Stock Outboard) and 250ccH 1/4 Mile Unofficial 63.22mph (PRO); John Peeters, BSH Kilo - Unofficial 65.65mph and BSR 1/4 Mile - Unofficial 64.72 (Stock Outboard). Way to go, guys! For the first time, we set up the Oroville venue on Larkin Road on May 19-20. This side of the Afterbay proved to be a great venue for future races. Classes represented were ASH, 20SSH, OSY400, CSH, CSR, Sport C, 300SSH and Crackerbox. Everyone worked together to make this a great weekend of racing. We want to see this one happen again soon. Highlights of the weekend included ASH driver Daniel Wilde 73C, 20SSH David Hale 1C, OSY400 Bob Wartinger 24R, CSH Joe Johnson C139, CSR Brian Vincent 232,
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Sport C Russell Mead 545, 300SSH Joe Johnson, and Crackerbox aces Scott and Matt Stump in the 88P from down south. We have new blood in the Crackerbox and kneelers this year, and look forward to see what they can do. One even joined the “Flipper Club” that weekend, and got initiated to the sport. Our next venue was in Lathrop, CA on June 16-17. Brown Sand Mossdale “Quake at the Quarry” is a prime venue for spectators and race teams. Region 11 drew teams from Arizona, Oregon, Texas and California. The program features SO/MOD/PRO/OPC and Inboard classes. The New Driver/Junior program, headed up by Daniel Wilde, will have J/AX Hydro at all Region 11 events this year. We are open to Junior drivers over the age of 9, and AX drivers of any age (as long as they fit in the small boat). Cost for the weekend is only a single event membership, and all comers are welcome. We start with instruction and finish with test rides. We would like to thank both clubs for donating the water time for the program. Region 11 fields the 300SSH boat at Mossdale Quake at the Quarry, along with all the upcoming Region 11 races. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact Joe Johnson or Jean Mackay-Schwartz, or check any of the Region 11 sites below. I have been busy uploading pictures from the annual meeting and banquet, Bakersfield and Oroville venues into Facebook. I will continue adding all upcoming events at the American Power Boat Association Region 11 Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ groups/130495724451558/. We look forward to some new faces in the Region 11 family. Summer is upon us; let’s have some fun and a safe year of racing. — Nancee Gillis Region 11 Publicity Chairperson
REGION 12 On April 14-15, SCOA held the Western Divisionals at Bakersfield, CA. This was a good event, and there was quite a lot of support from other regions to help this race. J Michael Kelly and Kyle Bahl came all the way from the Seattle area (at least 1,500 miles)
and there was a large contingent of boats from Region 11. With this added support, a number of classes met the requirements to qualify for the Nationals later this summer. Thanks to all that attended. Region 12 is developing a 1 Litre Hydro class. Scott Schatz and Mike Mentor have been racing this for awhile, and looked real good. Jeff Conant (Trafficade) and Dave Hale are still working out the bugs. It is good to see this class getting off the ground, as Region 12 has not had Inboard hydros in many years. On May 19-20, Dave Hale and I went to Oroville for a race. This is a 12-hour drive from Indio (regions are huge out west). Roger Hewson and Casey Jones were also there from Region 12. At this race, there were a couple of good examples of what makes boat racing unique compared to other racing sports. On Saturday, Casey Jones’s motor really blew up, (he’s still not sure why), and he was getting ready to load up and head for home. Then here comes Joe Johnson with a powerhead that we put on in a hurry, and Casey won the CSH class on Saturday. Later in the day Roger Hewson stuck his motor, and he too was going to load up and go home. But then Bob Wartinger came over and loaned him a powerhead, and Roger stayed to race on Sunday. To me, this is what boat racing has always been about. Thanks, guys. At Oroville, there are a lot of forebays and afterbays that are like big lakes. These are filled with water from the big Oroville Dam. We enjoyed a different site from where the races are normally held. It was a nice course, with a good launching area and good pits. It also was semi-protected by an island in the lake. The races were over nice and early on Sunday, so we got on the road at a decent hour. Still, it was still 3:30 AM by the time I got home! Thanks to the race committee for doing an excellent job. We were going north again in June to Mossdale. —Ernie Dawe
RACE IN PEACE
The Jersey Speed Skiff community has lost two great men. We note with sadness the passing of David Greenlaw and Thomas Petterson. Their families and friends passed along many stories about their lives at the services.The JS 99 and JS 77 will still be on the water racing, but we will know that their greatest drivers are no longer at the wheel. —Tom Pakradooni • Photos by F. Peirce Williams DAVE GREENLAW
David H. Greenlaw, 80, passed away Feb. 5, 2018 in Sarasota, Florida. He was loved and admired as the owner/driver of the Veri Cheri JS-99 Jersey Speed Skiff. A fierce competitor, he was considered an icon in the sport that he loved and participated in for close to 60 years. David owned The Crab Shack for over 40 years, along with other retail seafood stores. He lived life his way—to the fullest. In his younger days, he owned several exotic pets and numerous race horses. He loved to travel, collected cars, and enjoyed fishing, boating and playing poker. Generous and kind, Dave is much loved and will be missed by all who knew him. David is survived by his wife, Debbie; children David, Dottie, Douglas and Daniel; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and Cassandra. —Bucks County Courier Times
TOM PETTERSON
Tom S. Petterson, 68, of Blairstown, NJ, passed away on May 11, 2018 in Denville, NJ. Described as “tougher than a $4 steak,” Tom was a fierce and fun Jersey Skiff competitor who resisted stage 4 pancreatic cancer to the end. The son of John and Ruth Petterson, Tom graduated from Ridgewood High School, where he played soccer. He was class president at Fairleigh Dickenson University. He began his teaching career and coached soccer at Middletown High School. After leaving teaching, he started Timberline Stoves in Connecticut. He later moved the company to Kenvil, New Jersey where it is still in business today. He is a past member of the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club, where he crewed on many E Scow sailboats. After retiring from the Yacht Club, Tom purchased a Jersey Speed Skiff. He raced it up and down the East Coast and into Canada, even after his cancer diagnosis.
He won many championships, culminating in his 2016 National High Point Championship. The statement “it takes a village” certainly pertains to his National Championship win. Many of his fellow racers generously donated their time to bring about this highly sought-after title. Unfortunately, 2017 was his final year of racing, but he won the Region 3 High Point Championship despite his deteriorating health. As one person stated, “Boat racing and the racing family were the foundation of his joy. He lived to race and loved his family; it kept him going when the going got tough.” Tom is survived by his wife of 37 years, Juanita; his adored daughter Tamara; mother Ruth; and many, many relatives and friends. He is predeceased by his sister Judy Santiago. A Celebration of Life was held on June 2nd at Just A Mere Farm in Blairstown, NJ. —Newbaker Funeral Home Below, the late, great Tom Petterson JS-77 and Dave Greenlaw JS-99 racing in New Jersey n 2015.
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