Tunnel Boat Racing in the 1970s

1975 Parker Enduro- 700 Miles in 7 Hours

   For Italian Renato Molinari and American Bob Herring, Mercury Marine race team drivers, March 2nd, 1975, was a perfect day. With excellent weather conditions, the team set out to do what no other racing duo had done in the thirteen year  history of the Parker 9 Hour Enduro...lead from the first lap to the finish. No boat that had ever led the first lap had ever ended up winning the race!

   Fifty-four laps and 702 miles after the 9 a.m. starting gun of the energy conservation two hour shortened race, Molinari and Herring posted a record average speed of 100.285 mph in their T-3 Mercury Outboard V6 powered tunnel hull. The winning hull was built by co-driver Molinari and his father, as were twenty percent of the 65 boats entered in the race.

   Mercury team captain Gary Garbrecht and his elite pit crew's stratagy was to run only enough gasoline for one hour at a time before refueling. Keeping the gas load down and changing drivers on schedule (both drivers hardly weigh more than 135 pounds apiece) the team ran off and hid from the competition.

   Constant radio communications were maintained between the drivers and the pits of the Mercury camp. At the start, word came back that Herring was far in the lead over defending Parker Champion Billy Seebold, co-driver of the other Team Mercury tunnel. Seebold was instructed to lay back and wait for development. However the Seebold/Van Der Velden magic failed to last as the # 190 boat struck an object in the water requiring a fast 3 minute -12 second pit stop. Things continued to go wrong for the 1974 champs as a blown powerhead finally put a halt to their racing day.

   Molinari and Herring led for the first 8 laps, relinquishing the front spot to Richard Berg's 350 cubic inch Chevy powered Molinari KT tunnel inboard when they pitted for the first time. Berg's KT kept the lead from the 9th lap to the 23rd, averaging speeds at times upwards of 100.77 mph and that doesn't include pit stops, so the actual cruising speed is higher! After losing the lead back to the charging Mercury team, Berg's inboard/outboard tunnel continued til the 40th lap when it suffered a broken timing chain. Mercury's T-3 entry crossed the finish line the winner with Renato Molinari in the driver's seat at the 4 p.m. curfew.

   OMC had a couple of their V6 outboard powered rigs at Parker (no rotaries) but discovered soft gears while testing prior to the race and were forced to run old gear ratios. Johnnie Sanders and Tommy Posey lasted for 38 laps (494 miles). OMC's other team, Jimbo McConnell and Barry Woods made it through the entire race, finishing one lap behind the Mercury winner. Another OMC driver, Tm Briggs of Lake Forest, Illinois, lost almost half an hour when he stopped  to help A. Cordosa of Brasil who had flipped his KT and landed unconscious in the water with facial injuries. I was saddened to learn of the death of Tim Briggs during an auto accident in Colorado.

   In the Grand National class, Brian Ewald of Villa Park, California was the winner, finishing 16th overall and first in Division IV by completing 38 laps at 70.57 mph. This class included the hot GN's as well as all other flatbottom vee-driven boats.

   Division II for S and U outboards was won by Ron Hill and Fred Hauenstein Jr. The pair finished 3rd overall in their V-4 Evinrude powered Scotticraft tunnel.

   The Colorado based team of Joe and Bob Sober drove their Johnson powered Schulse to first place honors in Division III as well as finishing 10th overall. They averaged a respectable 79.86 mph.

   Jim Brock won Division V for jet boats in a Chevy powered Sleek Craft with Berkley pump, completing 30 laps of the 13 mile course averaging 55.71 mph.

   For awhile it seemed it would be the year for the inboard KT tunnels to upset the outboarders. Heavy hitters like KT # 23 Bill Olney; IT # 79 Richard Berg; IT # 80 Art Williams; IT # 107 Lou Brunette and Jack Rex; KT # 177 Rudy Ramos (Havasu OWC winner); and APBA President, Bob Nordskog, Ted May, and Pat Murphy with KT # 4 and KT # 6 presented a tough field. The eventual KT winner was Art Williams in a 350 Chevy powered Moly that averaged 89.14 miles for 48 laps or 624 miles. There was some confution for the KT's however since some boats showed up wearing an IT designation. Since the 7 hour Enduro was being run under 1974 APBA rules, the KT prefix was the correct one.

1969 Havasu Outboard World Championships,

  Italians, not particularly well known for winning anything the last thousand years , give or take a few hundred years, are dominating the outboard racing world. In fact, an Italian driver, Cesare Scotti, won the Outboard World Championships at Lake Havasu City,  in an Italian boat, a Molinari, powered by twin Evinrude X-115 motors. Evinrudes had won since the Italians, but this was the first OMC breakthrough at Havasu where Black Power (Mercury) had dominated for the previous five years. One pit wit pointed out that the Italians are well known for running fast and that he figured the 33-year old Scotti was a naval reservist getting ready for World War III. The hawk faced Scotti, second behind Kenny Kitson in the 1968 Outboard World Championships, clearly was the class of the 1969 race. Cesare is a product of the rough and tumble European outboard circuit and would have been difficult to beat even if he didn't have speed on the rest of the field. The 120-pound Scotti cut off more people on the course than have been chopped from California's inflated welfare rolls. There were rumblings from all over the pits that his Roman nose stood a good chance of being realigned. Scotti apologised. However, several drivers were wondering late Sunday if the interpreter was unskilled labour, claiming that Scotti was still chopping them in the final four hours of driving.

   There was a lot of conversation, but no protests were filed during the post race time limit. Perhaps some felt they couldn't prove the accusation and one, Bobby Massey, hadn't been towed off the course in time to file. This writer saw Scotti slam the door on six drivers on Saturday but none on Sunday.

   It was quite a weekend for OMC.Not only was Scotti using Evinrudes, the second place finisher, Johnnie Sanders of Albilene, Texas, piloted a Glastron/Molinari with a pair of Johnsons. To round out OMC and Molinari's super good fortune, Jimbo McConnell of Victorville, California was the first single engine to finish, good for sixth overall, in a Glastron/Molinari with an Evinrude. Add to that, Ralph Evinrude, head of OMC, was named Powerboat's "Man of the Year." Evinrude, who contributed $20,000.00 to the 1969 purse of $50,000.00, and big Bob McCulloch, grand puba of Lake Havasu city, announced at the trophy presentations that each were kicking in another $5,000.00 and that the purse for the 1970 championships would be $60,000.00 That definately makes it the biggest purse in boat racing history. Would you believe maybe $20,000.00 for first place? That was an aweful lot of money back in the day. Scotti collected $15,000.00 for his victory. We figure that should be 42 pounds of lira. Sanders, who outlasted the best at Berlin, was rewarded with $7,000.00 for his second place finish.

   Others in the Top 10 were: (3rd) Bill Sirois, Miami, Florida Molinari, two Mercury stackers: (4th) Dick Sherrer, Seal Beach, California, Glastron/Molinari, twin Mercury stackers: (5th) Harold Eis, Topeka, Kansas, Eis Super Cat, twin Mercury Super BP's: (6th) Jimbo McConnell, Glastron Molinari, single Evinrude X-115: (7th) Lou Brunette, Ojai, California, Ron Jones, triple Mercury stackers: (8th) Mike Quayle, Huron, Ohio, Molinari, single Mercury stacker: (9th) Jerry Craig, Baytown, Texas, Glastron/Molinari single Johnson: (10th) Robert George, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Fellercraft, triple Mercury stackers.

   Big don Pruett took off as though he planned on repeating his sensational Elsinore 500 victory, taking the lead on the third lap and improving his position. While Pruett, the Electric Indian, was widening his lead the pack was forming behind him with Fred Hauenstein Jr. of Sunnyvale California: Bill Petty of Wapakoneta, Ohio, Kitson, Scotti, Joe Habay of Ypsilanti, Michigan: Jim Hurtubise of North Tonawanda,NY, and Robert George all setting their sights on the three Mercury stackers on his transom.

   Hurtubise, driving the Pepsi Special, was the first to go out when the Indy car drivers boat hit something in the water and sank. The hard driving Habay was next and he'll have a limp for quite awhile to remind him of his first blow-over since 1965, fracturing his right ankle when he crashed. About this time Pruett went into the pits briefly and Petty surged into the lead. Back out on the course, Pruett again moved out front, Petty held second, and Scotti was third. With Pruett and then Petty into the pits for lower unit repairs, Scotti took over the lead on the 37th lap of the 4 mile course and stayed there for the remainder of Day 1 as slim Johnnie Sanders tried frantically to catch the shadow.

   The end of four hours of racing found Scotti, Sanders, And George with 69 laps. Except for a monumental goof Scotti would have had a one lap lead. You might say Scotti triumphed dispite his pit crew and scorer. He was leading but having fuel problems Saturday. He limped into the pits at the end of the first day but had he travelled another 200 yards, crossing the finish line he would have been credited with another lap and had a clean cut lead. Sunday he came out of the pack in the spectacular modified Lemans start, quickly rushing into a lead he never gave up. Not only had Cesare's scorer missed recording him coming out of the pits on Saturday, it was found later Sunday that there were two page 70's in his score book, both had been recorded, and the relief scorer also missed him coming out of the pits that day. Not only did he have to beat everybody on the course, he had bumbling friends screwing things up on the beach.

   Pruett, probably the champion lower unit breaker of all time, returned to the course late, making up a lot of laps but his bid, which was destined to fall short, came to an abrupt end when he collided with another boat.

  Several entries were really screaming in the late going but although the hard charging Sanders (Johnson) and Sirois (Mercury) stayed close they couldn't catch the Italian in his dual Evinrude X-115 Molinari. Scotti shattered all the Havasu records, most of which were held by Kenny Kitson. These included a new distance mark of 584 miles in the eight hours, erasing Kitsons record of 512. Scotti's average speed was 73 miles per hour as compared to Kitson's 64 of the previous year. Scotti averaged 77 mph on Sunday and 80 mph during the final hour to shut the door. Only 45 of the 111 starters were running at the end of eight hours of racing.

   Two time Havasu OWC champ harold Eis of Kansas, who really gets his cat going after the field thins out, went from 9th to 5th place in the final hour

   Renato Molinari of Italy, another pre-race favorite, destroyed his Molinari in Friday practice. Last year he got all the way to the start before sinking. A siseable crowd (20,000 estimated), exceptional weather, few serious injuries, record speeds, and a bigger purse for next year. Hey, that Havasu race is something else!

1971 Havasu Outboard World Championships

   Bill Sirois ( that's spelled Cirrhosis as far as OMC is concerned) made a laugher of the competition in the 1971 Havasu Outboard World Championship, setting records in both speed and distance- winning easily.

   "I couldn't have caught him. There was no way short of trouble with his boat that would have given me the race" said 2nd place Reggie Fountain from Tarboro, North Carolina. Little Reggie, who had a great year in 1971, was over 12 miles behind Sirois when the Lake Havasu City classic finished.

   It was a very big win for the Mercury Factory. It was the new "Twister" engine that gave the Mercury crew seven of the first 10 places, including the first single. The easy- going Sirois, who calls Fort Lauderdale home, led the Merc charge as he successfully defended the championship he won in 1970 and hung up distance marks of 660 miles and an average speed of 82 1/2 miles per hour. Sirois' old marks were 640 miles and a speed of 79 miles per hour. The difference had to be in the Twister engines for Sirois was driving the same 20ft wooden Molinari hull that Jim Merten drove to second place at last years Havasu Championships. Although Sirois is one of the best drivers in the world, he isn't that many miles better than Merten, so it must have been the engines.

   Third place was annexed by Harold Eis of Topeka, Kansas. Harold, who won the first two Havasu races and is a contender in every race he enters, was the first non-factory finisher. The first three finishers were duals. OMC didn't enter any multiple engine crafts. The singles furnished the excitement after it got to the point that everyone realised that the only way the sandy-haired Sirois could lose was to break down.

   Tough little Renato Molinari of Lake Como, Italy ended up taking first single and fourth overall. Bob Herring of Sheboygen, Wisconsin, started the second day for Molinari, Renato driving the last two and a half hours. Early single action was something like this. Herring took the lead early, in fact pacing the entire race. He stayed out front until he had to beach the boat with a hole in the bottom. Then Molinari moved to the front, holding the top spot until he pitted on the 54th lap. Mike Downard, another Merc factory driver, then set the pace.

   Little Mike, the winner of the Paris 6 Hour, took the lead on the second day of racing, but beached his boat in front of the judges' stand on the 104th lap when his engine caught fire!

   Bill Seebold, another Merc factory man and many times  a National Champion in both OPC and alky outboard racing took the single lead, but had to give it up in the pits.

   Mike Wallace of Venice, California, winner of last years Powerboat Marathon of Champions and a long time dominant force in inbord marathon racing, put his Evinrude powered Schulse boat in front. About this time is when the crowd of 40,000 started blowing their minds.

   Berlin 6 Hour winner Jimbo McConnell, who now gets his mail in Wonder Lake, Illinois, when not working at the OMC factory was really flying his Scotticraft/Evinrude rig at this point and moved past Wallace on the 138th lap. Nine laps later Jimbo barrel rolled the Scotticraft twice. Thrown out, he swam back to the upright boat and climbed aboard. He had to dig part of the fibreglass cowling out of the flywheel before he could start again.

   Wallace was back in the lead. But could he hold off the relentless Molinari who already had lapped him twice to make up some of his first day deficit. It didn't appear that Molinari had a chance for he had to pit. His crew fueled him in 15 seconds. It had been planned that Herring would replace Molinari at that stop, but Mercury strategy makers called that off for fear that some time might be lost in making the driver switch. Molinari went back on the course and caught Wallace with three laps to go and won the singles division by a mere 24 seconds. A one lap penalty assessed Wallace at the start of the race on Saturday had cost him first single engine honors. Herring and Molinari picked up three laps on the field on Sunday, even lapping the first three finishing dual engine boats.

   While Jimbo was trying to pick the teeth of his flywheel, Dick Sherrer of Seal Beach, California also passed him. Sherrer, a one time winner of Powerboat's Marathon of Champions, brought his Molinari/Mercury across the line  as 6th overall and third single. Jimbo finally got things going to take 7th place for OMC. Molinari, Wallace, and Sherrer were all on the same lap, the 155th.

   So, the singles really aren't competitive against the bigger duals at this stage of the game. They are getting close. But, Sirois, who cooled it on the second day in turning three less laps than on Saturday, was another 10 laps or 40 miles ahead after 8 hours of racing. And, you'd better believe that everone of the top finishing singles were on the hairy edge.

   Rounding out the top 10 were veteran Hiram (Mickey) Mueck of La Port, Texas in a Glastron Molinari powered by dual Mercurys. Ron Brown of Fort Collins, Colorado obviously in good health after his serious injuries of last season was 9th. Powerboat Mag owner, Bob Nordskog in a single Johnson powered Schulse was 10th.