June 2016

The perilous career of driver Scott Pierce. In 1984, Scott Pierce was driving Fred Leland’s boat in Madison when it crashed in qualifying and started to sink. Pierce’s parachute harness got caught in the boat and nearly pulled him under. Later, at Clifty Falls State Park, the NewsJournal’s Clint Newman was hanging out with friends when a car drove up bringing Pierce back from the hospital. Though banged up and broken, Pierce saw the fans on the balcony and said, “I’d give my ass for a shot of Bourbon and some pizza!” Newman and his friends said, “Come on in!” The following interview was conducted by Newman 31 years later during the 2015 Madison Regatta. Scott, I know your dad, Laird famous 266 called Miss Parco. They Pierce, was a boat racer. Tell me a won two world championships little about your dad and his with that boat (1964 in Morgan influence on your life. City and 1966 in Seattle). 1966 is also the year he first got involved My dad raced cars when he in unlimiteds. They bought a boat was a teenager. In 1960, I believe, from the Gordon brothers. he built what turned out to be a Freddie Alter engineered the deal and they ran it as the Miss Dixi Cola. v They did relatively well with it. The boat was never a world beater, but IN THIS ISSUE: it got a couple of seconds. My dad decided to get a better boat, so he 2 My $0.02 Worth had Bob Patterson build the first Collection Harsin Ron by Andy Muntz Parco’s O-Ring Miss. Chuck highway, and said, “I never want to Hickling designed the little boat see that damn boat again!” 3 Shane returns to and the unlimited, so it was a blown That night he ordered a Madison team up version of the 266. They tried Karelsen hull that was supposed 9 Steve Montgomery a lot of different stuff and the boat to be a replica of the Bardahl, the interview, Part 3 never really worked out for him. He Budweiser and the Notre Dame, the ended up taking it out and flooding top boats at that time. Unfortu- 15 Heritage the engine. It finally started, but my nately, his boat was built a little by Craig Fjarlie dad drove the thing to the bottom differently and, once again, he faced of Lake Elsinore. He came floating disappointment. He had bought all 17 HydroFile out of the top, walked up the boat of Ole Bardahl’s Rolls Royce Merlin by Lon Erickson ramp, jumped in his T Bird, hit the Continued on page 4 Andy My $0.02 Worth Muntz Editorial Comment

Sven Ellstrom they lived in Ballard, an enclave for fellow Scandinavians where they ited hydroplane racing, a move that Unlimited hydroplane racing lost could readily find the meat balls, seemed natural given his family’s a patriarch this past month. Sven lingonberry jam, and fruit soups passion for the water and boating. Ellstrom, a self-made success story, that reminded them of home In 1994 he agreed to sponsor an passed away on May 18 at the age Ellstrom was focused on using experimental four-point boat that is of 87. his engineering skills to make now best known for the spectacular His was a career much like an- something of himself, so he crafted backflip that it performed during other of unlimited racing’s greatest a press from scrap iron and mod- a test run on Lake Washington on participants: Ole Bardahl. While ified a table saw to begin experi- the morning of the Seattle race. Bardahl immigrated from Norway, menting with laminates. From that, The following year, Ellstrom’s three tinkered with oil additives and he built an enterprise that would children—Tom, Erick and Lisa—de- became a millionaire, Ellstrom did become a worldwide supplier of cided to build their own Miss E-Lam the same in the world of laminates. panel components for the marine, Plus, and from there came a career He was born in Sweden, was a flight aircraft, fixture, furniture, and spe- that has so far collected 28 race engineer in the Royal Swedish Air cialty products industries. victories, including five Gold Cups, Force, then, in 1956, he and his wife For example, during a trip to and three national championships. Kerstin decided to take the gigantic Sweden to visit his sister in the Scott Carson, a friend, a fan of risk of leaving their native country early 1990s, Ellstrom noticed a new hydroplane racing, and a former to seek a better life in the United type of flooring made of laminates, CEO of Boeing Commercial Air- States. so he took a sample home to Seattle planes, described Ellstrom as a very They initially lived in Califor- and his STEL Flooring, Inc., a sub- kind man, but also a very shrewd nia, but eventually devised a plan sidiary of Ellstrom Manufacturing, businessman, “who came from a to move to Alaska. Problem was, became the first company to make different place and time and built a the $854 they had scraped togeth- laminate flooring in the United very successful enterprise, an enter- er wasn’t going to be enough to States. prise that was always able to change get them that far. So, they instead It was about this same time that with the times.” settled in Seattle. More specifically, Ellstrom decided to get into unlim-

EDITOR: Andy Muntz EDITOR EMERITUS: Michael Prophet ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Craig Fjarlie, Chris Tracy, Dick Sanders HYDROFILE EDITOR/WEBMASTER: Lon Erickson HISTORIAN: Bob Greenhow SPECIAL PROJECTS: Kirk Pagel EDITORIAL BOARD: Clint Newman II, Bob Senior

Unlimited NewsJournal, established in 1973, is published by Unlimiteds Unanimous, an enthusiast club interested in promoting and documenting the sport of unlimited hydroplane racing. Copyright © 2016, Unlimited NewsJournal. Reproduction or in whole or part is not permitted without written approval of the Unlimited NewsJournal.

EDITOR: Unlimited NewsJournal, 14313 Beverly Edmonds Road, Edmonds, WA 98026. Email: [email protected] Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

2 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 Shane returns to the Madison race team. immy Shane has decided to focused on continued success and return to the Miss Madison I would like to extend a big thank Jrace team for the 2016 season you to the fans and supporters of and will be behind the controls the team who helped make my deci- of the Miss HomeStreet Bank in an sion to return as the driver for such effort to win his fourth straight a great team an easy one.” title. The team also announced that Team Manager Charlie Grooms crewmember Dan Hoover will take said Miss Madison, Inc., and Home- over duties as crew chief. Street Bank are extremely pleased Just last month we reported in to have Shane back. “Events of the the NewsJournal that Shane and the last several weeks have reshaped team’s crew chief, Larry Hanson, our focus and, with the promotion were leaving the team. In a state- of Dan Hoover as crew chief, we ment made at the time, Shane said can’t be more excited to start a Lon Erickson he needed to do what was best for campaign to repeat our national Dan Hoover himself and his family, but also Continued on page 16 left the door open for a return to unlimited racing. That return took Remembering Peter Thomson. less than a month. By Craig Fjarlie Unlimited inspector Peter Thom- son passed away unexpectedly on May 13. He was 73. Thomson, nicknamed “The Sheriff,” was a thorough inspector known for his quirky sense of humor. He operated a fiberglass and insulation business. Thomson started racing with Seattle Inboard Racing Association

in the 7-litre Division II class in the Kirk Pagel

Lon Erickson mid-70s. He drove boats built by assistance. Thomson’s knowledge Jimmy Shane Don Kelson. He was known to be a of hull construction was import- “The team has made great very competitive driver, but also a ant. He focused on items such as strides over the last few weeks in its safe driver. He was the kind of racer hull integrity and design of skid fin racing plans for the 2016 season,” that others could run next to with- brackets. A few years later, after Shane said. “The team is once again out having to worry that he would Nelson retired, Thomson took over setting itself up to be a top contend- do something dangerous. He set as head inspector. He was willing to er and looking forward to defend- two records in 7-litre Division I in help teams if he detected problems ing both our high 1982, and another record in 1983. that needed correcting. points championships and APBA Thomson learned about boat The pit area will be quieter with Gold Cup victories.” building from Kelson and used his Thomson’s passing. His smile, Shane said he is also looking knowledge to become an inspector. funny hats, and unique humor will forward to the team’s new partner- In the mid-90s, Ed Nelson recruit- be missed, but his memory will ship with HomeStreet Bank and ed Thomson to help inspect the live on with those who knew him. working to promote their company. unlimiteds. At that time, inspecting He was a friend who helped make “The past month has raised some turbine boats was becoming a more racing fun. Thomson is survived by awareness in keeping the team complex task and Nelson needed his wife, Sam.

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 3 The Scott Pierce story. Continued from page 1 equipment, so he had the finest engines and a geat crew. He had Billy Schumacher driving the thing. He had 15-year-old Scott working on the boat, getting in the way, and they tried and tried, but the best it ever did was a second in Wash- ington, D.C. It never amounted to much. He was done. He died two years later at 41 years old. The sad part for me, of course, was losing my dad when I was 16 years old. He only lived to age 41,

him not being able to enjoy any of Collection Sandy Ross the success I was able to have in my career. It was his dream to win an unlimited race. He knew how difficult it is. Obviously, I wouldn’t have been doing this for all these years if it wasn’t for my dad. I retired from driving boats in 2013. At that point, I had 54 years of competition, starting at age 5 in go-carts, moving my way up to Ron Harsin Collection Harsin Ron the small boats, then the big boats. [Top] Scott Pierce’s unlimited driving debut came at the 1981 Champion Spark Plug Regatta It’s been a long run, and he ‘was in Miami while at the controls of a boat named Michael’s Pride. He managed a fourth-place responsible for it, good or bad. finish. [Above] That season ended in Acapulco with the boat renamedOh Boy! Oberto. What was your first ride in the it. Danny Heye was hired as crew unlimiteds? chief, his first crew chief job. We got that thing good. In our It was in 1981 with Bill Wurster. second race, Detroit, we came in He had bought the original U-95 second. We were fourth in National turbine from Chuck King. The boat High Points, I got the Rookie of the had been given to Pete LaRock in Year deal, and the boat made every exchange for some construction final heat except one that year. work. Pete originally put an Allison engine in it, but it wasn’t all that Who sponsored that boat? fast. Somewhere along the line, Pete installed a Merlin in it. That helped, We had Great Scott in Evansville but it still didn’t do all that well. and North Tool in Detroit. On the Chuck King ran it for a couple West Coast it was the Oh Boy! of years. It wasn’t very good. Bill Oberto. At the end of 1981, they Wurster bought it with a couple of decided that they had a guy who other guys from Edmonds, Wash- wanted to buy in to the boat and Laird Pierce ington, and I was hired to drive he wanted to drive it. They were

4 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 the boat, but that was my first race you the best.” So, I left Budweiser. in the boat. In 1986, I drove the We had the marine turbine in Budweiser Griffon boat on the East the old Executone boat for one year Coast, and then in July at Madison and won Detroit with it. That’s I was approached by Rich George, probably the best drive I ever drove special events manager for Proctor in my life. [Ed: Mr. Pringles in 1987]. and Gamble. I was standing in the In 1988, they built a new boat, a back of the Budweiser truck and Jones design but the crew guys he walked up, introduced himself, (Danny Heye and Tracy Bratvold) and said he was going to get P&G put the boat together. We went to involved in the sport. He had done the first race in 1988 in the new his research and they wanted me to boat. That’s where Jimmy Kropfeld be their driver. They really needed and I got tangled up. Jimmy ended someone who was savvy with the up breaking his neck. I drowned! media, and could talk to customers, I was a dead guy, but they got me and also drive a race boat. They back to life. We didn’t start off too needed a full-package deal. So, they good. We went to Detroit and I was

Tony Bugeja Tony offered a number that I couldn’t in really bad shape. I shouldn’t have paying me, so they left the guy with refuse. I went to Bernie and said, “I been in the boat. My lungs were just the money in the boat, not a kid. know I’ve got a contract, but I have tortured. I climbed in and, luckily, So I went on and started driving a real opportunity here. You are it didn’t start one heat. That kept for Leland and Chuck Hickling. running a two-boat deal.” He gave us out of the final. I don’t think I In 1982, I drove the Bud Light for me his blessings and said, “I wish would have made five laps. Then we Bernie (Little). It was second in the world championship in Houston. I still say today that I won the race. Chip Hanauer and Jim Kropfeld were so far over the line at the start. I thought I had jumped the gun, and they were way ahead of me! I started to make a name for myself. In 1984, Bill Wurster had Executone telephones as a sponsor, so they ordered a brand-new (Jim) Lucero boat. George Johnson drove it in 1984, but they weren’t doing Don Mock very good with it. The sponsor actually came to me and asked me to consider driving the boat. I thought the boat had a lot of potential. We agreed on a number and then the sponsor told Bill, “Meet your new driver, Scotty Pierce!” He said, “That’s my old driver!” We prepared 13 Rolls Royce Merlin engines that winter. The first race in 1985 was in Miami and I won the darn thing. I had tested [Top] Executone at San Diego in 1985. [Above] Mr. Pringles at the Tri-Cities in 1988.

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 5 everything in my body. I was 40 years old and still a young man. I took the money and built that business with it. They got Chip to drive the Bud, then he crashed at Seattle. I hadn’t driven in over a year and a half. I jumped in it and was leading and should have won the race. The rear wing broke, and once that happened, I couldn’t keep the boat on the water. George Woods came around and passed me. I was happy for George.

Then you tried car racing?

In 1997 I was driving an unlimited for Fred Leland and it was fast, way faster than his primary boat, the Rick Sullivan Pico. Fred didn’t like that because Scott Pierce (left) with Budweiser teammate Tom D’Eath. Pico was paying the bills. I had a came to Madison and they turned What was the last year you drove race-to-race sponsorship. In everything around. I won the race the Bud? Detroit, I got the thing over at and went on from there. about 220 mph and really had a In 1989, I had three blow-over 1992. I left the sport in 1991, I severe head injury that they didn’t accidents in that boat. It was just bought Seattle Boat Company, a know about until two weeks later. a weird thing. The crew thought large Cobalt dealership that was My wife found me wandering it was me. I was convinced it was bankrupt. Being the genius I am, I around the neighborhood in my them. Bernie had come back to me bought a bankrupt company and bathrobe and thought that some- and said, “Things aren’t going real thought I could turn it around. thing had to be wrong. good for you over there.” I said, I did. It turned into a successful At the end of ’97, I had always “Yeah, I’m driving with a broken endeavor. I took the money because dreamed of racing sprint cars. I just leg, I’ve got to be picked in and out I knew what I had been through. At think they are the baddest things to of the boat, I feel like I’m going to that point I had broken just about the bone. Eight hundred horsepow- get killed in this thing! He said, “You need to heal. Why don’t you take a year off and I’ll hire you at a full salary. Technically, you’ll be Tommy D’Eath’s back-up driver. Tommy’s getting a little older and you are the next Budweiser driver.” That was a gift from heaven. I got a check and I had to take the boat out twice the whole year. Tommy got hurt, I think in early 1991. He got his neck broken in a stock car deal down in Charlotte. That put me in the boat and I won the world championship in it. Pierce in the rescue boat following an acccident at Miami in 1988.

6 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 when I surfaced the river, the boat went right by me and the parachute got caught in the rear wing of the boat. I knew the boat would sink, so I told the diver that jumped in to cut the lanyard because the parachute’s caught in the boat. He said, “I don’t have a knife!” I said, “Get well away from me.” He asked why. I told him that I had to swim out of the lifejacket or I would die. He stood by. There are 10 or 15 Chris Denslow buckles, zippers… but I swam out Pierce aboard the Trendwest in 2001. of that thing, they stuck me in the er in a thousand-pound car sound- and said that he would get me back litter, started over to the ramp. I ed like a good deal to me. I bought a in a race boat. I told him that the looked down and there was a bone sprint car and we ran those for ten last thing I was thinking about was sticking through my right arm. It years, the last four or five, Oberto a race boat. Let me just get up and just goes to show you what a human was our sponsor. We were very walk without pain. He did the can do with adrenaline. That arm successful, won a bunch of races. surgery pro bono. He was a big shouldn’t have worked at all, but In 2001, Jim Harvey called and fan, a heck of a guy. He saved my I’m here today. It got me out. asked if I would be willing to drive life. The next year, I was driving a his unlimited that year. I didn’t Grand Prix boat and loving it. Do you have a favorite boat of all really want to do it, but I told Sue that you drove? that the last time I left the sport it The first time I met you was here was in the back of a meat wagon. in Madison, the year that you had I would have to say that it was the We had a tough time. I’d like to go an accident in Fred Leland’s boat 1985 Executone boat, just because out walking out on my own terms. while qualifying. You were wearing it was my first introduction into a She agreed and we went out, a parachute, the boat went down, good ride. It was a well-prepared exorcized all the demons, and did your straps were hooked up in the boat, had a good crew, a supportive fairly well with the boat. It was a boat and the boat about pulled you owner and sponsor, and the first good boat. I was out of boat racing under. Some folks probably don’t race I ever sat in the boat I won. until I got roped into this Grand remember the parachute days. You couldn’t write a movie to be Prix deal. What was the theory back then on any better than that. As far as the I was in a wheelchair five years the parachute? best driving boat I ever had, it was ago, I couldn’t walk. From all the definitely theMiss Budweiser. It accidents, my back was just gone. The boats had open cockpits and was so well prepared, had so many One of the tour doctors, one of the no seat belts. The theory was to get smart people working on it. It best surgeons in the world, said, thrown away from the boat. The went really fast. I sat up at the Lake “I can fix that!” I was in the one parachute would open on the back Stevens dyno, Budweiser’s dyno, percent pain category. That means of the life jacket. The parachute many days watching engines make that only one percent of the people would slow you down and put you an honest 4,000 horsepower. Today in this world have ever been in that into the water feet first rather than they make maybe 2,650 horsepow- amount of pain. I was stuck in the going in head first and breaking er if they are lucky. We had some chair. I couldn’t lie down, I couldn’t your neck. For the time, it was a serious horsepower to run with. go horizontal, I would scream at good idea and it worked when I They have way better hulls today, the top of my lungs when the pain came out of the boat. The boat was which is why they go as fast as they would hit. I was in bad, bad shape. upside down. It just happened to be go. Today, they are using hull and He performed the operation on me propeller technology to go fast.

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 7 Of all the drivers that you competed against, who, in your opinion, was the best driver?

By far and away, the greatest driver I ever dealt with was Jim Kropfeld. Jim was just an animal. Chip’s no slouch and he’s a close second, but Jim was tops. He was a tremen- dous human being. He raced you clean. We were all getting paid a lot of money in those days. There was a lot of stuff going on out that there that you don’t see so much anymore. There were big salaries in Tri-Cities, they asked me how I to run a GP boat today is basically at stake. There are only eight or could get back in a boat. I said that what it cost us in the mid-‘80s to nine of those jobs in the world. I never even thought another thing run a competitive Merlin program. Everybody thinks they are a driver. of it. It’s what I do. I make a living A couple of hundred thousand Everyone wants to be a hero. I went doing this. This is my job. I don’t dollars a year. Sooner or later, ev- deck-to-deck with Jim Kropfeld so have thoughts like that. I just got erybody runs out of money. This is many times. It was awesome. What in and did the best I could do with our year to prove our worth. Both I admired about him the most was what I had to work with. series will benefit from this new he just never had a “quit” attitude TV package and the enthusiasm in him. That’s hard, because some- When did you start with the Grand that everybody has to see the sport times you are behind, you didn’t get Prix boats? survive and grow. We are thrilled to the lane you wanted, didn’t get the be a part of it. I’m thrilled to do my turn you wanted. For me, I remem- We bought our team in 2010. It’s part. I have a little more duty than ber telling myself, Scotty, push the been a long haul. The whole idea I would like. I run my own marine pedal all the way down. I did, and from the beginning was exactly business and my own race team. I drove a boat pretty hard. But I what you will see this weekend Me and one other guy, Larry Linn, remember Kropfeld saying, “Put the (at Madison.) The unlimiteds get the president of GPW, and Shawn throttle down. The thing ain’t over. a lot of criticism because they are Bridgeman, one of the team owner’s Don’t give up!” Jimmy only had one so quiet. The GPs are anything but wives, we basically do all the work. position, and that was down! quiet. The unlimiteds have a lot to There’s nothing left to do but put sell with their technology and their on a show that everybody enjoys. Did you ever have just a bad feeling speed, their size, and the competi- getting in a boat? Thinking, I don’t tion. But, there is a hole there, and Thanks Scott. Good luck with your know if I want to do this today, in the hole is the noise. The GPs fill GPW, this boat? that hole very nicely. When Steve David took over, A couple of final notes: Since this inter- There should have been a lot of we go way back, and it took us view was conducted last summer, there them that I had that feeling about. about 30 days to execute an agree- has been an organizational restructure I was standing there with Dean ment, Steve’s vision for rebuilding of GPW and leadership going into the Chenoweth’s daughter, Kelly, the unlimiteds and my vision for 2016 season. Also, Scott Pierce under- watching Dean die in Tri-Cities. building the GPs into a quality went quintuple bypass surgery in early The year before, I had Bill Muncey show. Touring the country, pulling May of this year. He is now at home in in my arms at the beach when he in lots of fans, attracting sponsors. Seattle recovering. We wish him well on crashed and died. In an article back We are all about spent out. The cost his road to a speedy and full recovery.

8 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 A visit with hydro broadcaster Steve Montgomery, Part 3. In parts one and two, Steve Montgomery told how he broke into the broadcasting business, his early involvement with unlimited hydroplane racing, various people with whom he worked, and sponsors that he helped bring into the sport. In the final installment of the interview, Montgomery discusses the change in H1 leadership from Sam Cole to Steve David, reviews the 2015 season in relation to his role with the Ellstrom team, and peers into his crystal ball for a look at the 2016 season. The interview was conducted by Craig Fjarlie.

What can you tell us about your current role with the sport?

Well, I had a day-to-day job with H1, which was media relations and running the website and keeping track of social media, which you have to keep track of because of the goof-balls that want to get on there and say things for various reasons, whether it’s sponsors or whoever, you don’t want on your Facebook page. The website job meant a lot of writing. Creating content is a big part of that job, besides keeping up the website. It was a time-consum- Page Facebook Montgomery Steve ing, low-paying job. Actually, two Debbie and Steve Montgomery years ago I told Sam Cole I wanted animosity back and forth between You’ve been on TV doing ads and to retire from that. He told me he these people and those people. things. was putting together a trip to China I finally went to Steve David. I and some other stuff and would told him what I wanted to do. He Yes and I wanted to get back to appreciate if I could stay a year and said, “Would you still be willing if doing more of that here in my help with all that. So we did, think- we had streaming and needed an golden years. I still don’t know how ing we were going to China. Besides announcer or something?” I said, I got to be 70 and 71. And, now 72. that, in the job I was in, you’re in “We could talk about that as long as That’s like the last decade or two the middle of all the politics. it didn’t involve every day.” I mean, slipped away. Still do some stream- I probably averaged over an hour a ing and voice work for the sport. Oh, yeah. day, two, three, and then there were There is a fairly unique skill set days I didn’t do much. And there involved for a lot of that stuff and it At my age I was able to deal with were days when I worked all day on helps if you have your own studio. it pretty well, but it wasn’t much that stuff. Things like my business We don’t have a lot of people with fun a lot of the time. I’m a person suffered as a result. That business is TV experience. I enjoy listening to who usually gets along with every- fun and it makes some actual mon- Brad Luce and Jeff Ayler on PA body, and there was just so much ey when I put a little time into it. systems, but TV is a different

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 9 animal, technically and style wise. Mark Allen is a real pro and I was glad to see him take over the KIRO- TV broadcast. I enjoyed working with Bill Weber and I thought he did a nice job for us. He got into some political problems. The sport had financial issues. We had a production company that had financial issues. Bill didn’t get all the money he was supposed to so he was justifiably upset. But I enjoyed the work he did. I’m way

past the point where my ego was Chris Denslow involved. That’s actually an that left the last decade or two. So, a look at ellstromracing.com and important thing to say. I have a it was, “Weren’t you disappointed you can see the new website we kind of a low profile as a personal- when Bill Weber became the have. ity in the sport. It wasn’t like some anchor?” And I said, “No, I’m of the guys who have been… I won’t happy to listen to somebody else How did the arrangement with say any names, but there are certain if they do a good job.” For me it’s Ellstrom come about? names. “Oh, he was the greatest not about me wanting to do it. It’s announcer ever.” When I was about wanting the sport to look and We were in Doha and there was announcing the sport, it was never sound good, which was always my political stuff going on. I just got about me. It was about the boats goal whether I was announcing a kinda fed up. There was one night and the people. race or running the website, writing I didn’t sleep much because you’re a story. Try to make the thing look on this time change. We woke up Yeah. and sound as good as it could with in the morning and I told Debbie, whatever ability I had. “I’m gonna quit or retire from the So I didn’t end up being a big H1 job.” And Debbie said, “Well, we personality in the sport. I was just You’re doing some work now for like going to the races. We like the the guy who announced the races. Erick Ellstrom. people.” And I said, “Do you realize But for that reason it wasn’t too we could still do all that and not be long before I got over the whole I am the webmaster and social busy all day? We’d have some time ego part. At this point I had none of media guy for Erick Ellstrom. Take to talk to the people.” With the H1 job, we had to be in the pits early in the morning, and we were the last people out of there at night when they were shutting down the media trailer. Debbie would have dinner reservations with friends at 7:30 and I’d be updating the website at 7:30. So, I just figured we needed to do one or the other. I had developed a good relationship with Erick and liked his family and the team. He was looking for help with his Internet presence, so we agreed to work Steve Montgomery Facebook Page Facebook Montgomery Steve Montgomery teaches a group of children about hydroplane racing. together. This little job gives me

10 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 contact with the sport and gets us to feel comfortable in it, or was he conservative approach to that turn to the races with about the right ready to go right away? would have produced a better amount of work. Now Erick and result. But that’s not the way these his son have gone off-road racing I really felt bad for Jean. He is such guys are wired. You see the top in addition to the H1 team, so there a good guy and he just couldn’t drivers constantly pushing it. That’s is a whole new sport to follow. You catch a break. There’s no debating why they are the top drivers. If can see how we set up that the boat was fast with him Jean gets through that turn okay he ellstromracing.com to do that. driving. And small mistakes led to probably wins that heat and maybe big disappointment for him and his the race. The boat was strong. Like Let’s talk about the 2015 season team. Change about three seconds I said, he couldn’t catch a break and and your work for Erick Ellstrom. of the season and he wins the Gold little mistakes bit him hard. Madison had weather problems Cup and maybe the season and the boat didn’t run. The next championship. The boat didn’t go to San Diego. race was the Gold Cup in Had the accident not happened in Tri-Cities. Aside from the call in the For a moment the team thought Detroit, do you think it would have final heat, how do you feel Jean they had won the Gold Cup, but it gone to San Diego, or was there Theoret did in his first race in the was taken away because never a plan to go there? Was the boat? Did it take a while for him Theoret went inside a buoy before fact that San Diego doesn’t pay full the start. What was the reaction by prize money a factor in the Theoret and members of the team decision to stay home? when the call was made? I can’t speak for Erick, but I don’t Jean and his owner and crew are all think the prize money was a factor. veterans. They have won and lost a There was a delay getting the lot of races. I saw disappointment hardware back from Detroit and on a lot of faces, but no one was there was also a little more damage all that emotional. Just like after than Mike Hanson thought the accident in Detroit, everyone originally. With all that in play, I moved on and went back to work. think the boat still would have been in San Diego if they were in the At Seattle, Theoret hit a buoy in hunt for the series championship. the second heat. Was he under

H1 Unlimiteds pressure and trying too hard, or How do you see the sport in its just a victim of a wake that pushed current situation? Can Steve David the boat around and caused the pull it together? buoy incident? Steve is a really good guy to be I didn’t see what happened and trying to pull it together. All the never really asked about it. You positive energy has really been a could probably chalk it up to racing good thing. You know, there are hard in rough water. people who picture Steve as a smiling face front man and he’s Then in Detroit, the boat went really a lot more than that. over. Theoret wasn’t badly hurt. There was some damage to the If you know about his businesses boat. What happened, exactly? in Florida, you can get past the smiling face and know that he does Bill Osborne Erick Ellstrom [top] and I think it’s the same thing we said have the skill. Jean Theoret [above]. about Steve David earlier. A more

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 11 Sure, absolutely. The issues that have been problems over the years are still there and he’s working through them. The first few weeks, he and I would be talking and he would be telling me about some struggle he was having with owners or whoever and I’d say, “Welcome to Sam Cole’s life.” And he’d say, “I’m beginning to understand.” Sam kept it pretty tight-lipped, except he would share with some of us who were close, some of his frustration. He just dealt with a lot of that stuff without really burdening anybody University of Michigan University H1 Unlimiteds else. It’s tough. It’s herding cats, you Bruce Madej (left) and Walt Ottenad. know? bit of knowledge is dangerous. I would’ve enjoyed working with Yeah. They look at the thing and they Steve, the little bit I got to do it. see what’s going on and they go, It was pretty enjoyable. But I had Trying to get this group of guys all “Well, I could do this better.” Well, decided by then, realistically, when going the same direction, it’s tough you have no idea what it takes to you get into your 70s, you need to because of the financials. If there keep all the race sites afloat and all change your work a little bit, you was money to throw around, the race teams afloat and keep ‘em know? Debbie and I have some everything would be a lot better. all working together and agreeing other things we want to do. We You gotta do it with smoke and on how things should be done, you have very seldom been on a trip in mirrors. The sport’s at a really know? Until you’re in Sam’s chair, the last 13 years that didn’t involve critical time right now for a lot or Steve’s chair, you have absolutely hydroplanes. And whenever we of reasons. The next year or two no idea what the job is like. And it’s did we’d go, “Wow, this is pretty will tell a lot. I don’t think there’s thankless. There’s nobody out there cool.” We get up in the morning, anybody better to have in the chair going, “Well, great job. You kept we don’t have to go to the pits. We than Steve David. that race on the schedule.” It’s taken can go have breakfast and play golf. for granted. And then when you We want to do more of that. We Yeah, yeah. lose one, “Well, you should’ve been have 12 grandkids, four of ‘em are able to save that. You should’ve in Wisconsin. The rest of them are There are other people who were done this, you should’ve done that.” here. Just getting around to all of talked about who would’ve scared But like I said, it’s a critical time. them is time consuming. me. The problem with it, like You know, Sam used the term that almost anything else in life, is— he had race sites and teams on life Oh, yeah. since I first got involved in the support, which to a large degree is sport—there has always been a true. I don’t like to think of it that So that was basically the basis for group or some person running the negatively, but I would say that the decision. You know, I’ve always thing and a bunch of people talking within two years from today we done what I could for the sport and about how it should be run and will know what the future is and I will continue to do that, but not in how I would do it and we should if there is a future. It’s gonna go any situation that requires a daily, do this, we should do that. There through a really critical time here. time-consuming responsibility. It’s certainly was a lot of it through a relief already because you’ll hear the decades. And those people, it’s But now you’re not working of an issue, this is happening, or one of those things where a little directly with Steve David. how do I make this sound good or

12 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 look good? I don’t have to. to this sport. Walt is basically the involved it’ll grow and go on, Somebody else can do that. Bruce I.T. guy. Everything Internet would anyway. So now I get to sit back Madej is a very capable guy. collapse in a couple of weeks and kinda watch what happens, without Walt Ottenad. along with you and everybody else. Yes, he is. The whole Go Pro camera program, that’s a pretty big step. There have been times when the He’s retired, so he has time now. We had chased Go Pro around for boat count was a problem. And if Bruce has any issue, and I’ve years. Sam worked on ‘em. I just talked to him about this, “You’re not happened to come across a I was in Don Jones’ office when he going to be running a department contact. It was a name and I was on the phone, pleading. He had with eight people like you were managed to track him down. This to get six boats to Miami and he at Michigan where you had a web was early in ’14, like in January. only had four, you know? Ken writer and a Facebook girl, etc., I ended up talking to the right Muscatel went through the same etc., etc.” The job grew up around guy. Got him some video, got him thing with Hawaii a couple of years. me, so it was what I could do. But I interested, and we ended up with was a one-man band. Bruce is not $50,000 worth of Go Pro cameras Yeah, they had to bring a museum going to be as hands-on with a lot we didn’t have to buy. They have boat over to make eight. The Quasi of stuff as I was. They have to figure used our stuff on their channels. Ka’i. out how to cover those bases and They got excited about our sport. they’re making progress. You know They went from not interested to I rode in that boat. I have a picture Lisa Courneya, Walt’s Lisa, is going very excited, which when you think in my office of me riding in that to help Bruce on the technical side. about all the stuff they have going boat with Scott Pierce. We were There should be three or four on is pretty amazing. pulling away from the dock and people in that department and Debbie is standing there like this. all they can afford is part of one Yeah. She was brand new at the time. person. I’ll tell you something, if it She’s going, “What the hell is this weren’t for Walt and Lisa… People That’s been a good deal, which will thing all about?” It was neat, even have no idea how valuable they are grow, I think. As long as Walt’s though it was the Quasi Ka’i. One of the images in my mind was the time (the original) Hawaii Ka’i hadn’t been racing, but the crew brought it out and Jack Regas drove it and won .

1958; won the Gold Cup.

I was not at that race. I was watching it on television. The boat was sitting at the dock. Regas was sitting in it and they had a microphone down by him. He goes, “Look at all these people. Man, if you won this thing you’d be famous.” I had that image in my mind and then I rode in that boat, in my mind. And I thought, this is what it was like out there. Imagine Lon Erickson going 30 miles an hour faster with Montgomery interviews driver Brian Perkins.

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 13 boats all around you. But I’m really with less. The Indy 500 was huge That’s about all the questions we glad I had that experience. Bernie when I was a kid. I sat glued to the have. This has been a fascinating offered me once an opportunity radio all day with my dad. Look at and informative conversation. to drive a Bud turbine boat and I that series now. Even NASCAR is Thank you. wasn’t interested. Now I kinda wish down in sponsorship and I had. I don’t remember what year attendance. People in online forums My pleasure. I appreciate your it was, but they were building T-6. want the sport to get back to where interest. When I look back on the He said to me, “You want to drive it was in the 50’s. You can’t do that. last 40 years, I put a lot of time one of these?” I said, “I don’t think All you can be is the best you can and energy into the sport and it so.” He said, “When we get our new be in the next couple of decades … has been a big part of my life. For boat ready and we know it’s OK, working with what you have. that, I have been richly rewarded in you can drive the old boat if you terms of people I have met, things want to.” And I said, “Mmm, I’ll Do you expect the U-96 to run at I have seen, trips I have taken, etc. pass.” And that’s funny ‘cause I was most races? We’re hearing the boat Whenever I thought about step- younger then than I am now, and may not go to Madison… ping away and devoting my time now I think I’d want to do it. I saw to something else, I would be at a August Busch IV get in one in San Again—as of today—Erick is meeting or banquet the sport was Diego and go around and around keeping his plans close to the vest. having, and I would realize that and around, 130 miles an hour. I would love to have some juicy many of my best friends in the Piece of cake. Well, I could’ve done content for the website and world were right there. The sport that, you know? Facebook, so I bug him at least once gave me tremendous opportunities a week. I am aware of some things to experience people and places I Looking ahead to the 2016 season, he is working on, but I can’t would never have known otherwise which is almost here, what do you really answer that question with the and I’m grateful for that. In return, see for the sport as a whole this knowledge I have right now. We’ll I just hope people know my part year? have an answer before you print was always done to the best of my this. I will say this. He likes winning ability. We will see you at the races I think the sport you see on the the high-point championship. To this summer. water in 2016 will be just fine. As do that, you have to go to all five of today (March 7) seven or eight races. owners have committed to be in Madison and Detroit. Ten or 11 boats should show up for the western races. So boat count does not appear to be a big problem. Steve David is working on some creative ways to make traveling more attractive to owners on the bubble. He continues to work with potential race sites and time will tell whether or not the five-race season will expand. By the time you run this, a lot of the questions will be answered. Right now we are in a time of the year where things are always up in the air. This year is certainly no exception. Fans just need to be realistic. are all having to try to do more

14 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 Craig Heritage Fjarlie Historical Perspective

Collapses Bardahl won the Tahoe race, spoil- ing Muncey’s quest for a perfect took it out of the running for the t the Master’s Golf Tourna- season. national championship. ment earlier this year, Miss Madison surprised the In 1975, Billy Schumacher and AJordan Spieth seemed well hydro world when it won the Gold Weisfield’s won two races at the on the way to victory. Going into Cup on home water in 1971. The start of the season. It appeared the the back nine holes in the final team followed that with a victory in team was on its way to the national round, he was leading by five the Atomic Cup in Tri-Cities, which championship. At Dayton, strokes. Then, everything went meant the boat was suddenly in Weisfield’s won two preliminary wrong. He ended up finishing contention for the national champi- heats before disaster struck in the second, losing by three strokes. onship. But at Seafair, Madison’s final. The boat lost its prop shaft Some sportswriters called his loss Allison engine was timed wrong and failed to finish. It then complet- one of the biggest collapses in and it finished only one heat in ed only one heat at races in Detroit, sports history. One writer fourth. That was the collapse that Tri-Cities, and San Diego. That compared Spieth’s collapse to other stunning losses in professional sports. Of course, collapses in unlimited hydroplane racing weren’t included. No one should collapse in surprise at that. All the same, there have been a number of collapses on the nation’s race courses. The one significant thing to keep in mind is that unlimited racing is a mechanical sport, so collapses can be caused by mechan- Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum and Raceboat Hydroplane ical failure as often as by driving error. Following, then, are some – but certainly not all of unlimited racing’s most stunning collapses. At the 1952 Gold Cup on Lake Washington, Chuck Thompson had two preliminary heat victories with Miss Pepsi. He was unable to start the final and lost the race to Stan Dollar and Slo-mo-shun IV. The final race of the 1962 season was at Lake Tahoe. Bill Muncey had driven Miss Century 21 to victory in every race up to that point. Finally, a mechanical fail- ure caught up with C-21 and Miss The Miss Century 21 [top] and the Weisfield’s.

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 15 allowed George Henley to drive In 1999, Hanauer won three Shane returns Pay ‘n Pak past Weisfield’s to earn the races, including the Gold Cup, national championship, although with Miss Pico. The boat flipped at to Madison team. Schumacher did hang on to claim Tri-Cities, which started a collapse Continued from page 3 the driving title. that took it out of contention for champion efforts. Jimmy and Dan Muncey was on another victory the national championship. have worked together for many march in 1978 with Atlas Van Lines. Jimmy King appeared to be on years, are close friends and have He won all the early races and the way to his first unlimited been a part of our team’s success appeared to have Tri-Cities in the victory aboard Master Tire at the last two years, which make’s bag when mechanical failure struck. Evansville in 2009. He was leading Dan’s promotion to crew chief very Coming out of turn one half-way the final when the propeller broke, seamless.” through the final heat, Atlas slowed ending his day. Hoover has worked on unlim- to a crawl and gave the victory to Golfer Jordan Spieth has our ited race crews for many years. He Ron Snyder in Miss Budweiser. Once sympathy. For competitive people, assisted with the turbines on the again, Muncey’s quest for a perfect it’s difficult to accept losing at any Appian Jeronimo in the late 1990s season collapsed. time. When victory is almost within and joined Kim Gregory’s U.S.A. The Griffon-powered Miss grasp and the world collapses Racing Partners team in 2001, Budweiser also was a victim of an instead, it’s frustrating, maddening, eventually becoming crew chief unexpected collapse. In 1982 at and heartbreaking. Chuck Thomp- three years later, then left unlimited Houston, Jim Kropfeld appeared son, Bill Muncey, Jim McCormick, racing to work on turbine-powered well on the way to victory when Billy Schumacher, Jim Kropfeld, catamarans in Florida. He returned the boat ran out of fuel on the last Chip Hanauer, and Jimmy King in 2013 to be on the crew of the lap of the final heat. It was one of all experienced the same emotion. U-5 Graham Trucking, which won owner Bernie Little’s most heart- Their fans on the shore could the season championship with breaking and frustrating losses. sympathize. However, that’s what Shane at the wheel, then moved to Miller High Life had a similar makes the sporting world, and the Miss Madison team the follow- collapse at Madison in 1988. Chip hydroplane racing in particular, ing year when Shane became that Hanauer was coming off the final interesting. team’s driver. turn of the final heat when the boat Nothing is absolutely certain. During the past two seasons suddenly went dead in the water. There’s always the possibility of a he has had a number of different Scott Pierce slipped by and won the surprise collapse waiting around responsibilities on the team, includ- race at the wheel of Mr. Pringles. the next turn. ing propellers, shore-to-cockpit radio communications, and engine/ gearbox “on deck”.

THE 2016 SEASON JULY 2-3: Indiana Governor’s Cup; Madison, Indiana

JULY 23-25: Columbia Cup; Tri-Cities, Washington

AUGUST 5-7: Albert Lee Cup at Seafair; Seattle, Washington

AUGUST 26-28: APBA Gold Cup; Detroit, Michigan

SEPTEMBER 16-18: Bayfair Bill Dayton Holcomb Dayton Muncey Cup; San Diego, California The Miller High Life.

16 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 HydroFile Lon Erickson Race Team News

U-1 MISS HOMESTREET BANK

With the Madison team getting things sorted out, it’s full speed ahead getting the new HomeStreet Bank paint scheme finished, and hardware and systems re- installed. New crew chief Dan Hoover (right) leads the way, preparing the boat for the June testing session on the Columbia River in Tri-Cities. H1 Unlimiteds U-5/U-7 PORTER RACING

Team Porter Racing has posted a “sneak peek” of one of their hulls being painted recently (below), though it is not clear which hull it is. Other sources have reported the U-5 will be participating in the June testing session in Tri-Cities. Tyler Hanson Tyler

U-3 Go3 RACING

Cooper Racing continues work on the hull, repairing the typical racing wear and tear, and taking care of the usual off-season maintenance that should be done ev- ery winter. That’s Ed Cooper and Rick Bowles in the photo below right, working on the carbon fiber near Racing Porter the cockpit. At this point, the search for sponsorship continues and no definitive word on racing in 2016 yet. Kirk Duncan Go3 Race Team

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 17 U-11 URG/MISS PETERS & MAY

Scott Raney and the crew have been busy getting brackets and hardware magnafluxed, per the H1 rulebook, and re-installing them. In addition, engine work is coming together for a third complete engine for the Peters & May team. The team has worked with two truly competitive motors since its inception in 2011. Now, they will have three complete engines in their racing program. Scott has also been working with a motor from the U-100 Leland camp, getting it back into running shape for their season. The photo at Scott Raney Scott right shows what race teams face when they compete on salt water. Salt water and spray can get ingested into the motor and when the water is boiled off, salt residue is left on the turbine vanes. This salt buildup disrupts the airflow and balance and also makes the engine temperature go up. To correct the problem, the part will be lightly blasted and cleaned thoroughly so it can be used again. The other photo shows the Leland motor stripped down and ready to clean. It takes many hours of work, post race and all winter, to

field an H1 unlimited race team. Raney Scott U-18 BUCKET LIST RACING U-21 GO FAST TURN LEFT RACING

The rebuild of the U-18 continues in the Bucket List Owner Greg O’Farrell announced a partnership with shop. New decks are on (below) and boat has been Darrell Strong and Payne West Insurance as U-21 flipped over to work on the running surfaces. They are title sponsors for the 2016 MainSource Bank Indiana also aiming towards attending the June testing session Governor’s Cup and HAPO Columbia Cup. The U-21 in Tri-Cities. team is in the final stages of preparation for the 2016 season, with many different systems and hardware installations. That’s Brian Perkins testing the cockpit. Bucket List Racing List Bucket Go Fast Turn Left Race Team Race Left Turn Go Fast

18 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / June 2016 U-27 WIGGINS RACING U-100 LELAND UNLIMITED

The U-27 crew is working on installing hardware (top The Leland Unlimited team is finalizing sponsorship photo below) and replacing some critical pieces on the plans for 2016. CARSTAR returns with larger involve- boat, such as the canopy (the other two photos below) ment and is bringing an iconic “to be announced” regional Northwest friend with them on the boat. Last season’s red, white, and blue color scheme is gone from the boat. Hardware and systems will start going back on soon, along with a new color scheme. Wiggins Race Team Lon Erickson Wiggins Race Team Lon Erickson

Wiggins Race Team NEXT MEETING OF UNLIMITEDS UNANIMOUS

Sunday, June 12, 2016 Meeting starts at 2 p.m. Kingsgate Public Library 12507 NE 144th Street Kirkland, Washington 98034

YOU ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND!

June 2016 / UNLIMITED NEWSJOURNAL / 19