Your neibor

[TYPHOON]

Gordo, I always enjoyed racing you in F1 against your Active Thunder boat. You always left nothing on the table and ran the $hit out of that boat. Had some great battles with you in the Great Lake Series. Wish you were back in the game. I miss those F1 days. We were younger,cockyer and thought we were invinsable. Now we are older but no wiser. The important thing is we havant lost our good looks!
MD

[Wreckdoctor]

Gordo, I always enjoyed racing you in F1 against your Active Thunder boat. You always left nothing on the table and ran the $hit out of that boat. Had some great battles with you in the Great Lake Series. Wish you were back in the game. I miss those F1 days. We were younger,cockyer and thought we were invinsable. Now we are older but no wiser. The important thing is we havant lost our good looks!
MD

Ehhhhhhhhhhh, Ya may wanna do a mirror check there good lookin!!!


Lol just sayin.....

[Gordo]

Can't remember where I left my coffee cup thismorning, but I remember the snowball fight. And the pace lap, that turned into a start lap, that turned into a squeeze-start. that damnear turned into bumperboats...

[Gordo]

A little off the "offshore" part of racing, but I'm sure Randy remembers the little econo-rental cars packed full, drag racing down orange beach, looking like a fleet of Clown cars at the rodeo

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

So many stories..Nothing is more exciting than lining up to start in the middle of a HUGE class.





These pix were from 2000.

[TYPHOON]

Was that St. Pete? Jeff G. do you have any pics of that start? It was the best 2 minuts of my life in F1. F2 was even bigger. The start to turn one was intense. F1 didnt get it right and we had to restart. Crazy mad fun!!!
MD

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

First pic was Sarasota the second was Washington NC as I recall.

St Pete in "99 All I can remember was saying "Come on Let us go.....Come on let us go!.....Come on let us go!!!!...." They held us too long ...

Turn one in Sarasota was a quick 70 or 90 degree turn. Turn two at Lido beach was sharper. I dove under Tres and maid up a few boat lengths.. We were still running a long course.. 10+ mile laps I think.. The next time around Tres tried my move on me... It didn't work out so well for him... As they spun crossing me wake and one of them went swimming. I don't recall our finish position maybe 3rd or 4th... I loved Sarasota's long course..


The year before was even more memorable.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

In "99 Martin and I ran F2-76 in Miami... Thats another story.. In Sarasota I drove F2-15 on its Maiden voyage.. David and I were racing hard.. That was the race I met Will Smith.. He was racing Snapperhead.. At some point in the middle of the race we were neck and neck crossing the start finish line turn 7 I think.. Will was challenging us I in the turn.. I always was willing to give anybody the complimentary 6 feet. in a turn.. If they were willing to take it so be it... Well Will took it and passed us.. Next turn he had us by maybe a boat. I put it in there and got slammed and hosed.. Off he went.. Later in the race on the last lap we were is heading to turn 6 and David slowed a little..."What are you doing?" We answered," I am taking what we got". What is that? I questioned. "We got 3rd", he said... "NO WE don't..That boat ahead of us has 3rd...March this thing!!!... We'll he did and let here eat on the leg heading toward the beach to the finish...We managed to pass what ever Phantom it was at the final turn to take 3rd on the final turn.. Yea Buddy .. 3rd out of 20 some on his first race... Nice..

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Now that leads me to the next Story.. As we headed in through the cut toward the pits..

Quick summary.. The B boats ran with us.. Jeff Harris was in Dramamine.. They had broke down. Jeff was also running with Art in the Super V -76.. Art had left the dock with Jerry Haney not knowing where Jeff was..

So As David and I were idling in Art and Jerry were idling out.. As we approached them I saw Jerry on the deck signaling me... They were idling with crash boxes and could not stop. Jerry and I swapped boats on the fly. I open the hatch to hear Art yelling "get in and get buckled up!"..
"Art I saw Jeff he was right behind us idling in" , I explained.
"Just get buckled up and get ready".. Now I had just raced and was thirsty as one could imagine so am am looking for something to drink... I found a water bottle on the floor and proceeded to guide it toward my mouth...
"STOP" Art yelled... Thank God he saw what I was doing and I could hear him in my helmet. "That is piss don't drink it.." That was SO close.. My mouth was dry and needed water. WTF.. Jeff often pissed in a bottle before a race and I was about to drink it..

So I survived that moment and we saw Jeff and Bruce approaching. Art "I told you he was coming."
"OK get out", he then said.

So now here come Jeff and Bruce with a blown trannie and no power steering. Here I am on the deck of the second boat since the race ended and getting ready to jump. As the two boats crossed Jeff jumps on to the boat I was on at the bow.. He was just was tired and thirty as I.. When he jumped only his upper body made it on to the deck. I grabbed his belt and helped to throw him on the deck.... Meanwhile my ride is leaving....I ran down the boat toward the stern and leaped on to the rear deck of Dramamine.." Hey Bruce do you have any water in here? "

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I have so many stories...That wasn't the first time I jumped from boat to boat in the cut at Sarasota.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

The Next race was in Washington at the Fountain Factory... I saw Will and thanked him for the hose job in Sarasota.... He started to apologize when I stopped him. "Will no need to apologize just understand I will hose you each and every chance I get from now on".


Will can tell tell you what happened next if he cares to.

[mdkeywest]

nice stories thanx for sharing

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Correction Baltimore was before Washington. I remember that race for a few reasons. It was the first race Martin and I ran the Mastry boat.. The same race that Reggies Boat he was running with Wyatt caught fire. Also the same when two canopied B boats came together as one spun and flipped the other.

Anyway back to the story I already started. Parts runner was there along with the normal full fleet of F2's. I most remember getting closed out during the start as we headed toward the first turn.. I don't think Martin could see any better than I. I don't know if he was ducking below the fairing or not but he wasn't letting up.. All I could do is duck the water was pummeling me. We ran blind for a few seconds until the boats in front of us began to turn. We were not able to keep up with the lead boat the first lap.. As we headed down the straight completing the first lap the boat rose and accelerated from 85 to 89 mph. I looked over and Martin nodded back .. He had found its sweet spot.. We took 3rd behind Parts Runner and Tres. The following race was at Fountain were we took 3rd again.. NY 3rd.. Great story there about our duel with the Sutphen Brian and Doug Lewis were running.. That will have to be later.

Too many stories to share now.. Got to go...

[Team Tsunami]

Correction Baltimore was before Washington. I remember that race for a few reasons. It was the first race Martin and I ran the Mastry boat.. The same race that Reggies Boat he was running with Wyatt caught fire. Also the same when two canopied B boats came together as one spun and flipped the other.

Anyway back to the story I already started. Parts runner was there along with the normal full fleet of F2's. I most remember getting closed out during the start as we headed toward the first turn.. I don't think Martin could see any better than I. I don't know if he was ducking below the fairing or not but he wasn't letting up.. All I could do is duck the water was pummeling me. We ran blind for a few seconds until the boats in front of us began to turn. We were not able to keep up with the lead boat the first lap.. As we headed down the straight completing the first lap the boat rose and accelerated from 85 to 89 mph. I looked over and Martin nodded back .. He had found its sweet spot.. We took 3rd behind Parts Runner and Tres. The following race was at Fountain were we took 3rd again.. NY 3rd.. Great story there about our duel with the Sutphen Brian and Doug Lewis were running.. That will have to be later.

Too many stories to share now.. Got to go...

I'd love to hear the Sutphen story against the Fountains!! In your pic I see my boat in the mix when it was running F2.

[ccracing]

will is never scared to pass your a** thats a fact!!!!! thats why he needs to come back out to play!!!!

[Wreckdoctor]

will is never scared to pass your a** thats a fact!!!!! thats why he needs to come back out to play!!!!

A little bird told me that might just happen..

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I'd love to hear the Sutphen story against the Fountains!! In your pic I see my boat in the mix when it was running F2.

A little prelude. In '99 I was crewing a B-7 Tivoli and driving for F2-71 Mastry . I only mention this in this story because on Saturday I was in Toronto with the B boat. The plan was to bring it through New York to race on Sunday with Martin.. After the race in Toronto as I was preparing to leave with the boat Reggie approached me and Art.. After a little change of plan Art was bringing my boat back and I was headed to the airport with Reggie and his pilot Hilton. How cool it was to fly into New York in the co pilot seat? Well I will tell you it was VERY COOL.

Now to the racing part I was going to share. I don't recall who won or who else was there but, F2-50 TKO {maybe, not sure} Sutphen and Martin and I were battling for third place.. They were a little faster on the straights and we were faster around the wide sweeping turns. They would advance and we would match them exiting the turns. After a number of laps I finally gained position and took the inside lane from them by diving under entering the turn the way I like to do.. The next turn I lead them wide and they attempted to dive under us. So here came the fun part.... As they crossed in our wake and threw our spray I turned sharper so they remained in the spray. As they were getting hosed I was watching them as they attempted to adjust the turn wide and clear. I then drifted out so they remained in the spray. Final as we exited the turn they cleared the spray on our outside. We went on to take third. After the race Brian came up to us to to share how much fun he had as we were battling.. " We had a blast", he said...
"We had a blast too that was fun " , What Happened at the end, I asked.
"We spun on the north turn and had to call it a day".
I then asked what he thought about the south turn when he tried to pass us on the inside.
" Doug was yelling at me to get out of the spray.."
I started to laugh. What is so funny? he asked..
" Well I was doing everything I could to make sure you stayed there in my spray" , and laughed some more.
"Doug was pissed at me you have to tell him" , insisted.
Doug and I laughed as I told him what we had done.
" We were getting hosed so bad the bilge pumps final came on" , he exclaimed... Yes he was soaked through and through..They both were. I recall Doug's shoes squishing when he walked away.

To top the day off after the race Reggie approached Martin and I moments later.. He had time left on his chopper rental and offered us a ride.. Martins kids were there as were mine. I will never forget the look on my daughters face as the chopper took off.. The kids got a ride over Yankee stadium and over the city while we went to clean and put the boat away..

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I confess...I have been blessed.. Racing has been good to me.. I have met many people and made many friends across the country racing. I have traveled up and down back and forth dragging boats to race sites.. I even enjoyed the police officers I have met getting pulled over..I met my wife at a race. I have been to the emergency room in Key West.. Been to Puerto Rico, California and Bahamas in the name of racing...I have met so many good people along the way.

When I look back its the time with friends that I made more then the racing it self that brings a smile to my face. I will always treasure every single minute.

[Donskihp]

Love those racing stories. Expecially those when you here the good in people. Reggie taking the kids for a ride in the chopper.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Its really funny how sometimes the world seems so small. In '03 I flew to California to meet Boomer and qualify Todd's F2 for the worlds at a race in Pittsburg. After the team dinner the night before the race I found I was sharing a room with Lance the throttleman of Spiderman. Busy as things are with two boats on a team he and I never got a chance to talk after we were introduced to each other earlier that day.

Race morning the alarm goes off and we had each gotten ready before we realized the clock was an hour off..It was too late to go back to sleep and we had an hour to kill so we began to talk.. You know the typical what races have you been in and the like..
"So Lance were you in Biloxi '98?"
"Yes I was.. Were you there too?'
" Yes I was there I ran this boat before it was Todds" Now my head was starting to put two and two together Lance was from Huntington Beach, Warlock was from near there somewhere..

At the exact same moment we both realized we had raced each other in Biloxi and both I swear at the same second said "Son of a Bitch".
Simultaneously, "I said your were in the F2 Warlock,"
as he said, "You were driving that Fountain."

We laughed as we shared our similar thoughts of our disappointments of that event.

So the story behind this story is we were racing each other. Not sure which of the two heats it was but Martin and I were leading and he was challenging.. His boat was smaller and faster on the straights. Our boat was faster around the turns.. Martin and I would slide it around similar to the way a sprint car would slide in the dirt. Anyway that's a different story back to this one. We raced a few laps and he was gaining on us.. I noticed he was riding the edge of my wake as we were turning and using it like a berm.. So now I begin to realize I may not be able to hold him off much longer.. Fortunately for me we soon began to overtake the tail end of the F1 boats.. So I had had enough of him riding my wake and decided to change my line and cross a wake in turn. The next lap we were overtaking boats and I lost track of the Warlock...Until that is we made our way back to the east turn... Much to our surprise there was the Warlock floating like a iceberg with only the bow showing...

I mentioned earlier Lance and I were sharing our disappointments... Mine was later when I went to the awards and was looking at our 1st place World Championship trophy on the table when someone said, " Sorry to hear what happened".
"What was that", I questioned.
"You guys getting DQ'd ". Then someone else said yea they were pulling your engines for inspection and the diffuser plates were not there..Bummer..

As it worked out the top three boats had been penalized for various reasons so the 4th place boat won without being inspected Congrats to the Sutphen.

There were a few more stories I could share from the event.. Later..