All "old" boat racers rich?

[DollaBill]

It didn't take long to figure out I had picked the wrong sport.........paycheck for placing 3rd in a professional class...$ 800.00.

win 800. Spend 8000 for the weekend.

[FastDonzi]

Usually the Dinner Tab cost Twice what the Prize money was.

[htrdlncn]

Not just racing that thrives on the rich, its perfomance boating in general,
how many people you see spend 2-300k for a 38-46 sportboat, 20k for a trailer then 60-80k for a monster truck to pull it, insurance,fuel,travel expenses just to go to Poker runs where there is no payouts because it isnt a race.
Aint no middle class American throwing around $500k to go play poker on the water there sparky..

[pullmytrigger]

I think the ticket to any racing career is sponsorship for the ride (boat, car, motorcycle, whatever) and sponsorship for the driver (sell Wheaties, underwear, beer, whatever).

Dale Earnhardht Jr, isn't exactly filling the trophy case and if he had to support his car/crew based solely on his on track winnings he might be pushing a go cart around a dirt track in the midwest......

Its all about sponsorships/endorsments......all toll Jr made 20 million last year.....the most of all Cup drivers

[DollaBill]

Usually the Dinner Tab cost Twice what the Prize money was.

hell, I don't even want to start adding up tabs from the past 10 years of poker runs and races. Gota be over 250K

[T2x]

In the hey day of the late 70's early 80's it used to be S.O.P. to send your best wishes back and forth from restaurant table to restaurant table using bottles of Crystal and Dom P. It was not unusual for the champagne tab alone at dinner to top a grand.......per table. I have also told the story of the World's richest wet tee shirt contest.......held at Saugatuck, Michigan in 1982. It wound up with a $25,000 first prize.....raised in a matter of minutes...... from about 10 race teams, including yours truly.

By the way ....for the record......

Guy Lombardo( Originally from Ontario) had a "Big Band" Orchestra ( Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians). He used this to fund his racing exploits....up to Unlimited Hydros.... The "Tempo" boats were his. Later his band appeared on New Years Eve telecasts and other entertainment type TV programs. He also owned "Guy Lombardo's East Point House" restaurant In Freeport, L.I. The headquarters for the old Around Long Island Marathons.

He was very instrumental (pardon the pun) in advancing the sport of powerboat racing in the U.S. and Canada.

T2x

[lucky strike]

I was in a small Italian restaurant in Ft Lauderdale the night before the Le Club race in 1980. One of the open class guys from South FL was having dinner with about 10 people.
He ordered one of everything for every boat racer in the place & paid for it in green.

[Top Banana]

Guy Lombardo( Originally from Ontario) had a "Big Band" Orchestra ( Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians). He used this to fund his racing exploits....up to Unlimited Hydros.... The "Tempo" boats were his.
T2x

Once upon a time, one of these Tempo boats ended up on the used boat market...it was an Unlimited with a two man cockpit. A used car dealer in Tampa, Florida bought the boat and had it on his lot as a conversation piece.

One day a guy stopped by and was looking at the boat. The used car dealer realized who the interested party was and immediately offered to put the boat in the water and take him for a ride. The guy accepted and the boat was put in the water.

Of course, now the dealer had this guy as a captive audience. He began to spin a tale of how great Unlimited racing was and what a fantastic vehicle it could be for marketing.....yada, yada, yada. The guy was sold and asked ......Now what?

History was written that day.....Bernie Little was the car dealer and August Busch Sr of Budweiser fame was the guy.......you know the rest of the story.

[Chris]

Great story Charlie.

And... glad you weighed in. Any story about guys making millions in boatracing surely must include you

[BDiggity]

It's funny you brought this up.

I happened to be going through the history pics on the Pantera website this morning & came across this one http://www.panteraboats.com/pantera_...toID=21&page=1

I was thinking $50 in 1978 for winning a race doesnt seem like a whole lot to support the team.

[Brownie]

Geez, Charlie, you know that it is my job to set the record straight. Bernie Little was giving rides in the aluminum 4 place unlimited, I think it was ex-Hawaii Kai, at Mike Gordon's restaurant on 79th St Miami. He charged $90 a pop. I went twice the same day. The rest of the story is good. Sorry.....

[THEJOKER]

I quit when I realized for me to keep up I had to buy 4 Harleys custom painted the same color as the boat , the girls , the custom tatoos , the truck , the trailer , the t-shirts , the hair , the tent , the scooter , the banner , the Prevost , the...................

[T2x]

Geez, Charlie, you know that it is my job to set the record straight. Bernie Little was giving rides in the aluminum 4 place unlimited, I think it was ex-Hawaii Kai, at Mike Gordon's restaurant on 79th St Miami. He charged $90 a pop. I went twice the same day. The rest of the story is good. Sorry.....

The story I always heard was that Bernie and August met in College. Whatever, Bud was berry berry good to Bernie.

[T2x]

I quit when I realized for me to keep up I had to buy 4 Harleys custom painted the same color as the boat , the girls , the custom tatoos , the truck , the trailer , the t-shirts , the hair , the tent , the scooter , the banner , the Prevost , the...................

Nah....you quit when you scared yourself......or maybe you scared the TV viewers...I get confused.....

[T2x]

It's funny you brought this up.

I happened to be going through the history pics on the Pantera website this morning & came across this one http://www.panteraboats.com/pantera_...toID=21&page=1

I was thinking $50 in 1978 for winning a race doesnt seem like a whole lot to support the team.

The flip side of this is that I used to get "appearance money" at some Mod U tunnel races in Canada ....As I recall it was about a .50/mile for travel....in addition to about $250-$3000 for prize money..(ranging from about 5th through first place). A good weekend definitely generated a profit, especially when you consider that the boats and motors belonged to Mercury or a Mercury dealer. I miss those days.....

[DAREDEVIL]

I quit when I realized for me to keep up I had to buy 4 Harleys custom painted the same color as the boat , the girls , the custom tatoos , the truck , the trailer , the t-shirts , the hair , the tent , the scooter , the banner , the Prevost , the...................

Why can't i be that smart ????


BECAUSE I LOVE IT , even when i am broke .....like always !!!! LOL

LETS RACE !!!!

[Bobby Sheer]

The flip side of this is that I used to get "appearance money" at some Mod U tunnel races in Canada ....As I recall it was about a .50/mile for travel....in addition to about $250-$3000 for prize money..(ranging from about 5th through first place). A good weekend definitely generated a profit, especially when you consider that the boats and motors belonged to Mercury or a Mercury dealer. I miss those days.....

A bunch of us use to put $ in the pot to give T2x travel money to show up at the races for his wit and wisdom and interviewing skills.

[MarylandMark]

Money well spent

[POWERPLAY33]

I have a signed pic and a letter circa '88 from Bob Kaiser hanging in our showroom. Any Idea if he's still around?

[Top Banana]

Geez, Charlie, you know that it is my job to set the record straight. Bernie Little was giving rides in the aluminum 4 place unlimited, I think it was ex-Hawaii Kai, at Mike Gordon's restaurant on 79th St Miami. He charged $90 a pop. I went twice the same day. The rest of the story is good. Sorry.....

Brownie......I thought we agreed that the truth of the matter would never interfere with a good story.

I'm sticking with the version I heard, the water around Mike's restaurant by the 79th st causeway would be too rough to let an Unlimited sit there for long.

Speaking of that restaurant what ever happend to that incredible collection of photos of boat racing greats, that were signed and framed and hung all through out the restaurant???