Thanks to fisherman Ken for the on shore videos and Ballinjack crewman Rick for the in boat vid. We might have had more of those but the Go-Pro now sleeps with the fishes! Here we go (crank up your volume).....

Saturday morning Heat #1 taken from shore.


Saturday morning Heat #1 taken from in the boat.
I guess it would be helpful if I explained what you are seeing in this vid. The GoPro was mounted on top of the engine air box, aiming out the left rear of the boat. The video starts with launching the boats and heading out for one complete lap of the course which serves to warm up the engines, acknowledge the crowd with a wave and allow the officials to check that the appropriate boats are indeed on the water. Next, the boats form a line side by side on the back straight with each boat in it's assigned lane (lane assignments are by lottery). Then the line of boats proceeds at medium speed down the back straight about 1/2 mile past the main island and rounds the end of another island onto the front straight. As the boats approach the course from the second island, the officials look for an even and fair alignment. When they are satisfied, the green flag waves, starting the race. Four laps later the checkered flag flies for the winner, but all the boats continue to circle the course until the last place boat crosses the finish line. At that point the black flag flies and everyone returns to their trailer. The actual race is about 3 3/4 minutes of extreme high adrenaline!


Sunday afternoon Heat #2 (final) taken from shore.

I'm not sure about the date or the sponsoring club for these two races.
The video is noteworthy (in spite of the shaky camera work) for the cool modified LeMans starts and the clearly visible Ski Jet #30, a copper colored Kona/Olds owned & driven by none other than Bill Scotten. This is one of his earliest circle races, long before he started California Performance Jet Boats. Also recognizable in the SJ race is the yellow w/ red cap 17ft Hornet of Bill Pratt and the white w/ red & blue cap 16ft Rogers of Jeff Paine.
In the MJ-CJ race I won the 1st couple of laps in the white Hondo #123 while Jim Youngblood #320 runs a close 2nd. Phil Trichler #294 gets a bad start and chases. After several laps I seemed to have disappeared, Youngblood leads and Trichler moves to 2nd. Just before the finish, Youngblood DNFs and Phil T wins (I think).

Jack

This race combined Comp Jets and Mod Jets. The Mod Jets were limited to 480 cu in, headers, one 4 barrel carb & no droop. They were often Ski Jets that just swapped their log exhaust for headers. Comp Jets of that era were similar to today's rules except that the displacement was limited to 500 inches. Most ran 468 to 475 because it was an affordable combo. The jets had loaders and up-dn nozzles but cav plates were very rare. I can't recall any ride plates or turn fins.

In the race, Bill Pratt (#454) wins the start and the 1st turn, but Phil Trichler (#294) eventually runs him down and takes the lead. Then Jack McClure (#123) overtakes Phil for a while. Phil regains the lead with Jack chasing on his inside. When the checkered flag comes out, the two are very close. The video runs out before the finishline but I think I won by virtue of the inside lane advantage. 4th went to John Goddard in the MJ #214. Check out the turns by these Southwind style hulls that have no fin to help.

Jack

This video opens with the smiling faces of Phil Trichler and his crewman, Mike Snow. Then a little beach viewing.

In the early days at Ming a class of boats would be put in the water well before their call and they waited on the beach. When called, they motored to the holding rope at the far east end of the lake. Most did a hard burnout on the way to the rope in order to get some heat in the motor.

The boats I recognize are:
277 Jeff Paine - ?/Chevy/Berk
294 Phil Trichler - Kona/Chevy/Berk
309 Ron Esposito - Rogers/Chevy/Berk
320 Jim Youngblood - Lightning/Chevy/? (maybe Jacuzzi)
401 Chuck Collins - Weiman/Chevy/Berk

People on the beach include Marion Davy and the late Al Veto. Please feel free to comment if you recognize any boats or people.

Jack

This video is made from 8mm film taken on 10-18-1970 at Big Bend on the Colorado River. There is no sound. Note that Buckskin Park in undeveloped.

The start is modified LeMans with drivers sitting at the wheel. The boats were divided into two classes  - Ski Jet (log manifolds & exhaust water) and Unlimited jet (any mods). A 468 was a big engine and the fast guys went about 80.
The early leader of the race is Ron Esposito in a 16 1/2 ft Rogers #309. Another fast guy is Jim Youngblood in the laydown, Lightning hull #320. Both of those guys breakdown and the win goes to Phil Trichler in an 18 Kona with co-rider Mike Snow. The duration of the race was about 20 minutes. Note the victory "spin" (long before Nascar guys did it).

The last part of the video shows Jets drag racing at Long Beach Marine Stadium. Note that the boats ran both directions. The video is too grainy to identify the boats.

Greetings Comp Jet class racers. As the season winds down I want to say Thanks to all of you guys who welcomed our team to the APBA sprint racing events, particularly those classy individuals who spread the rumors that we are running an illegal engine.

After the San Diego race “the engine” will return to its former life powering Tom Bandy’s Hallett ski boat on the River. That means you guys only have one chance left to file a REAL protest against the engine’s displacement.

For those of you who just KNOW we are cheating, but the protest fee is holding you back, let me sweeten the pot for you. File your protest, and when the APBA Tech Inspector comes to our pit, I will hand him $500 cash to be awarded to the protestor if the Inspector declares our engine to be over the 515 cu in limit. Of course, per APBA 2012 IE Racing Rule 10.4, you lose your $250 protest fee if we are under the 515 cu in limit.

You can double your investment!! Go for it.

Jack McClure
Owner, CJ123