Saw this story on the Autoweek website:...
Saw this story on the Autoweek website: http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=motorsportsnews&loc_code=index&content_code=04852909 Without Budweiser as sponsor for the late Bernie Little's team, will the other teams have a better chance to win? At least level the playing field a bit.
In a word, yes. Budweiser to hydros is like Ferrari to F1. I quit watching the Seafair races because they ended up being the Budweiser races every year. Not IF they won but usually by how much. How exciting is that? As good as the Austrailian GP was, it wasn't that great because Ferrari, as usual, just walked away with it. Lapping the field up to the 6th place car? (Something is fishy in Denmark.) That is boring to me. I want to see some competition, things like the lead changing between MORE than two guys for the entire race. I think the racing and competition in the hydros is going to be hot next year and worth watching. My two............ DJ
It'll probably be a better spectacle next year for the hydros. As for F1, I think once the other major teams get their act together, it will be a good season.
I couldn't believe it when they off loaded the Hydro into the Lake Rescue Shootout, jus' cause Bacardi Ice had lost the lead, geeeez. Bernie (RIP) was a good guy though. Brought a lot of public awareness to the sport. I don't drink their crap-y beer anyway, more of a Corona man. Thanks for posting the info!
Has anyone seen the "Miss Madison" movie???? I've read several times it was ready for release, then it drops off the radar. Any info? TIA
Ask Dave Williams, the museum director. He was the main man with all the boats in the film. http://www.thunderboats.org/ James
Bernie was a player. He knew how to fake everyone out in the pits. Whined and cried about how bad things were going for the boat throughout the day and then WHAMMM! they tweek the boat and take the A-main. He would be a formidable poker player. DJ
Willis, I have to agree with DJ, The Bud Boat is just another case of " Who has the cash wins the dash." Look at Ferrari F-1 success for two years running. I feel that they not only have the money but their domination smacks of something else. Nobody can build a car that is supposedly within all the rules and roar past all other cars (who are within the same rules) like they weren't out of first gear. I respect the F-marque but I think there is a skunk in the works. I'll probably get blasted for that but I will stand by it. There is too damn much disparity between Ferrari and all the rest of the field when everybody is ridgidly restricted as to engine size,etc. As for the Budboat and Bernie. I mean no disrespect to him but I feel that what is left of the sport will be better and more even. In the old days, I saw the first Seattle Gold Cup 53 years ago, it wasn't a case of Stan Sayers having more money, it was access to better technology provided by a superoir boat designer and a bunch of technicians from Boeing who VOLUNTEERED their services. I knew most of them and they simply applied aviation disciplines and love of the sport to make a successful team. They weren't bought by a beer company. Bob
I suppose that I should recognize that after Stan Sayers/ Ted Jones creating the Slo Motion series of boats a bunch of great racers came along that WERE sponsored by big bags of corporate cash.....Atlas Vanlines, Thriftway,etc. but they were all fairly even until it all got out of hand just like the Nascar, Cart, and F-1. But , then, that is what makes it go , I guess. Great to watch it all ! I have to recall the answer to a question posed in a lecture that I attended recently. What makes an airplane fly? Expecting the usual pressure differential Blah, Blah......the lecturer without missing a beat said, " MONEY." Think about it.
