The 1967 Orange Bowl Regatta
from March 1967 Boating News
BOTH ENDS OF Miami's 1967 Orange Bowl Regatta went pretty much according to past tradition. A California entry won the opening feature, January the 250 Speed Classic-while easterners dominated the concluding events held the following weekend.
Like the old Nine Hour Enduro, which it now has replaced on the Orange Bowl Regatta card, the 250 Speed Classic is a showpiece for auto-engined inboards and a natural for the boys out west,
Californians practically grow up in the cockpit of an SK-type hull, and are mightily taken by marathon racing. Thus, the 250 and the Nine Hour before it have been rather easy pickin's for the Golden Staters.
This year, the 250 perpetual trophy was handed over by '66 winner Bob Nordskog, of Tarzana, to fellow Southern Californians Mike Wallace, 25, of Anaheim, and co-pilot Bill Cooper, 34, Los Angeles.
Driving Wallace's Tiny Tim (an Unser-Ford powered 18-foot Rayson Craft which has three past Nine Hour victories to its credit), Mike and Cooper edged out 17 finishers left from the 40 boat starting field to share $3250 in prize money.
The win was the fourth marathon in a row won by the Wallace-Cooper combo, which first paired up in February, 1966 to take the Colorado River Nine Hour. Following came first places in the Lake Berryessa (Calif.) Six Hour and the Salton Sea 500-Miler. Taking over on the 56th lap of the 100- lap event, the Tiny Tim team covered the 250 miles in 3 hours/49 mins/31 secs, averaging 65.4-mph. Last year, Nordskog set the course record of 67.069-mph, but the second annual running this year had heavier traffic and a bit less pressure on the leader at the close.
There were two boats contending for second place at the end. Physically but unofficially, Lou Brummett was second across the finish line, two laps behind Wallace, driving an Unser-Ford Mandella. However, Brummett was disqualified to 19th position after a disputed referee decision over "cutting across the course" when Brummett's Raw Hide temporarily lost control due to a loose steering connection.
Officially awarded second place honors was Brent Berge, Mesa, Arizona, who drove a 17-foot Wickens called Yolk's Wagon, powered by 427 Ford. Into third raced Miamian Mike Gorden in his Rayson Craft Fish Peddler, powered by a Holman/Moody 427 Ford.
Bob Hammond saved the day for Texas by nabbing fourth spot in Li'l Honker, another 427 Ford entry and a Glastron hull.
Fifth was Nordskog in the Nordskog hull/Nordskog powered Viking Spirit; and sixth was Howard Brown in How Bout That, a Howard Brown hull/426 Hemi Chrysler entry.
 

Winner of the 225 cubic inch class battle at Miami was Chip Winder, owned and driven by Ed Morgan of Trenton, Michigan. Joe Siracusa, of Morgan City, Louisiana placed second in his Country Boy and Roger D'Eath, St. Petersburg, Florida, drove to third place in his Northern Rebel.

The finale to the two-weekend Orange Bowl Regatta, Jan. 7-8, featured eight classes of inboard closed course competition, highlighted by three additional cup races -the International Grand Prix, Governor's Cup and Orange Bowl Invitational.
At stake in the 14th running of the Grand Prix was the Englehard Palladium Trophy, valued at $25,000 and $1000 in cash for first place. Winner of the booty was Bill Heath, of Homewood, Illinois, in Les Brown's new 7-Litre Long Gone.
It was the first race for the Ron Jones designed, cabover craft.
Powered by a Chrysler 426 Hemi borrowed from cup defender and three time winner of the race, Bill Sterett, Long Gone lead from start to finish, each lap passing by Sterett forlornly stalled on the first turn in his Miss Crazy Thing.
Sterett was to later redeem himself by winning the Governor's Cup, the last race on the program, and Sterett's final event in limited inboard racing. After the event, Sterett turned over Miss Crazy Thing to Mike Thomas, of Harvey Cedars, N.J., and henceforth will confine his driving to the unlimited field in Miss Chrysler Crew.
Ron Larson, a new native Californian from Chicago and the 1966 SK class national champion, was the only double winner in the Miami Marine Stadium action. Ron took both the Ski Racing Runabout event and the Orange Bowl Invitational in his Rayson Craft Quicky Too, now powered by a Chrysler Hemi.

Other class winners in the closed course program were: 
E & F Service Runabouts, Mona Daily, Miami, Florida in husband Del's Oh Mona; 
48 Hydros, F. C. "Doc" Moor, Miami, Southern Air 4; 
150 Hydros, Elwood Pliescott, (Cambridge, Md., Woody Jr.'s Special; 
91 Hydros, Richard Cooper, Miami, First Mortgage; 
225 Hydros, Ed Morgan, Trenton, Mich., Chip Winder; 
280 Hydros, Roy Wilson, New Orleans, Intruder; 
266 Hydros, Gene Bramlett, Miami, Jade Dragon.
 
 


On its maiden race, Les Brown's 7-litre cabover Long Gone made a runaway out of the International Grand Prix. The craft bears strong resemblence to the former Miss Bardhahl, also built by Ron Jones, which carried Ron Musson to his death in the 1966 Pesident's Cup unlimited regatta.

Thanks to Brent McLean for sending in the magazine article.