1963 National Inboard Championships

1963 National Inboard Championships
	A SOFT SPOKEN Canadian named Aubert Brillant quietly' appeared on the scene at the 1963 National Inboard Championships held at San Diego's famous Mission Bay course September 20. It wasn't long before the nation's top drivers and racing fans alike were aware that the country had been "invaded" by a most competitive guy. Before the "all clear" was sounded late in October, Brillant and his crew had finally crossed the border and triumphantly returned home, having smashed both the five mile competition record and the kilo record for 7-Litre class. The man from Canada came well prepared. His Canadiana entries consisted of a 7-Litre, a 280 Hydro, 266 Hydro, and an SK racing runabout. In addition to four boats, powered by Keith Black engines, his nattily attired crew was headed by champion driver Art Asbury. After setting a new 7-Litre five mile competition record by clocking 90 mph flat on the final day of the San Diego meet with Asbury at the helm of Royal Canadiana, Brillant decided to remain in the West an additional month to compete in APBA kilo trials October 26-27 at Lake Havasu, Parker, Ariz. Subsequent events proved the wait to be well worth while. For on October 27, Royal Canadiana ran the kilo in averaged speed of 150.244 to set another 7-Litre record. Certainly the dapper Aubert Brillant and his Canadiana racing team spiced the 1963 inboard racing scene with an aura of special excitement and international flavor.

However, at the 1963 National Inboard Championship free-for-all, held September 20-22, the Canadiana team was nearly swallowed lip in the tense drama and rugged competition which were part and parcel one of the most spectacular meets in APBA history.The Southern California show-down featured ten title matches out of the APBA grab-bag of 16 championships at stake for 1963. On hand to vie for the honors were over 125 drivers from throughout the nation including eight defending titlists.
The first day of the three day meet was devoted to trimming entries in several classifications down to an even dozen in order to meet A.P.B.A. safety regulations. Affected were 21 boats listed on the 145 hydro roster, and 16 hopefuls on the SK Racing Runabout rolls.
One of the most closely watched contests in the regatta was the battle for the SK trophy, snared once again by defending champ Don Towle, of Los Angeles. Towle registered a first and a fourth for a total of 569 points with his Stevens hull, Haf Gast Too, powered by a 1957 392 Chrysler.

Engine builder Keith Black relaxes alongside his blown Chrysler which powered the Royal Canadiana, owned by Aubert Brillant (standing), to a new 7-litre Kilo record of 150.244 mph.

Second place in the final standings with 525 points was Tony Maricich, of San Pedro, Calif., in his Wickens hull, Suddenly. However, the veteran campaignerfailed to garner a win in either of his heats, having to settle for a third and a second.
Among the tough western SK pilots in the field were Butch Peterson, Lou Brummett, Ed Olsen, Bob Ellis, Clem McCullah and LeRoy Penhall. Penhall, who earlier had helped pilot the winning Crackerbox entry, Hot Cinders, to a victory, was briefly hospitalized after a spill in his Patterson hull, Sizzler.
Skeeter Johnson, of Cambridge, Md., retained his 266 hydro crown in Wa Wa Too by scoring two second places. The boat, owned by William Ritner, Sr., of Gladwyne, Pa produced the second fastest 266 timing of the meet at 79.365- mph, while the second place Apache, piloted by B. G. Bartley, of Pittsburgh, Pa., accounted for the top mark of 83.179-mph.
The third of the eight defending champions present at the title matches to safely hang on to his crown was George Cusick, of Cambridge, Md. Driving Red Top, owned by Robert Tuttle, of North Port, N.Y., Cusick triumphed in both 145 hydro heats with speeds of 64.240 and 64.841-mph.
In the 280 hydro clash, Rex Bixby, of Costa Mesa, Calif., backed into the championship with his Sam Too after Miss Valleyfield, driven by D.F. Brouse, of Ontario, Canada, was disqualified. Brouse's boat, which had won both heats, as well as Aubert Brillant's fourth place Le Canadiana, were dropped in the final standings for minor rule infractions following engine inspections.
Marion Beaver, of Parjker, Ariz., had the unique experience of seeing his defending 225 hydro title holder, Uncle Gummy, lose its crown to his other entry in the race, Gummy's Ghost The Ghost, driven by Wayne Thompson, of Reseda, Calif., nabbed a first and a third for first overall, while Uncle Gummy, piloted again by '62 winner Bob Ellis, of Compton, Calif., ended up fourth overall with a third and a fifth place.
Gummy's Ghost also put out the fastest 225 hydro run of the day at 77.253- mph.
Aubert Brillant's success in the 7- litre class has earlier been mentioned, but it should be noted that his Royal Canadiana's 90-mph romping was also the fastest clocking chalked by any boat at the 1963 championships. It erased the former 7-litre record of 86.956-mph set by Ray Gassner's Sunshine Baby IV, in 1961 at the same San Diego course. Gassner, of St. Petersburg, Fla., finished fourth in this year's 7-litre standings.
Closest finish in the APBA event this year took place in the 150 hydro class, with Randy Meyer, of North Hollywood, Calif., barely edging Mickey Remund, of El Cajon, Calif., for the title. Meyer's Avenger VI and Remund's boat, Helluva, both tallied a first and a second in heat races but the victory was decided in Meyer's favor by a three-second margin on fastest heat times. Avenger's 74.565 sprint in its winning effort was the fastest 150 hydro figure.
Remund, however, was not to be denied a title trophy for 1963 and scored an impressive win in the 48 hydro division. He outclassed all competition with Dr. Henry Eastman's sensational Piranha, stopping the clock twice at exactly 69.018 in winning both heats.
LeRoy Penhall's Hot Cinders proved a crackerjack in the Crackerbox runoffs by following up a first heat win with a second heat second. The boat's builder, Bob Patterson, of Van Nuys, Calif., shared driving honors with Penhall after Penhall's SK flip. Fastest time was put forth by Don West, of Pleasant Grove, Utah, in Big Deal at 71.713-mph.
E Racing Runabouts were humbled by Wes Knudsen and My Stardust. The Provo, Utah driver took a first and a second place and scored the fastest E clocking with a 71.485-mph performance.

In other A.P.B.A. inboard championship regattas held elsewhere in the country during 1963:

Tach I, driven by Victor Bupp, Mt. Wolf, Pa., and owned by Ray Myers, York, Pa., walked away with the 44 hydro title at Red Bank, N.J:, July 7 to retain its crown. Also at Red Bank the same day, another defender repeated, the Jersey Speed Skiff Jo-Carol-Too, driven by Robert Perri, of Oceanside, N.J., and co-owned with Dan Ardolino, West Long Branch, N.J.
At Mays Landing, N.J., Sept. 15, Albert Flair and Gerry Milto, New Orleans, La., won the E Service Runabout title while Harold Scatterfield, Arlington, Va., drove William Bourne's F Service Runabout to victory.
Lil Bee, owned and driven by Ernie Rose, of Patterson, Calif., buzzed to the B Racing Runabout title at finals held on July 14 at Merced, Calif.

Crackerbox winner was Leroy Penhall's **Hot Cinders** shown in the foreground.
In the background, **Rebel 15-P** and **Hot Dam 111-P**.

SK boats wait for their heats.
Don Towle in 45-SK went on to win the class and retain his national SK title.
7 LITRE FINAL RESULTS (1) Royal Canadiana, Art Asbury, Ontario, Canada, Aubert Brilliant, Rimouski, Quebec (owner); (2) The Redskin, Kenny lydon, Seattle, Wa., Henry Bowhay, Seattle, Wn.; (3) Eightball, Jim Towsend, Port Arthur, Tx.; (4) Sunshine Baby IV, Ray Gassner, St. Petersburg; (5) Miss Vitamilk, Wm. J. Brow, Seattle, Wn.; (6) San Diego Baby, Chuck Thompson, Poway, R. E. Maurer, San Diego; (7) Challenger, Billy Schumacher, Seattle, Wn., Jack Colcock, Seattle, Wn. (1962 Champion boat was owned and driven by Ray Gassner, St. Petersburg, Fla.) 280 HYDRO FINAL RESULTS (1) Sam Too, Rex Bixby, Costa Mesa, Rex V. Bixby, Costa Mesa; (2) Giz Mo, Eddie Silva, Hay- Ward; Al Silva, Hayward; (3) Oops, Chuck Thomson, San Diego, Frank Vessels, San Diego; (4) Water Scamp, Ben lange, Seattle, Wn.; (5) Hank's Prank III, Henry Evans, Jr., Voorheesville, N.Y.; (6) Slim Princess, Ken Abrahams, Bell; (7) Danny Boone, George Hendrix, Parker, Ariz., Bud Singer, Parker, Ariz.; (8) El Roacho, Glenn Campbell, San Diego; (9) Hypertension, Jim Kierce, Tujunga, Calif., Thomas Tuchscher, Chula Vista, Calif.; (10) Miss Valleyfield, u.F. Brouse, Ontario, Canada; (11) Le Canadiana, Aubert Brilliant, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada; (12) Honeybear, Allan Ford, Concord, Norman Morris; Oakland. (1962 Champion boat was owned and driven by Ray Lynn, Philadelphia, Pa.) The above 280 Hydro results are the final results; the original first place boat, Miss Valleyfield and the fourth place boot, Le Canadiana, were disqualified in the engine inspection, due to a minor infraction of the technical rules. 266 HYDRO FINAL RESULTS (1) Wa Wa Too (defending champion), Skeeter Johnson, Cambridge, Md., Wm. A Ritner, Sr., Gladwyne, Pa.; (2) Apache, B.G. Bartley, Pittsburgh, Pa. Michael Thomas, Harvey Cedars, NJ.; (3) Z B II, Bob Ingram, Visalia; (4) Skitter, Don Ward, Torrance; (5) Miss Parco, Jerry Ballard, Manhattan Beach, Laird Pierce, Rolling Hills; (6) Katy Did, Chuck King, Hermosa Beach; (7) Aqua Holic, Mike Waters, Manhattan Beach; (8) Miss Sterling, John Koch, San Diego, J. Barnett, National City; (9) Miss Canadiana, Arthur Asbury, Ontario, Can., Aubert Brilliant, Rimouski, Quebec; (10) Koch Roach, Robert Frazee, San Diego, Robert Roach, San Diego. 225 HYDRO FINAL RESULTS (1) Gummy's Ghost, Wayne Thompson, Reseda; (2) Thunderbird, Mike Stierli, Bellflower, Max Stierli, Bellflower (owner); (3) Charity, Merle Solland, Vancouver, Wn., Jack Wong, Lockport, N.Y.; (4) Uncle Gummy, Bob Ellis, Hollydale, Marion Beaver, Parker Ariz.; (5) Tiger Too, Harry Schneider, Palo Alto; (6) Starduster, Fred Wright, Seattle, Wn.; (7) California Kid, Robert Schwartz, Oakland; (8) Isotope, Hayden Harris, los Angeles; (9) Sleepy Sam, Bill Phelps, long Beach. (1962 Champion boat was owned by Marion Beaver, Parker, Ariz., and driven by Bob Ellis, Compton, Calif.) 150 HYDRO FINAL RESULTS (1) Avenger VI, Randy Meyer, N. Hollywood; (2) Helluva, Mickey Remund, EI Cajon, O. B. Reeder, la Mirada; (3) Flamingo, Chuck Thomson, San Diego, Paul Bequette, San Diego, R. E. Maurer, San Diego; (4) Marty, Willie Kendig, Visalia; (5) Snoopy, Ed Lane, Portolo Valley; (6) Trample, Kelly Schroeder, San Diego, R. E. Maurer, San Diego; (7) Frustration, E. Hale Adams, Los Angeles; (8) Lutefisk, Lars "Swede" Sttomstedt, McHenry, III.; (9) High Hopes, Jack Hess, Seattle, Wn. (1962 Champion boat was owned by Edward Sullivan, McHenry, IL., and driven by Lars Stromstedt, McHenry, IL.) 145 HYDRO FINAL RESULTS (1) Red Top (defending champion), George Cusick, Cambridge, Md., Robert Tuttle, North Port, N.Y.; (2) Lanky, Allan Ford, Concord; (3) Lil' Squirt, R. Bruce McDonald, Seattle, Wn.; (4) Jerky, Gary Jones, Healdsburg; (5) Ezzy Duzzitt, Herbert Hintzke, Long Beach; (6) Drone, Jim Vallely, Los Angeles; (7) Sidewinder, George Henly, Eaton- vi lie, Wn.;' (8) Climax, Robert Murdock, Spring Valley; (9) Scrappy, Harry Weimer,'Stlcramento; (10) Obsession, Kenny Dumbauld, San Diego; (11) Fly'n Bucket, Paul Bequette, San Diego; (12) Misty, Morey Hale, Modesto, Bill Phelps, Long Beach. 48 HYDRO FINAL RESULTS (1) Piranha, Mickey Remund, EI Cajon, Dr. Henry Eastman, Tustin; (2) Short Snort, Lynn Montgomery, Federal Way, Washington; (3) Sting Ray, Chuck Dale, San Diego; (4) Miss Land & Marine, Joe Siracusa, Morgan City, La.; (5) Double Trouble, Darrel Olson, Long Beach; (6) III Eagle Too, Alex Kuroda, San Diego; (7) Tinkertoy Too, Wayne Thompson, Reseda, Ken Harman, Arcadia; (8) Sneaky III, Harvey Stuska, Denver, Colo.; (9) Carol's Bonneville, John Lyle, San Diego; (10) Splish Splash, Jim Mitchell, Laguna Beach. (1962 Champion boat was owned and driven by F.C. Moor, Hialeah, Fla.) CRACKERBOX FINAL RESULTS (1) Hot Cinders, Bob Patterson, Van Nuys, LeRoy Penhall, Anaheim (owner); (2) Cracker Jack, Jack Hurley, Idaho Falls, Id.; (3) Big Deal, Don West, Pleasant Grove, Utah; (4) Hot Box, Les Jeboult, New West'r. B.C., Canada; (5) Tom's Cat, Kenny Lassen, Provo, Utah, Clyde Lassen, Provo, Utah; (6) Hot Dam, Rocky Stone, Anaheim; (7) Rebel, Gary Robarge, Provo, Utah; (8) Moonshine, K.V. Johnson, Provo, Utah; (9) Gordon Jennings, San Diego; (10) Rinky Dink, Roger Stull, Fullerton. (1962 Champion boat was owned and driven by Gary Robarge, Provo, Utah.) SK RACING RUNABOUT FINAL RESULTS (1) Haf Gast Too (defending champion), Don Towle, Los Angeles; (2) Suddenly, Tony Maricich, San Pedro, (3) 33SK, Dick Jones, Rossmoor, Jack Williams, Shafter (owner); (4) Fjord, Butch Peterson, Lake Arrowhead, Lou Brummett, Pasadena; (5) Cream Puff VIII, Ed Olsen, Garden Grove; (6) Golden Canadiana, Aubert Brilliant, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada; (7) Golden Commode, Jay Gotfredson, San Marino; (8) Fool's Gold, Steve Elias, Seattle, Wa.; (9) Sizzler, Bob Ellis, Hollydale, LeRoy Penhall, Anaheim (owner); (10) Long Gone, Les Brown, Oak Lawn, III.; (11) Flyin' Home, Clem McCullah, Torrance. E RACING RUNABOUT FINAL RESULTS (1) My Stardust, Wes Knudsen, Provo, Utah; (2) Daddy's Baby, Joe Poty, Whittier; (3) Ice Cube, Dick Jones, Rossmoor, Garland Privitt, Inglewood; (4) Bouncy Barby V, Ed Brown, Nice; (5) El Toro, Peter Mistretta, Chicago, III.; (6) Gypsy, Jack Leftwich, Provo, Utah; (7) Donald Duck, Eddie Madison, Montclair; (8) Supercortemaggiore, Lance Collins, Bob Ellis, Hollydale; (9) Pandemonium, Ray Lewis, Lakewood; (10) Dennie, David Davis, Provo, Utah, Earl Davis, Provo Utah; (11) Raunchy, Cecil Florence, Parker, Ariz. (1962 Champion boat was owned by Etlrl Davis, Provo, Utah, and driven by Ross Davis, Provo, Utah.)

ROYAL CANADIANA .Aubert Brillant's Royal Canadiana racked up a new 7 litre world's record for 5 mile competition at the Inboard Nationals. Piloted by Arthur Asbury of Ontario, Canada, the craft clocked 90 flat in the next to last heat to eclipse the former record of 86.956 set two years ago by Ray Gassner of St. Petersburg, Florida, in Sunshine Baby IV.
PIRANHA Hit of the show at San Diego was smooth riding Piranha own- ed by Dr. Henry Eastman of Tustin, California. Mickey Re- mund of El Cajon, California piloted the sleek 48 cu. in. hydro to an easy victory in its class. So precise was Remund's timing that he averaged an identical 69.018 mph in both heats.
WAWATOO Of the eight defending cham- pions at the Nationals, only three managed to retain their titles. One of these was Wa Wa Too owned by Bill Ritner of Gladwyne, Pa. The 266 hydro was driven by Skeeter Johnson of Cambridge, Md., and managed to hold on to the crown with two second place finishes.
GUMMY'S GHOST Gummy's Ghost owned by Marion Beaver of Parker, Ari- zona sped away with honors in the 225 hydro class. In the field was 1962 champ Uncle Gummy also owned by Beaver and sister ship of Gummy's Ghost. Driven by Wayne Thompson of Reseda, California, the Ghost took a first and a third with times of 77.253 and 72.289 respectively.
AVENGER VI Randy Meyer of North Holly- wood, California nosed out Mickey Remund to win the 150 hydro class in his Avenger VI. Meyer and Remund tied on points and elapsed times, but Meyer's faster lap time handed him the victory. Later Meyer drove Avenger VI to top honors in the Mayor's Cup Challenge Race final event of the meet.


Behind the wheel of Frustration is E. Hale Adams of Los Angeles, California. Craft finished seventh in 150 hydro class.	Miss Valleyfield, 280 hydro driven by D. F. Brouse of I Canada was disqualified dropped from first to seventh place.
Don Ward of Torrence, Ca. in Skitter, posted times of 70.423 and 72.407 in 266 hydro class. Placed fourth.	Veteran 225 hydro campaigner, California Kid, had troubles, placed seventh. Owner-Driver is Robert Schartz.
48 hydro, Miss Land and Marine, driven by Joe Siracusa of Morgan City, La. placed fourth despite 2nd heat disqualification.	Robert Murdock never quite got his Climax in the running. The 145 hydro placed eighth. Note For Sale sign.

Overall view of Nationals race course shows E Racing Runabouts ready to launch.
Note ABC-TV cameraman suspended from crane.

NATIONAL BOAT RACING 1964 YEARBOOK