Charleston Model Boaters, 2007 National Outboard Tunnel Championships

[Scott Norris]

Did Mike have that many boats that he had to ride underneath the vehicle?

CURSE YOU FLORIDA TUNNEL MAFIA!!

Bill, you'll have to attend a race where the Tunnel Mafia is present to understand the full meaning of that photograph.

 

[John Knight]

Hey guys,

I received a phone call from Harry, the manager of the Ramada Inn in Walterboro, the race headquarters motel. He thanked me for putting all of the racers at his motel and for the business provided him and actually welcomed us all back again. It amounted to about 20 or so rooms. He thanked me actually 4 times.

I surmise one of two things has happened:

1. You guys actually behaved, or

2. They have yet to figure or find out what you have done. If so I may get a follow up call to withdraw the offer for the future.

For those that behaved like ladies & gentlemen, I thank you. For those that struggled with that, we have to work on you some more!!!

Keep the compliments coming. I am gradually getting my strength back from being totally whacked by the work of the race. Unreal workload to be sure.

PS: Grimracer seems to be a magnet. Not a chick magnet mind you but a magnet for practical jokes. And he is the target of them. I asked him on Saturday if all was right and if his vehicle was tampered with and he said no and all was good. Guess that changed later on as he got ZIP TIED!! Going to give him a complex I tell you all, or as Kris Flynn says, YA'ALL.

 

[topfuel443]

well...Im back in Germany after a long few days.

Id like to thank all of the racers, club members, mother nature, and sponsors for making this the best gathering of tunnel boats EVER!

We still have MANY MANY tunnel racers that havent made the trip to this one yet, and we (CMB) hope to change that for next year. This is a race you simply cannot miss. With well over 8 THOUSAND views on this thread alone, the champion caliber competition and over 150 boats, the popularity of this race has become ten-fold that of what we, the newly formed little boat club, expected 3 years ago when the idea came around.

It was a real pleasure meeting, hangin out, and racing with Kris and Louise(Australia), Shane and Terry (Bermuda), and Mike Locke (Canada), Rusty and Deryl Nesbitt (and their better halfs), Ed Ritchie, Bill Van Kirk, Jul Alvarez, .... and I know that I have left out many new faces Ive met, but those are a few that come to mind.

Big thanks to Mark Scott for taking 1000's (literally) of pictures, I think that camera was permanently grafted to his head by the end of the race.

Congrats to Mike Z. for a repeat championship in 20 tunnel, You have to have your **** together to come out on top in this class, as there were MANY MANY ballistic boats that could have been in the top. With a close second in sport 20, Mike also took the overall High Points award in the two largest classes of Sport 20 and 20 Tunnel, an unbeleivable task with such stiff competition.

The same goes for Kevin Lee in 20 sport, many of the IW folks may not know Kevin as he doesnt get on here much, hopefully that will change. Kevin is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and he would do anything for you. He had an awesome running lynx/OS to capture the win in the extremely competetive sport 20 class which had over 30 boats entered.

Not take anything away from any other winners, but those two just stick out in my mind at the moment.

More to come....im beat and its getting close to bed time...

~James

PS, Bermudians make extremely good black rum. Thanks again Shane!

 

[Richie R]

From what I heard Mike Z likes to be zip tied. Well thats what the boss of his house says.

Wish I could have made it, should be there next year. Sounds like you guys had a blast. Congrats to all the top finishers.

Richie R

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

From what I heard Mike Z likes to be zip tied. Well thats what the boss of his house says.Wish I could have made it, should be there next year. Sounds like you guys had a blast. Congrats to all the top finishers.

Richie R

Yeah, racing in 85 degree temps is almost as much fun as running a snowmobile in 20 below. B) Weather was probably almost as warm as Northern WI.

JD

 

[Ron B.]

Missing Ron Byrd at the event was not easy.. Take care bud… Hope you can come back racing soon..
Grimracer

Grim I missed not being there hanging out with all my boating friends!!

Sad news is that a great friend of mine and I am sure one who is familiar with any drag racing fan passed away one short week after the NHRA Gator Nationals. At least I had the pleasure of chatting with him before this tragic accident.....

Eric Medlen Funny Car Driver for John Force Racing passed away at the young age of 33.....God Speed Eric you will be missed!

Ron B.

 

[Ed.R]

Well It was great to meet everyone had a great time racing , better luck next year . Congrats to the CMB Club and all the winners . Hopefully all is well with the travelers . If I had one event a year to go to this one would have to be it . Maybe well make the trip in October .

Great meeting James , Ob nut , JD and Grimm now I can but a face to who answers all those question I have . Iam sure I m leaving a lot of people out .

Nice to see the gas tunnels I'm sure next year they will be going faster , I am also looking forward to seeing a 6 - 8 boat heat with these bad boys .

Ed.R

John Knight , great job start cutting those **** trees !!!!! Great job JOHN !

 

[Mike Larson]

Ron! you had it goin on! I hadnt raced for 2 years 5 months...... I formed a race stategy after the first round of heats, and stuck with it.... I'm elated where I placed in both classes, much better than I thought I'd ever do, too.... " finish the race" kept me in there, and you're a great pitman, too...... Whether it the nitro, or tunnels shakin the ground in the pits, help the mental chaos that followed...... who knows, I was amped...... Dnf in the last heat of mod crashed the dream...... woulda been top ten...... Realize, the topic of discussion was whether or not to throw you in the lake, ( and, they will!) Had a blast and hope to see you next year...... Shoutin the thanks again to Mark Poole! This man baked in the heat calling a great race, all weekend, Brian Calahan on stats! John Knight, for showin this Iowa cat the ropes of big event racing.... " Whats a heat sheet?" , Among other nuances to the D 13 race scenario i had to know quick.... Like, dont pile into turn 1!!!!!!!!!! All the club members sacrificed race time to an extent to make it happen, and were very busy, Thanks guys, I'll help more next year! It was the event of a lifetime for me, and i have a lot of boat work to do! Possibly hone some bouy skills, too.... I'll think more, I'm still decompressing from the drive, gotta work....... mike

 

[Mark Poole ModVP]

Continued thanks for all the comments! It was a memorable weekend for sure. Everytime I see Mike Z. race I wish that I could control a tunnel with that kind of cool, collected skill. JD's sport 40 tunnel was a screamer, even gave the mod boats a run for their money. Team HTV had their game on....run loose, run fast! Mark Hopper knows two speeds, off and W.O.T. That is why his boats are always at the front. Kris and Ron taking first and second in Mod-VP makes the time spent building those boat well worth it. Got to thank Tonya and Aunt B. for the low country boil as well as John Steltzer for lunch. Deryl and Jenny for late hours making the picture trophies happen. Scott the pit boss was the guy baking in the sun, at least I had the tent to stand under. I still got sunburn though. Like I said before, don't know how to top it for next year but we will!

Maybe next year we will bring back the smack talk challenge race. The Tunnel Mafia, the Rowdy Boys, the Tennessee Terrors and the Old Timers can go at it head to head. :lol:

 

[Richie R]

Come on dunny just because we got about 3 feet of ice yet. I'll have you know it was like 60 plus degrees here which by the way is way warmer than it is supposed to be.While you racing Joe and I were bashing our nitro trucks 20 feet in the air awesome baby.

Glad to hear you did well. Hope too see you their next year.

Richie R

 

[RodneyPierce]

DAMNIT!!! Im SSSSOOOO going to this next year!!!! My boats arent fast enough for you cats tho, might have to work on that this year

 

[Ed.R]

DAMNIT!!! Im SSSSOOOO going to this next year!!!! My boats arent fast enough for you cats tho, might have to work on that this year

All about finishing not how fast your not . I should start listening to myself .

Ed

Hows the sport 20 ? , glad I started my sport 40 before I went to the Tunnel race , otherwise I would just start another tunnel instead . Going to start another one anyway

 

[RodneyPierce]

DAMNIT!!! Im SSSSOOOO going to this next year!!!! My boats arent fast enough for you cats tho, might have to work on that this year

All about finishing not how fast your not . I should start listening to myself .

Ed

Hows the sport 20 ? , glad I started my sport 40 before I went to the Tunnel race , otherwise I would just start another tunnel instead . Going to start another one anyway

Hey dude, its doing great man!!! Thanks for asking! Am in the process of finishing another cowl right now for it, if this one doesnt work, I swear im just going to buy one from Blazer, LOL Anyhow, gotta put teh strute and rudder back on, the the thing should be good to hit the water here soon! Hoping she touches 60

 

[Kris Flynn]

DAMMM only got s couple of minutes sooooooooooo....

We had an AWSOME time and everyone was great (yeah even those atwells) LOL

Tim, It is now my boat LOL hahahaha

Catcha later guys

Kris

 

[Gator 340]

DAMMM only got s couple of minutes sooooooooooo....
We had an AWSOME time and everyone was great (yeah even those atwells) LOL

Tim, It is now my boat LOL hahahaha

Catcha later guys

Kris

Kriss you are welcome in our neck of the woods / world any time

 

[Mark Poole ModVP]

I was wondering where Kris was. Must still be in LA, was in such a hurry!

Dang Tonya, you put down the magazine long enough to make a post?? How bout them new teeth?

 

[AFIRacing]

You did'nt get Toni replacement fold down teeth and pistol grip ears did ya ??

 

[Kris Flynn]

HAHA Yep still In LA,

Been doing some touristy stuff like DisneyLand/Seaworld in San Diego/Universal studios... Disneyland sucks BTW :lol:

I decided to FedEx my boats to my last motel in the US and get them to hold them till I get there and bring them home with me...SHOULD be ALOT easier if the plan works out.................

MANY Aussies over here, most are alot older than us though....

OH and i got a NEAT setup to take you guys on with when I get back to AUS so LOOK OUT!!!!!!!!! Finley here I come!

Also, I would like to say Thanks to the crew from the CMB club for putting on a great event (just remember to get more food for Sunday next year) LOL

Shane and Terry (The Berudians) for transporting us to and from the pond and the motel each morning/night.

Darryl (sp?) SCTunnel that is and his partner Jenny

Rusty and his wife

Mark Poole for letting me borrow a boat, then beat him with it...O well guess I can now show everyone what they can do Down Under

Atwells for providing some good entertainment

Ron Drake, well, ummm for Ron Drake (see man we can give it and take it)

Those O.E.R. Guys for letting us pit under your tent for the whole weekend.

Ronald for the coffee at the Airport!

All the best and sorry if I forgot anyone....gotta go!

Cheers

Kris

 

[TunnelDon]

Kris and Louise had a great time! Looking forward to next year. O.E.R. will always make room for our Aussie friends.

Thanks,

Don