This evening I have been invited to a V.I.P. screening of the documentary about Don Aronow. This is a remake of the documentary done by Silvio Sardi for the recent Cannes film festival. I am still featured at the start of the doc. then Pres. Bush Sr. Not bad company!!!, I am also interviewed several more times throughout the doc.
Word has it that there`s a 99% chance a movie will be made, by a famous well known producer, and that the new Doc. will be aired on HBO.
Guess we will find out this evening at the screening.
Don was a very close friend of mine, and like Carl Kiekhaefer was a coach and mentor that enabled me to become
7XCHAMP. For those who don`t know including The current Cigarette boat co. three of the world championship years they advertise were courtesy of 7XCHAMP and the variuos drivers of the time. Carlo Bonomi 1973 & 1974 with Aeromarine IX and Dry Martini, then Tom Gentry 1976 American Eagle. I was also associated with all the national championships with Doc. Magoon in the various Aeromarine Cigarettes.
As you can see I have had a long time relationship with Aronow, Cigarette etc.
I first met Don in 1966 at Lake X with the late great Knocky House. I was a kid working as a test driver for merc. they were rigging a 27` Magnum single engine 427 to race, it was the most beautiful boat one could ever see, Don and that boat is what drove me in part to persue a carreer as a throttleman/racer. I am beholdin forever. My other hero`s at the time were my team mates, Odell Lewis, Bill Sirois, Bill Wishnick, Brownie, and Big Dirty/Mark Raymond. They were the true grit guys of the time including Don Aronow. I don`t think there has ever been an era in offshore that has had more true grit MEN racing the sport of Offshore, You can also include Dick Bertram, Jim Wyn, and Sam Griffith. What a shame we don`t have more history.
I`ll try and keep everyone who is interested informed regarding the Movie and Documentary.
You are such an icon in the sense of being "in the trenches" and having done it. The people you mentioned in your post are like the legends in NASCAR or Indy Car racing before the sport became scientific. I met Mark Donahue when I was 13 (1968), shook hands with Michael Andretti in 1989, etc. Offshore Racing as a sport has evolved just like automotive racing has. We no longer have the gritty dirt in your face racing in either of these sports. We now have canopies, computer controlled engines, etc.
Please write a book like "Searace" and save the history for those of us that missed it.
Wannabe
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1984 Chris Cat- Twin 454's and Speedmaster 2's
85 CHRIS COMMANDER,79 EXCALIBUR,72 SIDEWINDER,74 MAGNUM
7xchamp,
1st Let Me Say That I Have Been Looking For The Movie Since The Cannes Release Date, So Please Keep Us Informed. 2nd Write The Book And Put Me On The Mailing List. 3rd Thank You For Playing Your Part In The Rich History Of This Sport.
Thanks for a great post as always I love hearing your stories. Keep us posted on the movie too.
Do you know or do you have a way of finding out if it's possible to even see the first rendition that was made for the film festival? Is there a DVD or anything???
Thanks
Jon
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"If some is good, more is better.
And to much is just enough."
----Carroll Shelby
and then go to ( In Production ) it looks like there is two movies in the works Thunderman and speed kills ???
Jon
As soon as I know I`ll post. My understanding is that the movie will be made, Brett Rattner is supposed to be the producer, I heard budget of $90 mil. ???????????????????
I also heard that if it`s a movie it will be loosley based on D.A. ?????????????????????? I do believe based on the people I have worked with that a movie will happen. I am hoping for some position with the movie, maybe tech. director or something. I`ll know more after tonight I`m sure. As far as the old doc. that was in Cannes, I have asked the same thing could I a least have a copy, but have none to date.
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