Think you're fast...eh?
12-29-2003, 11:00 AM
#1
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Think you're fast...eh?
Art Asbury passed away last month.............probably the greatest Canadian boat racer in history.......
Here he is at 185 mph........... in 1957........ piloting Miss Supertest II...
Look out LOTO...."There are more things between heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy."
God speed...... to a man who showed us what heaven looked like on the water.
T2x
Here he is at 185 mph........... in 1957........ piloting Miss Supertest II...
Look out LOTO...."There are more things between heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy."
God speed...... to a man who showed us what heaven looked like on the water.
T2x
Last edited by T2x; 12-29-2003 at 11:03 AM.
12-29-2003, 11:22 AM
#2
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Supertest II record was sure a feat to say the least! I'm
sure that boat had all the proper safety gear! Goggle's a leather cap and a" Jesus " grab bar! God Speed! Jo
sure that boat had all the proper safety gear! Goggle's a leather cap and a" Jesus " grab bar! God Speed! Jo
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12-29-2003, 12:00 PM
#6
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sweet boat he drove. it was on display here in the science center for years. As a kid I always dreamed of driving the thing just like Art did. 
may he rest in peace.
may he rest in peace.
12-29-2003, 12:08 PM
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T2- What is the history on the "Miss Supertest" boats(which incidentily, Supertest was a chain of gas stations up here in the 60s and 70s). There was a Miss Supertest on display at a museum up here where we used to go every year on class trips in grade school. It was a big orange front engine V12 Gold Cup type boat that apparently had quite a history....it was displayed on its side tilting trailer. a huge boat ,very impressive.......I loved that boat.....as a nine year old they had to drag me away from that thing......doug
12-29-2003, 12:29 PM
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Originally posted by twinn29
T2- What is the history on the "Miss Supertest" boats(which incidentily, Supertest was a chain of gas stations up here in the 60s and 70s). There was a Miss Supertest on display at a museum up here where we used to go every year on class trips in grade school. It was a big orange front engine V12 Gold Cup type boat that apparently had quite a history....it was displayed on its side tilting trailer. a huge boat ,very impressive.......I loved that boat.....as a nine year old they had to drag me away from that thing......doug
T2- What is the history on the "Miss Supertest" boats(which incidentily, Supertest was a chain of gas stations up here in the 60s and 70s). There was a Miss Supertest on display at a museum up here where we used to go every year on class trips in grade school. It was a big orange front engine V12 Gold Cup type boat that apparently had quite a history....it was displayed on its side tilting trailer. a huge boat ,very impressive.......I loved that boat.....as a nine year old they had to drag me away from that thing......doug
One of my great heros passed away last month at the age of 81. Art Asbury held the Canadian and British Empire record for prop driven craft at 185mph, a record he set in 1957 driving the unlimited hydro Miss Supertest. He also set many records in 266 and 7litre hydros. At the Clayton RBR in '98, where he ran his old 266 Miss Canadiana, I asked him about his early years in fast boats. He told me a story of delivering groceries
in the '30s from his fathers store to cottages by outboard. He discovered that by putting the boxes in the front of the skiff, it planed and went quite fast. It was then he acquired his taste for speed. I regret now that I forgot to ask what motor he had.
Bob Hayward was the mechanic/test driver on Supertest II and found himself 'in the seat' in 1958 when Art Asbury left the team to devote himself full time to limited class racing in NA.
Hayward only ran two races in Supertest II [a 1954 Staudacher design], his first, and his last.
A new Supertest III had been built, and with it Hayward won the Harmsworth Trophy Race in Detroit in '59, and then sucessfully defended it in Picton, ON in '60&'61, on the Long Reach, or what is now known as Hayward Reach. [Jeff Lytle's father announced these races] In the 1960 race, Hayward broke the lap record for unlimiteds at 126mph. A month after his victory in 1961, Bob
and Supertest II were entered in a race at Dertoit. The boat 'barreled rolled' while in the lead, killing Bob. At that time,
this was the first fatality in eleven years of unlimited racing.
The team retired from competition after this event.
Supertest II's wrecked hull was later destoyed in a fire; Supertest III is on display in a museum in Toronto.
If you run across John Dertinger at races or AOMC events in the east, ask him about being offered the ride back in '58. John was a succesful alky outboard driver, and declined the offer. They may have intended to enter both boats, but there are also reports of
handling/contol problems with Supertest II. Art Asbury
told me she was good for well over 200mph, in 1957!, but he did not have the strength to steer it.
Very neat stuff....eh?
T2x
12-29-2003, 01:23 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Think you're fast...eh?
Originally posted by Troutly
Don't worry man......everyone seems to live in the past when they get OLD and OBSOLETE
Don't worry man......everyone seems to live in the past when they get OLD and OBSOLETE
T2x
