Betty Cook?
 

What's her story?......what did she do for a living?......was KAAMA her company?

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Betty was a latecomer to boating in general, much less racing. She and her husband Paul became involved with offshore racing back in the 70's and hired Don Pruett who along with John Connor helped them develop the various raceboats they ran.

The old ZIPPE cat was purchased by Paul and Run as KUDU. Betty had an old Bertram, Mongoose, and she made it into a patrol boat to help out at the races. She ran the boat in a small local event and ...WON..that was it, she was hooked.

KAAMA was her company, she ran it as her racing company and that was what she did for a living. She and Paul were wealthy in their own right from his involvement in plastics early on.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Back in '77, I saw an article about Betty in Sports Illustrated. That was the first time I had seen much at all about offshore racing and it servesd as the spark that got me going in the sport several years later.

I just found a copy of that Sports Illustrated from an online vintage magazine dealer.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

cool pic charlie

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Is she still 'with us'?

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Betty passed in 1990 at age 67.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Betty Cook was a two time winner of the Sam Griffith Tropy which I created in 1964. She won it in 1977 and 1979. She alos was the three time winner of the APBA's national open class title in 1978. 1979, and 1981. Honor graduate of MIT with her husband Paul, she won 17 major offshore races which at the time of my publishing my book SEARACE in 1989, placed her 17th in the world. She was the first woman to win an open class in motorsports in history! I am working on the sequence to my book SEARACE...The History of Offshore Powerboat Racing, to be titled SEARACE...The Legends, Etc.

John Crouse Publications
Texjoc@aol,com
1 352-344-1528

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Folks this is THE authority on the history of offshore. So nice to hear from you John. By the way folks, John still has a few brand new copies of his first book SEARACE still available for purchase.

Just click on the HORBA website and go to links....there is a link to John there and a nice explanation about the book SEARACE. It would make a nice Christmas present and a nice warmup while we all await his new book coming out soon.

www.historicraceboats.com

Re: Betty Cook?
 

hi john, its great to see you post here on oso. i cherish my autograhed book of searace...its the offshore koran! cant wait til your next book is available. put me down for one as soon as they are printed. take care and welcome aboard! btw great first post. rm

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Thanks for posting John........I too have an autographed copy of Searace and am looking forward to the next book.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Yes Sirs! I confirm that Crouse's SEARACE it's the Offshore Bible!
I have a copy autographed too.
It's a BOOK that cannot lack in a powerboat fan library.
I'm waiting impiatiently your new work,John.

Marco

Re: Betty Cook?
 

One of mine! I took this in 1978 at Cowes (where she won!) where she signed my autograph book. I later sent her the photo itself and asked her to sign it. Any fans can hear Betty too - go over to the www.boatmad.com website and click on the multimedia link. Go to my offshore library link and click on the Betty sound file. I recorded the interview from the local BBC Radio station in 1978. GO BETTY!!!!! Never forgotten.....

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Welcome to the board John, nice to have your input. I also bought your book. It is THE source I go to for any offshore facts.

For all you guys that don't know, Jonh Crouse was reporting on and photographing offshore racing way back when.

Very cool to have John here with us.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Once Again I Am Blown Away..............i Could Read Anything You Post John............welcome And Thank You........

Re: Betty Cook?
 

John it is great to hear from you,Offshore racing is not off shore racing anymore,it should be called lake or river racing.I would love to see the old style racing with the new technoligy in place to see how well everyone would do. :cool:

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Right Words 1HYPER. Stop to the inshore racing!
And then alls those merry go round do come headache.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Good to hear from you, John! I loved the first book, can't wait for the second one.

Jim from Texas

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Hi John from Ronnie and Cindy- How is Ben???

Re: Betty Cook?
 

I gotta get that book. Maybe Santa will bring it to me.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Hey guys, great to hear all the things about Betty. She was my Aunt, and I was fortunate enough to spend a great amount of time with her. She was also inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1996, www.mshf.com. I was lucky enough to be the one that accepted the award and got to talk about her to everyone that was there and share some great experiences we had. She was one of the most special people I have ever been around. It's great that people still bring her name up. Thanks again and if you have any other questions about her, feel free to let me know. Take care.

Shawn

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Thanks for that sound bite!!!! I have not heard her voice in so long, it brought a tear to my eye. Thanks again so much!!

Re: Betty Cook?
 

My pleasure! If you have any stories about Betty Shawn or photo´s we´d love to see/hear them!!

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Betty autographed our searace book along with John. Cant wait for the next one!!!!!!

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Some pic i have of her

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Some more , I having a BIG e-bay sale very soon.


Mike

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Hey Hauling trash, can you let me know if you have any of Betty's things. I would like to buy them before they go on EBay. There was a picture of her on EBay that I bid 5$ on and was outbid with about 10 seconds left. The winning bid was only 50 cents higher then mine. :mad: Thanks.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Thsi my ride. Betty DID own this.

Re: Betty Cook?
 

New Scetionon website ....World Champions....Betty Cook section there.

www.historicraceboats.com

Re: Betty Cook?
 

Hey Charlie, that looks great! I love the pictures of my Aunt. You will be in KW right? It would be great to meet up for a drink if you're free some time. Let me know.

Wow!
 

Hi fellas! I was scanning one of my dad's favorite pics and I ended up here.

This is the Natural Light boat chasing Betty in the 1977 race I believe. the original says "from Joe Ipilito" on the back.

note: that's #89's boat wake ,upper

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...horePBA001.gif

I dug into an old box of loose pics and found a bunch...apparently my dad was number 1 fan...he's got a full album floating around here of the 1977 season...mostly of the KAAma crew....

edit: All of the good pictures went into that 1977 Album of my dads...I can't find it, it may have not made it out of Miami after the Andrew hurricane...I'll ask mom she has it....

I'll scan some more and post!

george jr.

George there are plenty out here who want to see those pics! Thanks!

here's a couple more....
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...horePBA003.gif

that kid 'll be me next to the BlueMax and crewchief mark If I recall correctly...they broke that day..dang it.

anyone ever see the "Slug" at the Carribean Club, Holiday Isle, or Turnberry? (That's the old man's boat)

Dad on the far left standing foreground...is that a rag in his hand!? lol

the Natural Light boat and Betty coming through the cut.

I think that's Turkey Point Power Plant in the background...and that looks like a seaKing helo...neat.

cool! here ya go 'migo.

I posted a pic of some boats from your side of the pond over here visitin....the others are of the Betty and company...

srry double post...

cool! here ya go 'migo.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...horePBA004.gif

I posted a pic of some boats from your side of the pond over here visitin....the others are of the Betty and company...

1977

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...horePBA006.gif

I found this, Gee dad, i didn't know......

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...horePBA007.gif

Oh my!! In the Alitalia shot that looks like Davey Wilson's old Chevy Nova - he loved that car! Wonder if he still has it?!
Any chance of scanning the pics again as much bigger files? I want to copy them to my computer!

Cool pics

Off track a minute but who developed the Kaama drive and was Innovation building the Kaama motors. I redid a 1985 302 Formula that some guy sunk in 1987 that had the drives and 425 Kaama motors . It ran well for back in the day.