The Bahamas500 race
 

Anyone know what boats won the twin outboard class in the 1967, 1968 and 1969 Bamaha's 500 race? I'm trying to find info on the top 3 finishers in outboard and twin outboard class.

Interesting you inquire: Most all the boats were Mercury Lake X and Oshkosh era. in 1967 it was Gene Wagner and Richie Powers 21` Seacraft twin 110 hp Mercs. Best I can remember all the outboard boats were twin engine. Out of almost 75 starters we were 8th overall and first outboard. Race started at daybreak was 548 miles with one stop for fuel in Naussau which took less than 5 min. we finished around 1:30 in the morning, seas were rough, final leg of the race was so rough and dark we punched through couple rougue waves, got knocked back into the engine well, then after we tied ourselves into the boat and soldiered on. It was so rough the finish boat left station, so Kiekhaefer sent Billy Steale out in the middle of the night in a 28` formula with a revolving blue light, so that the remaining boats that were on their way would know where the finish line was, saved our lives. After we finished Red Chrise declared the race a two day race so anyone finishing the next day would be awarded a respective finish. When we finished it took us almost 2 hours before we could even stand up without falling over. This was my second race ever, I was 19 yrs old, the first race was a 50 miler in St Pete, guess that`s what made champions. Odell Lewis won it. One year Aronow won it in triple outboard 28` Magnum just behind Odell, maybe 1968, I think John Stenbach won it maybe 1969 ????????????? Cary 4 engine outboard, really not to sure, I`ll try and do some research to let you know. I have many long stories about all the 500`s. as I was with the Factory team for all of them. As well in the later years I won two shortened 500`s one with Carlo Bonomi ( Dry Martini ) and again with Tom Gentry ( American Eagle ). Great races, I am currently working on a revival with Jerry Jacoby in conjunction with the new Don Aronow Documentary. Thanks for your interest 7XCHAMP

King of Thunderboat Row says Don was 2nd overall in 1st running of the 500 in 67 driving a prototype 27 Mag with 3 Merc outboards and won the award for outstanding performance. Odell was 1st - only a few finished.

Heard from sources in LA that the doc is a crock based on Harris' Speed Kills, not a true doc, just an atempt to make some $ on old reputed BS stories and that the family will never allow a race to be run in Don's name that publicizes that doc.

In 1968 or 1969, Howard Weiler ran a 28' with a Merc, a Johnson, and Chrysler outboard, and finished 6th overall.

HI PJRIZ,
The information you have heard concerning the new documentary coming out on Don Arorow , called Thunderman , is an attempt to tell the real truth behind Don's murder . An exhaustive amount of information has been gathered to try and get the the real story concerning this, and not a lot of crock , as you put it .
Jerry Jacoby

Please hawkonefun:
You should no better. As LA knows and has known for yrs,- The truth - the truth according to who - what new info is there - is there a new eye witness to Don's life that has suddenly emerged.
Miami PD and the Miami DA closed that case yrs ago after spending yrs gathering miles of info - the doc and the attempted drug angle is what LA is calling "a crock." Let it go and live for today.
All the best,
PJ

Hey Jerry -
Do you remember me - Phil from NNRT -

I will never forget your wife - in the tape about you and the sport - it was a classic - still is -

Hope you are well -

PHIL

hellooooooooooooo jerry.

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Thanks Guys . . . I've been trying to find sources to validate these wins for a dumb online argument I got suckered into . . .

7XCHAMP - That's a great story!! I'd love to hear more . . . I saw some of the Bahama's 500 footage from the Mercury Vintage DVD. I'm amazed that anyone raced in those conditions . . . let alone drive 500+ miles in a 21ft boat. You guys are a different breed . . . 99% of my generation is sitting on the couch in front of a TV (or typing on the internet). Glad to know that no one was seriously hurt or killed in that race.

Anyone know which year this race was?

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