I stayed with Tina and Chuck for a while when I was younger...lived on Beach road with them. And I was just at Tina and Chuck's place on Siesta Key in June! Small World

So can't she tellyou everything about your DaD?

I'm actually not sure how much she could tell me...she was many years younger than Dad when he was racing. Dont get me wrong, I know about my father as a person but what I don't know about was his racing life. I've started asking my family for more information about his many accomplishments...and i'm sure that when they have time they will be able to tell me a lot about him. I just figured that another good place to start looking was with people that may have known him and raced with him.

Miss Poppa,
I raced with your Dad and had a "few" beers with him and Dick at the Pier House. He was hardcore and a true Offshore class act. We had the opportunity to be with him the day before "the" race in Key West. They were a team to be contended with in the old V and on fire in the new Cougar. Tough guys doing it their way. Old school and and bad to the bone. You and your brother should be proud. I will look in my stuff as I am pretty sure I have at least a couple of pics.
Respectfully
Stan Ware
ps: if I remember right Gene Whipp was in charge of the Mike Poppa ,Dick Fullam award and it was first awarded in one of the first if not first Sarasota race..

True.

Steve Stepp would be a tremendous source of information for you.

http://www.velocityboats.com/history.html

I had found an article yesterday that talked about Steve Stepp....it said:
"As he continued to build boats, word got out, and a pair of racers, Gene Whipp and Mike Poppa, told Stepp they wanted to buy five bare hulls. Whipp then decided to buy a marina in Florida and start rigging Velocitys' for Stepp. Whipp found the marina, and the two seemed on their way."

Todd...thanks again for the fax! I got it this morning. I've always wondered what happened to Still Crazy after the accident...and the article says that Tony Roberts who won the race that year, and who was friend's of Dad's and Dicks, wanted to rebuild Still Crazy and have it ready for the 1986 Season...He said it would go by the name "Mr. Roberts", which was the name of this boat at that time. Now, I just have to find information on Mr. Roberts and see if I can contact him. I'd love to know what happened to Dad's boat.

I think this is your father with Gene in the Sutphen

L.S.

Koppa I see you are out of Columbus, Ohio I just moved from there about two months ago and used to work at a high performance boat shop with an old knowledgeable boat racer who might be able to share some stories with you or maybe put you in contact with the right people, just email if you are interested or get time.