Oakland Marine Stadium...then and now

[mfrey]

2007
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/medium/PA090181.JPG

[mfrey]

1972
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/524/medium/1472Oak72unk.jpg

[mfrey]

2007
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/PA090178.JPG

[mfrey]

1972 Sunny Jones' Black Power
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/medium/1472Oak72BlkPwr.jpg

[mfrey]

1972 Hard Way
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/524/medium/1472Oak72HardWay.jpg

[mfrey]

2007...It's a marine sanctuary now...I liked it better then. I recently had to go to the Oakland Airport but took a brief detour down memory lane.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/PA090181.JPG

[bubbletop409]

I ride my mountain bike often on the trails around the old race course, and reflect back on the glory days of famous racers from a different era. The "Whale of a Burger" served the best race track burgers, and the walls were covered with great action pictures. The entry arc had a sign stating "Thru these gates pass the fastest boats in the World". Panic Mouse, Climax, Conquest, Crazy Horse, Jokers Wild, and many more were allways on the property. BFF's coming to the line with the plates buried, the BGH Sugar with a V-12 Allison, Larry Schwabenland going 205 mph with a half a turn on the steering wheel, boats ending up in the pits, and on Oakland sandblastings front door.
I live 15 minutes from the old course, and just got back from a 1550 mile round trip to Phoenix, GOD do I miss Oakland Marine Stadium.
Happy and Safe Thanksgiving to all, cheers.

[Bobbo541]

My dad raced there and at Berkley in 1960 with his 1959 sanger flat with a blown injected hemi in it. He was running just over 100 mph then. I will see if my mom can find some pics.

[infotraker]

Great memories from Oakland 1969-1973 when I was going there. I ran my 68 Schiada flat thru once in about 1970. Went to a lot of races there. My friend Jack Mottram raced his 68 Schiada there also during that time. His boats name was Dauglas Express. Wish I had a picture of him racing as he died of Cancer in 2000.

[haulina29]

The house that Ray built RIP my friend ........

[mfrey]

I wish I could find my pics of Panic Mouse at Oakland. But here's a few more:
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/medium/1472Oak72Climax.jpg

[mfrey]

Mrs. Ed (Kindsvater BFF) in 1967...one of Schwabeland's rides. http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/524/medium/1472SkiLand67MrsEd2.jpg

[mfrey]

http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/524/medium/1472Oak72unk3.jpg

[mfrey]

http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/medium/1472SkiLand1.jpg
Sugar at Oakland...21' Sanger Shovel Nose

[mfrey]

"Executioner" BGH in 1972...it's a Sanger.http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/medium/1472Oak72Executioner.jpg

[mfrey]

Climax BFH in 1967
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/medium/1472climaxoak67.JPG

[mfrey]

1972...Does anyone know...was this "Hot Tuna"?
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Oak72HotTuna.jpg

[mfrey]

1972...I think this was a flat...anyone know who/what?
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Oak72unk5.jpg

[mfrey]

I was 11 in 1972 when I took this pic...I wanted a boat like this!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Oak72unkSanger.jpg

[haulina29]

I was 13 and can relate .nice post ;)

[sanger mike]

I Was 12 In 1972 And My Sister Would Take Me Over To Oakland Too Watch The Drags, Boy Those Were The Good Ol Days. Thanks For Putting Up The Pics Mfrey.:) :d

[bubbletop409]

1972...Does anyone know...was this "Hot Tuna"?
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Oak72HotTuna.jpg
I think that boat may be Robert Jordans "Tasmanian Devil"

[Roaddogg 4040]

Thanks for the memories.. I was there the day the Panic Mouse crashed and killed Ray Cassilli. Very sad day...
Steve

[infotraker]

I still have the newspaper picture and article from the Panic Mouse crash. Loved to watch Ray drive that mouse ! Used to get all my boat parts and machinging down at Vic Hubbards where the Bale brothers hung out (Vic H. sponsored them).

[SANGER-RICH]

I was 11 in 1972 when I took this pic...I wanted a boat like this!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Oak72unkSanger.jpg
Looks like your wish came true except for the hemi:D

[Fired Up]

Congratulations Mike, your dream came true. We should all be so fortunate. Thanks for posting the photos. They bring back memories of a time long past. My last visit to Oakland was as a young 16 year old with Irv Brendel and Sonny Jones driving the "Hot Damn Hondo". I rode in the back of his pick-up from Three Rivers all the way to the bay area. They wanted to win the Ray Caselli Classic BFF category badly and bring the trophy home. We did...:D

[haulina29]

This sunday at Nimbus the Kiley boys are lighting off their modern muffler fueler its been along time since the sound or smell of nitro has been in the air at Nimbus dam.Its one of the nastiest cacklefest cars i have heard .

[FLATS ONLY]

Does any body know the flatbottom driver or boat in that book or where the pic was the pic was taken. Was it at oakland,long beach or ski land ?:idea:Really good pics from when it was real:D

[mfrey]

Congratulations Mike, your dream came true. We should all be so fortunate. Thanks for posting the photos. They bring back memories of a time long past. My last visit to Oakland was as a young 16 year old with Irv Brendel and Sonny Jones driving the "Hot Damn Hondo". I rode in the back of his pick-up from Three Rivers all the way to the bay area. They wanted to win the Ray Caselli Classic BFF category badly and bring the trophy home. We did...:D
Hey Fired Up...what year was that? Anyone know when the LAST race was in Oakland? When we started going again in 1980, they were long gone.

[mfrey]

This sunday at Nimbus the Kiley boys are lighting off their modern muffler fueler its been along time since the sound or smell of nitro has been in the air at Nimbus dam.Its one of the nastiest cacklefest cars i have heard .
We have a lot of pics and film from Nimbus from the 1960's. What a great location...Wonder why they don't run there anymore??? Too short?

[haulina29]

Not sure why they quit racing at Nimbus im sure its short by todays standards, its like a sail boat haven today . We had alot of good times at Nimbus . 35 years latter I still remember the feeling of rolling in and the e brake wasnt even pulled and I was out the back window of my moms 65 SS Impala looking to see if 007 was there....... lol lol ;) Those who were there know it will never be like it was.....

[Fired Up]

Hey Fired Up...what year was that? Anyone know when the LAST race was in Oakland? When we started going again in 1980, they were long gone.
As my aging memory best serves me...Ray crashed in 1974. So based on that and my age i would say it would have been either 1975 or 1976. :idea:

[Church Mouse]

Ray passed away in March 1973

[Shortfuse]

Climax BFH in 1967
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/medium/1472climaxoak67.JPG
Even though this a blurry picture, I believe this my friend, the late Sam Kurtovich at the controls of "CRISIS", BFH. The boat had the same exact paint scheme as the Jim Ramsey driven "CLIMAX". :)

[Shortfuse]

1972...I think this was a flat...anyone know who/what?
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Oak72unk5.jpg
This is the Gary Colledge owned and driven "HIGHBINDER",BFF. It was also know as "THE CANADIAN", when sponsored by Larry Harrison. It is a Buck Smith design, built by Wriedt Custom Boats. I believe Harlin Orrin built the wood deck on the fiberglass hull which is approximately 22' long. It had a Hemi Engineering counter rotating dual prop shaft V-Drive assembly. If I remember correctly,144 was it's top speed at Ski-land Perris in the late 60's.:)

[mfrey]

Even though this a blurry picture, I believe this my friend, the late Sam Kurtovich at the controls of "CRISIS", BFH. The boat had the same exact paint scheme as the Jim Ramsey driven "CLIMAX". :)
In '67 Mr. Ed and Climax had almost identical boats...I believe Crisis arrived in '68 or '69. That pic is a still of an 8mm movie by my father. He had "a lot of Climax" written on the film box. I'll try to find another pic. Thanks.

[mfrey]

This was actually taken at Ski Land in Sept. '67...Climax had just set a new mph record of 174 with Ramsey driving.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/SkiLand67Record174.jpg

[mfrey]

Thanks for your comments. Here's one more of Climax in '67.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/SliLand67Climax2.jpg

[Shortfuse]

In '67 Mr. Ed and Climax had almost identical boats...I believe Crisis arrived in '68 or '69. That pic is a still of an 8mm movie by my father. He had "a lot of Climax" written on the film box. I'll try to find another pic. Thanks.
I believe Crisis arrived in 1968. It is the original UBGH of "Mr. Ed" Wills, later updated to BFH with Swabby at the helm. Climax and Mr. Ed looked almost identical as shown in the picture at Ski-land Perris final, side by side, Sanger junior hydros with KB Chryslers. Ed Wills then changed to a Charger hull. Crisis was owned by Don Noel, powered by a Ron White 398 Chrysler and driven by Pal Sam until politics took him out of the seat. Sept. 1969 Crisis ran the first 200 mph-2oo.44-at Ski-land Perris with Gary Gabelich in the driver's seat. Those were the good old days. Thanks for taking me back.:)

[mfrey]

Actually here's "Mr. Ed" (either UGH or UFH) with Jim Ramsey driving at Ski Land in 1966.
http://http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/medium/mred_66ramsey.JPG

[mfrey]

And Schwabeland driving Mr. Ed. BFH at Nimbus in 1967
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/mrednim67.JPG