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Remembering Our Friend Jerry Davis...RIP (Jan. 2010)Hello Everyone,
I just returned from the IHBA banquet in Las Vegas, NV. which was great!
The best time of the whole trip was seeing many of my friends.
Yet another very sad day in our sport as we lose yet another legend! :-(
I found out yesterday morning (Sunday) from a good friend that Jerry Davis has passed away from his battle with cancer.
It is no secret to most of you that know Jerry, that he has been ill for some time, and has been fighting this horrible disease for over a year and yet he did not let it stop him from doing the things he loved.
Jerry had a wonderful wife for many years Nancy! That stood by his side not only in marriage, but through-out his racing career of dragboat racing, a sport that was a major part of Jerry's life.
Like “The Great Professor” Mr. Don Ermshar, Jerry was one of the kings in our sport!! And an ambassador of our great sport.
A champion to say the least!!!
Jerry had a great career, winner of several championships and countless race event wins.
Jerry drove the…TAF War Party #556 for many years, just this last year with his ill fated condition Jerry came in runner up in the SDBA 2009 points.
Jerry was a man that had GOD by his side in daily life and in his drag-boat!
If you are involved in a high-speed sport it is only a matter of time that you will encounter some challenges and hair raising situations, which Jerry did.
Jerry in his long career in dragboat racing which covered over 30+ years found himself in the water 7 or 8 times…Not a record that anyone would be proud to have…But the man kept on coming back after every time he crashed, only to overcome and conquer the fear that many others would move on to another sport or retire.
Years ago Jerry was in his brand new open boat BAF when he crashed in Texas…the boat flipped and went up on shore as did the motor, and Jerry laid lifeless in the water not breathing, thanks to rescue they were able to revive Jerry! it took Jerry several months to recover in the hospital, and yet Jerry went on to have a few other accidents as the years passed, which Jerry again suffered major injuries and overcame them as well.
The man never gave up!!!
One could say Jerry might be nuts or have a death wish, staying in drag-boat racing after so many incidents/accidents…?
I like many of you that have had the opportunity to know Jerry over the years, know that what drove Jerry was his passion for the sport and many of the people that became not only his friends but…family!!
Long time friends like Don & Jim Ermshar, Gene Hackett, and many others became best of friends over the years.
The man always made time for his friends and fans that came to visit him in his pit, the kids loved this man that always had a warm smile, and kind and loving eyes, but a heart of a warrior when it came to racing!
Speaking of which how can you go wrong with GOD on his right hand side and his soul-mate Nancy his wife on his left.
Between those two Jerry had all he needed in life, and the icing on the cake was his family and racing family.
Jerry was a man that had it all in his life time…As one great man use to say…” I DID IT MY WAY!!!” And…Jerry did just that…
Jerry’s faith in GOD was larger than life itself!!!
Many of us should only be so fortunate in our life time to experience what Jerry was able to accomplish.
Jerry lived and he did it well~~~
2009 was a tough year as many of you are well aware! But that is life!
We all have our time to go home one day, all we can do is…Love and Live and appreciate every day we have to spend with our loved ones and friends.
Needless to say our friend Jerry is in good company with many of the drag-boat racing greats, and loved ones!
I like to think that Don “The Professor” Ermshar and brother Jim, and Gene were at the entry gate along side with Peter with open arms and Great BIG Smiles…with a little wise crack from Don, saying…Jerry you never thought I’d be the one beating you up here too!!
Then all four of these great men put their arms around one another’s shoulders as they walk down the pathway home.
These men were best of friends on earth, Now...Forever!! ;-)
For those of us that lost these fine men, and so many others over the recent and past years…we all say thank you for the…Memories…The Smiles, The Love, The Passion, The Friendship, and most of all…Thank You touching our Lives and our Hearts…
We Will NEVER Forget You!!!
Jerry…You are and will always be the…Iron-Man of Drag-Boat Racing!!!
RIP My Friend
Here is a youtube link about Jerry!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vT5MSWi9GU
2009…
God Speed Jimmy Tucker PE 457
God Speed Don Ermshar TAF 647
God Speed Dan Chittendon TFH 7
God Speed Gene Hackett TAF 2882
God Speed Ron McLellan TFH 131
Joe "Speed-Freak" Dutra |
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2009 Racing Season High-Lites (2009)Hello Everyone,
I am working on the 2009 season in review!
I will be up-loading in a few days... |
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IHBA - World Finals, Phx. AZ. (Nov. 19-22-2009)Hello Everyone!
Pictured is your TFH final...with Daryl Erhlich driving Eddie Knox Problem Child to the win! and the quickest pass ever...4.52 @ 264-MPH to Speed Sports 239-MPH.
Wow…hard to believe that we are witnessing yet another era coming to an end, IHBA is now no longer!!
The 2009 IHBA World Finals was one great event as it has been in past years. Not surprising that the boat count was down due to our current economic state which seems to be getting worse with each passing day.
About… 145 boats were in attendance for the final IHBA event!
This event was also the kick off meeting for PROS. The safety committee headed by Jim Lang! Please contact Jim to become a member.
Thurs. got started as test & tune and many took advantage of the opportunity to get their hotrods dialed in, and there was a lot of great racing for a test & tune day, After the day of test & tune was completed there was a drivers meeting called which owner & prez. Charlie Fagan made the announcement that this was the final IHBA event, and following the completion of this weekend’s event that IHBA would be closing its doors.
The pro-classes high points were still up in the air coming to this event…TFH-TAH-TAF-Pro Mod & PE and a few others.
5-Top Fuel Hydro’s (TFH) made it to this event which was disappointing being the grand daddy event of the sport :-( For a class that commands a huge part of the spectator attendance & excitement things need to change!!!
For those that did attend my hat goes off to them…Speed Sports-Toxic Rocket-Problem Child-Hot Licks-Spirit of Texas these teams deserve to be taken care of as the sport moves to the next level with Lucas Oil now taking over the sport ;-) These 5 teams~Ohh Man did they all put on a show!!! ;-)
Speed Sports won again yet another championship 4 in the last 5 years! And Famous Amos…his 20th TFH Championship as Crew-Chief…what else can you say about the man other than two words come to mind… 1) Blessed & 2) Awesome!! John “Lead Foot” Haas is making his mark in TFH history as one of the great’s a-long with Ron “Rocket Man” Braaksma and just a few others! (Very Few)!!!
In my past 27 years in the sport…The Ka Boom award now goes to Hot Licks! I have NEVER witnessed a Top Fuel Nuclear boom go off like what I witnessed on Sat. Pieces & parts was given a whole new meaning…WOW! But as always Dennis and the gang came back in fine fashion to run a 5.07 @ 202, rumor has it that Dennis will be ordering a new Bullet Hull for next season.
Toxic Rocket laid down great passes all weekend except Sunday eliminations when a 19 cent part failed
:-( These guys will be a major threat in 2010.
The Spirit of Texas Gang…AKA The Fuel Monkeys had problems most of the weekend but made a great effort all season for the championship in TFH ending up 200 points behind Speed Sports. This team was the work horse of all the TFH teams, if there was any team that had the excuse to miss races this team had them! But…yet they NEVER gave up making it to many of the races with a damaged boat and kept it safe and intact!!! ;-)
The best for last…Problem Child…260 & 264 passes & 4.52 and #1 qualifier Top Speed & ET of the weekend and the win in TFH class. This team is in a place all by themselves & all I can say is wait till next year…As the saying goes…The other teams better bring it next year since clearly at this point this will be the boat & team to beat. With Daryl Erhlich shoeing this amazing hotrod looks like we are witnessing poetry in motion like back in the Ron Braaksma era.
The other Top Fuel Hydro teams need to make an effort before they deserve a piece of the pie as it goes the same for all of the other classes as well.
The pro boats are awesome! But the Pro-Mod-Eliminator & Stock classes are the back bone of the sport since many of the passes are inches apart at the finish-line…In All it is a team effort of all classes that makes it all happen since all classes are needed to quench the taste of the individual spectator that comes to the races.
TAH Kent Price won the championship again for the second straight year, and Déjà Vu of Andy Reynolds took the event win in TAH.
TAF-Don Bausher won the championship! And last year’s points champ All Lit Up won the event with Tony Hangfin driving for Steve.
Pro-Mod…Vic Esposito won the championship! And Brian Sanders win the event.
I brought my hotrod PE-Blown Money out as well for further testing & seat time…and after the second pass on Thurs. the block got hurt and Terry Kain lent me his spare pro-mod motor Agnes! She is HOT…I made a check out pass which we ran 7.63 @ 140 and yes we turned the blower way down to 5 over & pully & Pill change! I loved it more…SPEED Needed!!!
I want to thank Bill Diez my crew chief, Andy Dement Team Advisor, Curtis Kemp, John LaDean, Jeff Jones, Chip Hughes, Steve Cordeiz,Edward Houston and special thanks to Terry Kain for selling me Agnes ;-) We will take good care of her Terry!
Major…Thanks to…John “The Trigger” Lemoine-Peggy Sue “The Peddler” and at times Ken “Cool Hands” Shultz for their Foto assistance and team work for the last half of the season, If not for their team work many of you folks would not had the awesome photographs to purchase the last half of the season events!
SDBA & Jenny in San Angelo-Tommy Thompson & others…WOW!!! You guys are awesome!! And Nothing But Class! Thank you for your hospitality and treating me and my Foto team as one of yours ;-)
I can-not wait for the 2010 season ;-)
Charlie-Nancy thank you for all the years of trying to keep the sport above water, back in the late 80’s & early 90’s was very rough and tough years! You folks did your best. I wish you both much success and happiness!!
Team Rescue…You guys have saved many of our greats and my hat goes off to you all in the past & present, I hope to see many of you return in 2010 ;-)
Charlie Allan has had a huge hand as will saving IHBA several times from going under! Charlie bought IHBA back several times when all looked lost in past years!
As one door in drag-boat history closes another one opens…I see 2010 with Lucas Oil at the helm being the beginning of something great which we all will experience yet another level of moving forward in our awesome sport. With the class act of SDBA and other associations, and now that Lucas Oil has Ken Dollar, and a host of other greats in their organization they will only have one way to go…and that is Forward to the next level which is what this sport has been waiting for many years!!
I hope that the RESP Auction will continue at next year’s Lucas Oil World Finals event in Phx. AZ. It is an awesome & blessed cause!!
Click on the Foto Icon/Tab to open the Foto-Page ;-)
Feel free to leave info. or comments on the photos ;-)
I want to wish all of you a…Blessed-Safe & Peaceful Holiday Season ;-)
Joe “SpeedFreak” Dutra
San Diego,CA.
Speedfreak439@yahoo.com |
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NHRA-World Finals - Pomoma,CA. (Nov. 13-15-2009)Pictured is your 2009 Top Fuel Dragster Champ for the sixth straight season...Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher.
Hello eveyone...It was great to attend an NHRA event even though after 28 years I had to pay my way to get in :-(
I mess my good friend Leslie Lovett past National Dragster Editor...he was one fine gentleman and a great fisherman...and he knew how to take care of his dedicated & loyal friends ;-)
A lot of great racing, great MPH times and ET's in many of the classes especially in the pro ranks!! ;-)
Enjoy the photo's~~~
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NJBA Lake Ming Bakersfield,CA. (Nov. 6-7-2009)Hello Everyone,
I went to the final 2009 NJBA race, and I took my Pro-Eliminator to make some test run & a little more seat time.
My good friend & photo partner Jon Lemoine attended the race as well to capture the weekend action.
There was a good number of boat's in attendance including a few TAF's and TAH's which is always a plus.
As my 26th season of dragboat racing comes to an end it is hard to believe that the years go by so fast!
The cracker Box boats showed up! & they are always blast to watch.
I have to say that I am disappointed that some organizations that let a few within work with lack the professionalism and attitude to treat people that devote many years of their time, effort, Etc...with no care or concern including common respect.
There are some that are in need of a course in customer service :-(
Thank goodness people like The Prez. Ken Simonds, Jeff Fry, Joe Shelfo, Rolf Sammons & others are amazing people!!!
The racers as always make this event happen with much success and memorable times! and as always Rex's Nitro Burgers are Fantastic!!! included is a smile of appreciation with your purchase ;-)
Enjoy the pics ;-)
Special thanks to Jon for his assistance in the photo's!
Till the Next One...
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RIP-Ronnie McLellan (Oct. 24th 2009)Hello Everyone!
Gee this has been a tough year in the drag-boat racing family!! We have lost so many of our racing greats & Close Freinds :-(
Most of you may have heard that Ron McLellan, passed away on October 21st. as the result of a massive heart attack. Ron had just turned 50 years age.
Ron, was the co-owner and driver of the Top Fuel Hydro "Liquid Quicker"
Ron was well known by many as the Crazy Canuk! ;-)
Ron was from Canada, and co-owner/partner /driver Bob Montgomery which is from Spring City, Tennessee. Both have been racing partners for many years!
Please keep…Ron's wonderful Soul Mate…Dawn Pettit, his daughter Nickie, long time close friend and racing partner Bob Montgomery & Family, Team Wrench Man Roger Way, and the entire Liquid Quicker team in your thoughts and prayers.
Ron will be missed by his family & many of his friends here on earth!! But he is in good company with many of his family & friends that have been looking forward to see him in heaven ;-)
I have posted some photographs that I took this season of Ron & the LQ team, including the last race Ron & the LQ team attended in High Point-North Carolina this past July.
Just click on the Icon/photo of Ron to open the photo-page!
I want to finish by adding that Heaven is a much better place in 2009! God has taken home some of the best this year!!!
RIP Ron ;-)
Ron & Bob's website is... www.liquidquik.com a lot of wonderful photographs & Bob's letter!
Well known photographer Randy Krohn has created some Awesome memorial stickers in Ron's memory!
Please check out Randy's great web-site at... www.dragboats.com
Till The Next One!
Joe "Speedfreak" Dutra |
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NJBA - Bakersfield,Ca. Lake Ming (Oct. 17-18-2009)Hello Everyone!
The races this weekend in Bakersfield, Ca. went very smoothly.
Almost 70 boats made it out for this event including several TAH’s, Pro-Mods, &…1-TAF.
The weather was great all weekend which made it for great side-by-side racing.
What is great about this event is that many of the racers of the past often attend this event to hang out and catch up with what has been taking place in the sport of drag-boat racing over the years.
I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a gentleman by the name of Mr. Bob Bruhn.
Mr. Bruhn raced in Bakersfield on Lake Ming in the 50’s & 60’s…
Many of you may not be aware that the very first drag-boat race was held in Hart Park in 1948 in Bakersfield, Ca.
Hart Park is located near Lake Ming.
In the early 50’s the races had to be relocated to Lake Ming since the boats where approaching the 90-mph mark and there was not enough shut down for the boats to stop!
I spent some time with Mr. Bruhn listening to his stories that he had to share, and again this is just a small part of what makes this sport and the people in it so amazing!!
Bench racing at it best~~~
I will be contacting Mr. Bruhn in the near future to put an article together based on his time in the sport.
There is also another gentleman that I hope to see in Bakersfield again in 3-weeks which he was at the very first race in 1948 at Hart Park & has been a member of NJBA on & off till this day.
Even though NJBA is a club it is very rich in history and the foundation/roots of our sport of Drag-Boat Racing.
This course has had a great many events over the years, many of our sport greatest racers have raced at this venue and created history and awesome memories for so many that were blessed to witness these events over the years.
I hope that one day this location will have a placard placed which will say…The Birth Place of Drag-Boat Racing!
Now that would be very Cool ;-)
This course deserves to be preserved since it is…History!!
On Sat. after the races was done for the day...I spent time with Jeff Martin-Cole Thurston & Shane Westerfield, While the four of us had a couple cold one's we chatted for some time about drag-boat racing past & present, and since these 3-have been raised in the sport we all had much to talk about. Jeff is like a Webster Dictionary of dragboat racing, and...Jeff is also living the dream of as of the best drivers in PGF ;-)
I encourage you, especially the spectators to take the time after the races are done for the day to go in the pits and visit the racers and experience the excitement of what makes this sport so amazing!!! ;-)
Enjoy the photographs!
If you wish to purchase any photographs please contact me at…speedfreak439@yahoo.com
Till The Next One ;-)
Joe “Speedfreak” Dutra |
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IHBA - San Diego,Ca. (Sept. 18-20-2009)WOW~~~
Can you say 265+ and Daryl shut it off wayyy early!!!
That is the number that TFH Problem Child ran with a 4.56 A leg on both MPH & ET...
The run was awesome...with a small exception of the right sponson clipping the timing light :-o which did cause enough damage that the back up run will have to wait till tomorrow (Sunday).
Great to see the return of TFH-Toxic Rocket which the team made several changes to the old sled as Joe & Glen call it. On friday the rocket ran a fine 4.98 @ 230
Today was Wild to say the least...TFH Speed Sports ran a fine 4.72 @ 236+ which John spent more time out of the water than on it! The boat look as if it was going to crash several times...But it hung on to fight another day :-)
Kent Price's...TAH Black Draggin went for a wild ride when the boat kited wayyy up in the air doing a full 360 and then some! Once rescue picked Kent up and got him to shore, Kent got out of the capsule by himself. Kent made it clear that a new boat will be ready by Phx. in Nov. ;-)
A few passes later it was Fred Hart that went for a wild ride which the boat caught air and crashed.
Fred sustained injuries to his arm that needed medical attention.
Sunday was some fine racing!
But...the pro-classes fell off track and racing was not as what everyone had hoped for :-(
The bracket classes really came through and put on a great show as always.
In the TFH Final John in the Speed Sports Red Lite by 800's giving the win to Scotty in the Spirit of Texas, including the Lucas Oil $10,000.00 Bonus Money!
If Speed Sports wins the championship...This will make Amos 20th Top Fuel Championship of his Extraordinary racing career as a Crew Chief ;-)
Then you have the Spirit of Texas AKA Fuel Monkeys just less than two rounds behind. This team have been a story in the making this year with major damage that the boat sustained in Augusta & prevailing through almost impossible odds. With men like Wolf & the entire crew there is almost nothing that this crew cannot over come ;-)
Times like this I wish that both could be winners~~~ On the other hand in Phx. in November there will be a winner crowned & I wish both of these great teams all the best ;-)
A battle it will be!!
Also...there are many other classes that are yet to be decided as well.
SO...With one more race left on the IHBA 2009 calender, The World Finals in Phx. has the making once again of being a great event.
What ever you do~~~Do-Not miss this event!
This is the Grand Daddy of Drag-Boat Racing!!! ;-)
You can order photos by e-mailing me at... speedfreak439@yahoo.com
If you wish to be added to my e-mail list e-mail as well...
Till The Next One~~~
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IHBA - Marble Falls,Tx. (Aug. 7-9-2009)Pictured is Your TAF-Winner!
Don "Diamond" Bausher sadly crossing the finish-line for the win...Not in the way anyone would like to win :-(
Don had a few bumps! But he was OK! ;-)
Your TFH winner...Spirit of Texas
TAH-Black Draggin
TAF-Habit Forming-(Crashed in Final)
Rescue had their hands full this weekend to say the least! But as always they did an Awesome job!! ;-)
The wind was challenging at times, But again rescue did a great job of monitoring the conditions.
The Show & Shine was packed again and a great event as always with everyone having a wonderful time.
The next IHBA race will be in San Diego, Ca. were the conditions should be ideal for record setting passes. Speaking of which Do-Not be surprised if we see legs in the ET & MPH records in Top Fuel ;-)
My thoughts are that all goes well...I see Speed Sports running in the high 4.40's, and maybe a low 260...Problem Child in the low to mid-260's...also with the Spirit of Texas in town this guys can or will lay down some great numbers that may even be record setting...If they get the launch issues fixed ;-)
We should witness the fastest & quickest side-bye-side pending on pairings ;-)
The Toxic Rocket is scheduled to be at this event and these guys are just WILD..who knows what they will bring? but they are Always Exciting!! and rumors maybe even the Whiskey River?
The boat that should be at this event...Liquid Quicker, I would love to see this boat here in San Diego conditions!!
This is a race that should not be missed even though selected boats from each class will be in attendance.
I want to ad our...Heart felt love & prayers go out to the Irmshar family & friends with Don's passing.
Phyllis...We Love You!!
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2oo8 Highlites Hello Everyone :-)
I have put together photo highlites of the races I attended in the 2oo8 season, alone with some of Desi's picks that are from the starting-line.
Pictured is...TFH-Speed Sports
Your...2005-2007-2008
TFH World Champion
With...John Driving & Amos Wrenching how can you lose...
In 2009...Amos will attempt to capture his 20th TFH World Champion Title...AMAZING!!!
On this pass in round-1 on Sunday...John won in his Amos tuned Hot-Rod the 2008 TFH Champioship in a Blazzz of Glory!
Keep in mind that there will be some BIG guns...Hot Licks, Toxic Rocket and others that want the prestigious title of TFH World Champion.
Then again with the economy getting worse buy the day! :-( who knows which race teams will be able to make the tour in any class...?
We will see~~~
I will have photo-CD's highlites of the 2oo8 season ready soon!
You can contact me at...speedfreak439@yahoo.com
See you all soon ;-)
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The Fast & Furious & Cool :-) (Updated Quarterly)I will be working on this page over the next several weeks!
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Speed Freaks Personal Page... (June...2007)Hello Everyone!
Happy 2010 to you all...
My PRO-MOD & 42FT. TPD TRAILER IS FOR-SALE!
BEST OF EVERYTHING...WILL SELL THE BOAT WITHOUT MOTOR!
CALL ME OR E-MAIL~~~619-770-0044
My Pro-Eliminator is going to have a whole new look for 2010 thanks to my crew-chief Bill "The Hair" Diez, Andy Dement/Red Alert Racing and a few others ;-)
Special thanks goes out to My Crew-Cheif Bill "The Hair" Diez, Team Advisor-Andy Dement and my working crew...Chip Hughes,Curtis Kemp,Jeff Jones,John Lundin and Edward Houston for there help in 2009!
See U at the races~ :-)
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