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Tri-Cities
- Saturday and Sunday with the team
 We invite you to join Hydro-Prop's full play-by-play coverage of
the 2003 Budweiser Columbia Cup. Click
here to take a look. Offering our own recap of the team's
time in Tri-Cities, Saturday was a day of testing, time trials and
two heats of racing action.
During testing, the 6, put in speeds of 147.958 mph, 147.352
and 151.834 mph! We tore down the gear box Friday evening
looking to improve on an already solid engine program. The
speed that we were looking for during the eastern races appears to
be coming our way as we continue to fine tune our program. As
the day progressed we entered the fourth and final round of the Time
Trials turning in three lap speeds of 149.335 mph, 151.042 mph and 151.507
mph. Out of the eleven boats contesting for the weekend, our
speed put us in 7th place.
For Saturday's flight of heats, we were placed in Heat 1B. U-6
pilot Steve David would grab the early lead as the fleet headed into
the first turn. Falling to third, a blown engine for Mike
Hanson would allow us to grab a solid second place finish ending
Saturday on a high note.
Sunday was all about racing. Steve made it out in the
morning for a series of timing runs then it was time to put on the
game face and get serious. We would run in Heats 2B and
3B. In Heat 2B, we began the race in lane three. A fast
running Mike Hanson would take the win in this heat while we would
finish fourth, suffering hull damage during the run. The team
immediately went to work grinding on the damaged area on the bottom
of the boat, right behind the bullnose on the right side and cutting
some aluminum to put in place of the missing fiberglass. That
damage would be patched, but not completely fixed between the
heats. In Heat 3B, Steve would mount a serious challenge for the front runner
spot, challenging the U-2 Miss Trendwest through every turn late in
the heat. It would have been a beautiful run had we not jumped
the gun at the start obtaining a one lap penalty. That penalty
would move us from second to fourth forcing us to run in the
Provisional Heat for a chance to enter the final. Upon
inspection after returning to the pits, the team decided they
weren't sure how deep the damage to the hull had been from Heat
2B. Rather than risk the hull on the Provisional Heat, we
opted to withdraw and repair appropriately for next weekend's
Seafair race.
Congratulations to Mark Evans and the U-8 Llumar Window Film team on
their Tri-Cities win!
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Tri-Cities
- Thursday and Friday in the pits of Tri-Cities
The boat is running well, the team is happy, and we currently
stand as the fifth fastest qualifier out of eleven teams present in
Tri-Cities, Washington. Our fastest qualifying speed stands at
152.710 mph. The boat was smooth and looked great on the
water. With every race, it is clear that Steve is increasingly
at ease with the significant changes we made to the boat over the
winter. All this and yesterday, Steve David discovered a
scooter (photos below). So far so good...
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Steve
David talks with
Charlie Grooms
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Steve
discovers the scooter...
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Steve
likes the scooter...
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Eric
Bell and
John Leschinski
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Weighing
the U-6
with Steve aboard
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Daryl
Szymanski and
Cindy Moore decal the boat
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Miss
Madison will miss Charlie Mac... "We've lost one of our
own."
 Charles Douglas McCluggage, 72, of 58 Riverside Drive, Milton, Ky., died Friday, July 18, 2003, at the King’s Daughters’ Hospital.
Charlie Mac (pictured right in the Miss Madison team shop) was a
longtime member of the U-6 Miss Madison team working with the team's
electrical systems.
He was born March 1, 1931, in Toledo, Ohio, the son of Charles Hugh McCluggage and Bethel Ann Gallaher. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1955 and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War. He was a longtime employee at Erie Army Depot, later transferring to Jefferson Proving Ground, where he retired after 21 years of service. He was a follower of the First Assembly of God Church, and a participant in the King’s Daughters’ Hospital Pulmonary Rehab program.
Surviving are his wife, Janette Barrs McCluggage; one son, Matthew S. McCluggage of Louisville, Ky., one sister, Phyllis McCluggage Frantz of Oregon, Ohio; three nieces and one nephew.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Morgan-Webster-Nay Funeral Home, with burial in Grandview Memorial Gardens.
Full military rites will be conducted at the gravesite by the American Legion, Jefferson Post 9.
Friends may call from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday and 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Expressions of sympathy may take the forms of contributions to King’s Daughters’ Hospice. Cards will be available at the funeral home.
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Madison
- Race day in Madison
 Race
day 2003 in Madison can be summed up with one word...
"ouch". It was a tough day that left pilot Steve
David and the entire U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto team on the shore for the
final. What happened? In heat 1A, we finished third with
an average speed of 135.525
mph and finished 8th in the Time Trials at 145.398 mph. We
were just beginning to see the speed we were looking for when the
gremlins began to bite. At the start of heat 2A, we didn't
make it away from the dock. Electrical headaches and igniter
problems emerged and Heat 1A would end up being our last race of the
weekend. Leaving Madison, the best thing we can say about the
weekend is Tri-Cities will be better and we are sincerely glad that
pilots Greg Hopp and Mike Weber weren't seriously injured in their
flips on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
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Madison
- Friday and Saturday in Madison
We invite you to join Hydro-Prop's full play-by-play coverage of
the 2003 Budweiser Madison Regatta supported by Belterra
Casino Resort. Click
here to take a look.
The U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto is running better. Following some minor
hull repairs, the boat is getting a great ride here in Madison and
speed is coming. Over the last two days, we've tried a couple
different props. We did bump into a fuel violation.
Former Miss Madison pilot Ron Snyder joined the team for a time
today. Our first photo below depicts Ron and Steve
together. The second photo of the set shows Steve meeting with
representatives of the St. Clair, Michigan race ... a new event
coming on the 2004 schedule. In the time trials, we were the
eighth fastest boat here in Madison. We'll look to improve on
that position in competition tomorrow.
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Madison
- Set and ready in the pits of Madison!
Thursday, July 3, 2003 - Checking in with the team this
evening, they were busy getting everything organized for the
weekend's racing. In and out early was the theme this
evening. Team Manager, Charlie Grooms, checked in directing
the action from the front seat of his own fast ride (pictured
below). In tonight's second shot (also pictured below), Crew
Chief Eric Bell is a blur getting everything in place. As the
sun set, the sound of music on the riverfront signaled that the
Madison Regatta has arrived.
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Evansville
- Looking back on Sunday in Evansville
 During
three heats of competition on Sunday, the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto enjoyed
a 3rd place finish in heat 1A, a 2nd place finish in heat 2A and a
3rd place finish in heat 3B. These are really great finishes
considering just how strong the 2003 fleet has become (new hulls,
new designs, piston power, etc.) when compared to the 2002
fleet. In the end, Evansville became little more than a chance
to further dial in the hull and fine tune our team's hard winter
work. What happened? A few seconds too much fuel cost us
a spot in the final. During heat 2A, we went over on fuel flow
and found ourselves penalized by the series. That one bump in
an otherwise solid weekend cost us our points for the heat and our
shot at the 2003 Budweiser Thunder on the Ohio.
In heat 1A, the 6 ran very well outrunning the 2002 race
winning U-16 Miss Elam Plus and the extremely fast U-100 Miss Raben
Tire. During this heat, Steve enjoyed two battles... one
inside cockpit and one outside the boat. Outside, he was in a
fierce dogfight with the U-16 (eventually outrunning pilot Nate
Brown). Inside the cockpit, Steve found himself fighting a
slipping air mask. Fans on the shore enjoyed a great race
while inside Steve kept his head about him given the
conditions.
In heat 2A, we were positioned well on the water and picked up a
nice 2nd place finish. Too bad the fuel problem cost us
dearly...
In heat 3B, we knew our options were limited. Without the
points from 2A, we had to win the heat and neither the U-16 or the
U-100 could finish second. It was a shot, but it was a thin
one. Right from the start, we jumped to the early lead and
held off all challenges until the backstretch of lap 3. At
that point, the U-16 Miss Elam Plus took the lead and ended our
weekend. Guess it was payback for winning the dogfight in heat
1A.
Disappointed? A little, but we quickly shifted our focus to the
upcoming hometown Madison race. The Budweiser Madison
Regatta Supported by Belterra Casino Resort is just
a few days away and we feel like it's time for another hometown
win!
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Evansville
- Sunday full race
coverage...
Looking for full race coverage from the pits of Evansville,
Indiana? Click
here to visit Hydro-Prop's continuing coverage. We'll post
information after the event.
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Evansville
- Scenes
from Saturday at the Budweiser Thunder on the Ohio -
Evansville, IN
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Pit
position has
been set!
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Bob
Hughes compares
notes with Pat Harris
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Getting
ready for
toady's action
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Steve
David jokes
with fans
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Evansville
- Friday afternoon in Evansville
It's 2:30 PM on 6/27/03 ... Day
one in Evansville and the team has been quietly working on the
hull while waiting in line to move into the pits as soon as they
open. Water levels here in Evansville continue to drop and we
are close to moving into home for this race. We'll share an
additional update as soon as we move into position. For now,
here are a few shots current photos...
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Pilot
Steve David chats
with a few fans.
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Hard
at work
aboard the 6
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8:30 PM ... We are making our
way into the pits! Most of the team has gone to dinner at Log
Inn just outside Evansville. It doesn't look like we will be
in position this evening, but we will certainly make the move down
the ramp.
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Gear
up for summer! Get your official Oh Boy! Oberto team merchandise...
2003 Oh Boy! Oberto hydroplane wearables are currently
available on the Oberto web site. For all the latest t-shirts,
polos, jersies, tank tops and hats simply visit their
web store.
For those of you hunting the popular inflatable Oh Boy! Oberto hydro or
Oberto's
85th Anniversary battery powered hydro, they are both
currently available on
that same
page. It's
never to early to secure your 2003 hydro gear!
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Sponsor
displays set for tomorrow (6/26/03) in Evansville
Come see the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto up close and personal in
Evansville, Indiana tomorrow. The 6 will be doing five
hours of displays in support of Oh Boy! Oberto's nationwide
distributor, Frito Lay. Fans will have two chances to catch up
with the team...
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM - Walmart, 401 N. Burkhardt Road
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM - Schnuck's, 3501 North Green River Road
Come out, check out the boat and get yourself geared up for THUNDER
2003!
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U-6
Oh Boy! Oberto takes part in the St. Clair exhibition!
Tuesday, June 24th update - First, thanks to the quick camera work of crew member Daryl
Szymanski, we can share a couple photos from the event. Here's
the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto on tilt and a great look at the team truck's
new paint scheme...
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How did things go in St. Clair?
Well, they certainly could have gone better, but you won't hear the
fans who turned out for the event (estimated between 10,000 and
14,000) complain. As the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto joined the U-1
Miss Budweiser, the U-9 Jones Racing and the U-10 Miss ECMOR, you
could hear the cheers well into the far turn. This crowd
clearly wants a hydro event and that was what we offered them a
preview of today.
All in all the event was a success, but it clearly pointed out a few
things we need to fix. As Steve David and the 6 pulled
away from the dock for the initial run the hull burned up the hot section.
It was speculated that a battery problem may have led to the
eventual engine problem. After that first attempt, David
returned to the dock and the team went to work. Before the end
of the day, the U-6 would put in a lap of 139 mph and enjoy it's
time on the water. While out, we also learned of a communications
problem (boat to shore) which we will need to be resolved.
Everyone was excited over yesterdays news that the series is
"GO for Thunder". The team can't wait to get to
Evansville, but today's difficulties ensured that we would waste no
time hitting the road to Madison this evening. Basically, we
made sure the fans had plenty of time to get up close and personal
with both pilot Steve David and the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto, then we
pulled out racing home to make a few needed changes. We have
Wednesday and a bit of Thursday, then it's back on the road for the
Evansville race. We believe there will be displays in Evansville
prior to the race (most likely Thursday). More on that soon!
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On
the road again, the team arrives in St. Clair, Michigan
 Monday,
June 23rd update - Crew
chief Eric Bell kept his wits about him when faced with the
hydraulic problem in Cincinnati. Rather than call in favors
and start panicking, Eric bled off the system's air and repumped
it. Something clicked and the system worked fine. The
team was back on the road and late last night they arrived in St.
Clair.
Our crew for the U-6 this weekend includes John Leschinski, Daryl Szymanski, Eric Bell, David
Osborne, David Shirley, Bill Fisk and Judy Fisk. Owner
representative Bob Hughes (and friend Marilyn) are here along with
Team Manager Charlie Grooms. Pilot Steve David is to arrive
this evening.
The weather today can best be described as warm... 89 today and 90
scheduled for tomorrow. Tomorrow we should have photos from
the event!
(Photo of the 6 on the road provided by www.madisoncamerunning.com.
Click for the full size shot and visit their site for more traveling
shots!)
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On
the road to Michigan the team hits a snag
Sunday,
June 22nd update - Work continued well into today as the U-6 Oh
Boy! Oberto prepared to leave the shop for the first time since the
end of the 2002 season. Everything fell into place as the
morning turned into the afternoon and the team took to the open road
in search of Michigan fans anxious to see the unlimited exhibition
set for Tuesday. Somewhere near Cincinnati, Ohio, the
hydraulic system in the trailed simply gave out. As the
evening hours approach, the team is sorting out a fix while the U-6
trailer rest on the tires rather than the traditional cushion of
air. Let the adventure begin...
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Looking
ahead to Evansville
Sunday,
June 22nd - We thought fans might enjoy a look at pit conditions
in Evansville as of yesterday, 6/21/03. Here's a nice mix of
shots provided by Mike Fetscher...
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Mike
has our thanks for the great pit photos! Curious how the
river is doing today? Click
here to visit the National Weather Service Advanced
Hydrologic Prediction Service. We are pleased to report
that the waters are dropping and the 6 team can't wait
to see them dry as we focus on racing during the Budweiser
Thunder on the Ohio!
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10
to the 5 and we're racing toward the St. Clair exhibition...
 Saturday,
June 21st update - Is the team ready to hit the road to St.
Clair, Michigan? That is certainly the question of the weekend
as an extremely full winter of work comes down to this
weekend. The the team is extremely busy this weekend and we
will be there for the fans of Michigan. Team Manager Charlie
Grooms made the trip to an area airport earlier today for fuel and
the town of Madison, Indiana was alerted to the 6's rebirth as she
trailer fired today. The U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto will be on the
road heading north tomorrow.
(Photo of the 6 provided by www.madisoncamerunning.com.
Click for the full size shot!)
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Madison, Indiana's WORX FM Announces Pre-Season Hydro Show!
Tune in to 96.7 FM locally or listen live over the internet...
 WORX Radio's Tim Torrance has contacted us and let us know that everything is set for the station's annual Pre-Season Hydro Show. The show will be broadcast this Thursday, June 19th, beginning at 7:00 PM CT. The show is targeting ending at 8:00 PM, but things are flexible. Unlimited Historian Fred Farley will be in the studion joining Tim for the program and they will be talking Unlimiteds... past, present and future focusing on the 2003 unlimited hydroplane season. Tim let us know that he will have some taped interviews with drivers competing in 2003 allowing them to share their thoughts of the upcoming season. It sounds like it will be an action packed hour of "Hydro Talk", as Tim describes it. The show will be on 96.7 FM locally and on the internet via
www.worxradio.com.
Tim confirmed for us that Miss Madison/Oh Boy! Oberto pilot Steve
David will be part of the festivities so be sure to tune in and
enjoy the fun...
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We're
hard at work looking toward Michigan
Sunday, June 15th update - Talking with
Owner/Representative Bob Hughes at last night's NASCAR Busch series
Meijer 300 race (Kentucky Speedway), the team is running toward the
finish line getting the 6 ready for the St. Clair, Michigan
test and Evansville, Indiana, the first race of the 2003
season.
The boat itself is painted and upright. The cockpit and major
hull work (which was significant over the off-season) are now
complete. Team Manager Charlie Grooms just finished major work
on a gear box and Pat Harris is hard at work wiring the hull.
A lot of issues that challenged the team in 2002 have been resolved
and we are excited. That is not to say that work is
done. We have a way to go before the St. Clair exhibition, but
the U-6 team is more than up to the challenge.
The team including team manage Charlie Grooms plan to be on the road
for St. Clair on Sunday, June 22nd.
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All
the details on the upcoming Michigan debut for the 2003 U-6 Oh Boy!
Oberto
St. Clair, Michigan to Host Unlimited Hydroplane Exhibition June 24, 2003
Four Top Unlimited's to Test St. Clair River Before Heading to Evansville, Ind.
 (Lake Hamilton, Fla.) - Hydro-Prop, Inc. announced
recently that the city of St. Clair, Michigan is hosting an Unlimited Hydroplane exhibition on June 24, 2003. Four of the top Unlimited Hydroplanes including the U-1 Miss Budweiser, U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto, U-9 Jones Racing and U-10 Miss EMCOR will participate in the exhibition on the beautiful St. Clair River. The exhibition is planned to gain support and media activity in order to host an Unlimited Hydroplane race in 2004.
The Unlimited's will participate in the exhibition before heading to Evansville, Ind. for the first race of the Budweiser Unlimited Hydroplane Series presented by Boat Shopper® magazine. Dave Villwock, Steve David, Michael Hanson and Mike Weber plan to attend to pilot their respective Unlimited's and will be available to the media and fans.
The Blue Water International Hydrofest is open to the public and plans for Unlimited Hydroplane on-water activities from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a dinner to follow that evening.
 "The City of St. Clair has been actively pursuing an Unlimited Hydroplane race and this exhibition is the first step in their efforts to gain the community support needed to host an event," said Bart Garbrecht, CEO of Hydro-Prop. "The city has a strong management group in charge of this project and have been very enthusiastic about this exhibition. They will be using this exhibition as an avenue to attract sponsors, volunteers and fans for an Unlimited Hydroplane event in 2004."
"Since we bought the series a few years ago, it has been our goal and intention to add race venues to the schedule," continued Garbrecht. "Unfortunately, with the economy, our efforts to add races have been extremely difficult. We have spent countless hours attempting to secure additional race venues and the St. Clair exhibition is a positive step towards adding a race next season. We are continuously working behind the scenes and hopefully will be able to announce more events in the near future."
"The Unlimited Hydroplane series is well known throughout North America and especially in Michigan," said St. Clair City Manager Pat Sullivan. "St. Clair is honored to have an opportunity to host these powerful boats and their fans and our Canadian neighbors are very excited about this international Unlimited Hydroplane event. The history of Unlimited Hydroplane racing is well entrenched in this area and we look to expand that fan base with a superior event in St. Clair. We think we will have the infrastructure, volunteers and community leadership in place to handle the series and look forward to this exciting opportunity."
Located less than an hour's drive north of Metro Detroit, the City of St. Clair is rich in history and small town charm. St. Clair is the home to many industries, including Cargill Salt, one of the world's leading salt producers and several major state-of-the-art plastic manufacturing companies, and many more. St. Clair is proud of its maritime heritage and connection to the St. Clair River, one of the busiest commercial waterways in the world. Palmer Park with nearly 1,800 feet of park and boardwalk on the River will make an ideal setting for this race.
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Michigan
bound? Say it's so...
The Detroit APBA Gold Cup may be on hold (recent financial and coordination
issues relating to the event have pushed the legendary race back to
a tentative late August reschedule date), but we are pleased to
announce that the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto team is still planning to head
north for Michigan during the month of June! Our team plans to
take part in the Unlimited hydroplane exhibition in St. Clair,
Michigan on June 24th.
The City of St. Clair plans to host a press conference / hydroplane
exhibition on that date. We're excited to be one of the teams
giving the city of St. Clair a preview of what is coming to town in
2004. Great news as we gear up for the 2003 race season
starting in Evansville, Indiana, June
27 - 29, 2003.
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Taking a look at
the 2003 Oh Boy! Oberto team...
 Driver: Steve David
Driver Homeport: Lighthouse, Florida
Driver/Team Accomplishments:
Beginning his racing career at the ripe age of 14 years old, Steve David just likes to go fast. With 25 years of racing under his belt, David has more than 500 victories to his credit as well as seventeen world records in limited race boats. His most memorable win by far would be the 2001 Madison Regatta. David had returned to unlimited hydroplane racing after a one year hiatus to drive the U-6 Oh Boy!
Oberto. During only his second race he piloted the U-6 to the checkered flag. “Winning in Madison was the highlight of my racing career, regardless of the World Championships, records, Hall of Champions,” Steve David said flashing his famous smile on the podium, “Nothing topped that win!”
The Miss Madison team was established in 1961 when industrialist Sam DuPont donated his unlimited hydroplane “Nitrogen” to the people of Madison Indiana. The U-6 has been campaigning on the unlimited circuit ever since – the longest running continuous team at 42 years. The U-6 remains the only community-owned team in the world. |
Owner: Citizens/City of Madison, Indiana
Owners’ Representative: Robert D. Hughes serves as
owners’ representative of the world’s only
community-owned racing vehicle.
Team Manager: Charlie Grooms
Crew Chief: Eric Bell
Crew Members: David Riley, Charlie
McCluggage, Daryl Szymanski, John Leschinski, Pat Harris, Wayne Griffin, Randy Doughty, Tom
Alfano, Randy Gayle and Bill Fisk
Year Founded: 1961
Homeport: Madison, Indiana
Hull Number: U-6
Boat Title: U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto
Boat Specs:
Length: 31’
Width: 14’6”
Weight: 6,200 lbs.
Engine: Lycoming T-55/L-7
Engine Builder: Eric Bell
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The
Miss Madison family mourns the loss of Bernie Little
April 26, 2003 - Having learned today that the unlimited
hydroplane racing family has lost owner, friend and fellow
competitor Bernie Little, we cannot begin to sum up what this loss
means to our team and our series. Bernie Little was a man who
loved hydroplane racing very deeply, offered help to the racing
community whenever it was needed and proved, time and again, what it
meant to be a respected competitor. We offer our heart felt
condolences to Bernie's family and our thanks to Mr. Little for
all he has brought to our sport and the help he has personally offered our team
through the years. Bernie, you will be missed...
Bernie Little
October 7, 1925 - April 25, 2003
Click
here for the a look at the life of Bernie Little.
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Oh
Boy! Oberto 85 Fun Filled Years
| You may notice that
our 2003 logo design incorporates the phrase "Oh Boy!
Oberto 85 Fun Filled Years". Curious to learn more
about the 85 year history referenced in the logo? Read
on...
Oh Boy! Oberto 85 Fun Filled
Years --- Achieving the American Dream in the Beginning - ETA
1918 --- The search for a better life coaxed Constantino
Oberto from Italy to the U.S. in 1918. In Oakland,
California he learned the art of salami making, until his
Uncle John wrote and invited him to Seattle where a
hard-working entrepreneur could readily succeed. Click
here for the full story!
Did you know that the Oberto
Sausage Company was lured into hydro racing after Art, the
consummate hydro fan, attended a local TV telethon to raise
funds for Seafair? Art pledged to sponsor a boat as long
as he could choose his own driver. Into the cockpit went
Pat Ciotta, a neighbor who had expressed a wish to drive a
hydroplane. Learn much more at www.oberto.com.
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News
from the 2003 pre-season | News
from 2002 | News
from 2001 | News
from 2000 | News
from 1999
Copyright © 2003 Chuck Moore
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