In our second installment on OSS Racing, Publisher Paul Rose talks with Biloxi race site promoter Woody Bailey about the race, the events and the biggest purse in offshore in this century.

Paul-
Woody, you’ve got quite a bit invested in the upcoming Biloxi OSS event. It looks to be your biggest effort yet. What all do you have planned?

Woody-
We are very excited about Smokin’ The Sound this year. The tow money , increased purse and APBA-UIM sanctioned Kilo Run should make for an exciting weekend. We are also working with Stu Jones and the Florida Powerboat Club on our STS Poker Run which will be held on Saturday during the event. We have a unique, up-close race course that provides the teams with some challenging racing and the fans with a great view of the action.

Paul-
The tow money and purse are definite draws for the race teams. What were you able to put together to entice them to the Biloxi race?

Woody-
The $80,000 payout is the largest purse in offshore anywhere for many years. That includes $30,000 guaranteed tow money divided among to the first 30 boats registered, and $50,000 in prize money paid out at the end of the event. Again, paid out at the conclusion of the event.

Paul-
It must be a huge task to put on the race plus add in all the other events. It must be a “team effort”.

Woody-
We have been working closely with our state, county and city as well as a large base of local businesses to put this event together. We are in our 8th year of putting on this event. We definitely know how to roll out the red carpet red carpet out for some great southern hospitality, for both the fans and the race teams.

The Hard Rock Hotel

Paul-
Aside from the offshore race, what else can the fans and teams expect?

Woody-
We have a full slate of night time activities planned at Beau Rivage, Hard Rock, The Palace and the Isle, stretching from Thursday through Sunday. Our fan base runs along the northern Gulf of Mexico from New Orleans to Panama City, including Orange Beach, AL and Destin, FL. All these cities have hosted offshore races in the past and have fans that will be in Biloxi for the races. We welcome back those teams that have raced here before and look forward to seeing some new teams at our site.

Add to that the drag boats, the poker run, the APBA-sanctioned Kilo run, an appearance by the Powerboat P-1 boats, and a demonstration of the most extreme performance boat ever built, the Copeland Phenomenon, I think we have something for everyone.

Paul-
There have also been some other “incentives” offered to make it easier for teams to make this race. What were you able to work out with OSS?

Woody-
The APBA-OSS entry fees have been restructured and it should be very attractive to race at Smokin’ The Sound this year. This year we are also looking forward to the P-1 class racing with us.

Paul-
What is your interest and involvement in promoting this event?

Woody-
I got involved in offshore racing in 1997 when Biloxi and our hotel helped host the APBA Offshore Worlds. We had the event again in 1998,but it moved to Florida the following year. We tried to get offshore racing back to our area, however, we were not successful until 2004. In 2003 we heard about the possible formation of OSS from our friend, Steve Page. We were able to secure their inaugural race and have been their first race of the season each year except for 2006 due to Hurricane Katrina.

"Smokin' The Sound" at Biloxi

Paul-
When we spoke with John Brunner at OSS, we got the impression that they were looking beyond a “day of racing” and building a series of what might be termed destination events. Biloxi appears to be their prototype. What makes this more than just a race?

Woody-
Our goal is to have multiple activities that appeal to spectators, participants and hopefully blending those two groups together. Pleasure boaters can come watch the races and then run themselves in the poker run. The offshore competitors can catch a few drag races and those guys can hit the Kilo run.. Our plans are to continue to grow Smokin’ The Sound. We added Smokin’ The Lake four years ago, which is a Deep South Racing Assoc. (DSRA) sanctioned outboard drag boat race event. Our Poker Run started in 2005, but has just now started growing since our Katrina experience. We continue to look at other classes of racing that will compliment what we are doing now. We appreciate the support of our race teams and look forward to many more years of racing on our Gulf Coast.

For more information, visit http://www.offshoresuperseries.com

SeriousOffshore Publisher Paul Rose recently caught up with John Brunner, Director of Operations at Offshore Super Series, better known as OSS Racing. Paul talked with John about OSS history, the economy’s effect on racing and what the future holds for the organization.

Paul-
OSS was originally assembled by race team owners as a “co -op”, with the idea of those that owned the show being in charge of the show. Who is OSS today?

John-
In the beginning, OSS was formed by a group of racers that were unhappy with the then-current administration that was operating as APBA Offshore. After the 2003 APBA Worlds in Orange Beach, AL. this group came together in Key West and became the founding members of OSS. The original concept was a racers organization run for and by the racers. There was a large Board of Directors with several members from each class. That Board reached out to different racing, safety, boating and other professionals for guidance as to how this new association should be organized. I think this is when everyone realized that this new organization had more of a family feeling rather than just a racing association. At the time this seemed to be the correct and only way to start OSS. But as time went on, issues that have always plagued the sport of offshore started appearing.

In an effort to correct some of these issues and get a larger perspective, the Board and membership voted to amend our bylaws and individuals from outside racing were invited to join the Board. Today, we still think of OSS as a racers organization and strive to make our sites and the races fun and safe for the teams and fans. We currently have 3 racing members sitting on the 5 person Board. Another change, as a result of this new realignment of the OSS management, the Board decided not to hire another employee to run the day-to-day business of the organization. With direction from the Board, I now handle the daily operations and have since since late 2009, I have been a part of OSS since it’s beginning. My ultimate goal is for OSS to be the best offshore club and to accomplish that as the sanctioned offshore organization of APBA.

Paul-
What caused the drop-off of event sites in the last few years?

John-
In a word, MONEY. It was three years ago when our first sign was the loss Mercury Racing’s on-site support. The reality of the challenges confronting us presented itself when we experienced the loss of four recurring race sites. All offered the same reason- a loss of funding. In order to put on a race weekend, the venue’s local organizer needs to raise money to bring the event to town. This is typically done by seeking sponsorship dollars from local businesses along with various county and state agencies. Those funds are just not in their budgets like they used to be.

The same was happening to some of our teams. Most of the teams are self-funded, with the team owner supporting their racing with money from their own pockets. Unfortunately, the marine industry does not support offshore racing as other forms of motor sports are supported from their respective manufacturers. As the economy tightened, so did the team owner’s ability to fund their racing operations. Starting with the 2010 season, OSS cut the cost of racing to both the sites and the teams by up to 50%. But the damage was already done. It is only recently that some of these sites are starting to find funding available again. So we wait, start to grow and rebuild.

Paul-
What’s the background behind the decision to recreate Biloxi into a destination event?

John-
That has always been the goal for Biloxi Producers. Biloxi was our inaugural race in 2004 and aside from the 2006 Hurricane Katrina incident, has been an annual site for us ever since. The Biloxi Race Producers have great vision and enjoy fantastic support from their local businesses, cities, county and the state of Mississippi. They all recognize the revenues the Biloxi offshore race brings in to the local economy. Those revenues top 10 Million dollars. They find a way to “get ‘er done”… something I wish other communities would consider when they are asked for funding for a race.

With the average race weekend typically bringing in 5-plus million dollars to the host community, it would seem like a no-brainer. The Biloxi race producers want to make the Smokin’ race a week-long event by adding more and more on-water events for people to see and do. So far they have our offshore race, DSRA Drag Boat racing, a poker run and this year they have the APBA sanctioned kilo run. They would like to grow the event to draw folks to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a fun-filled, exciting 10 day, nonstop waterfest.

Running side-by-side at Biloxi

Paul-
After a few tough years, it looks like OSS is doing some aggressive things.

John-
Indeed, OSS is taking an unprecedented aggressive approach for the 2012 season. No hull registration fee and OSS membership is only $10.00. Our race entry fee of only $1,500 is also “loyalty-discounted” up to 50% for active members from 2010 & 2011. With the help of the Biloxi Race Producers, we are offering a $50,000 purse and $30,000 in tow money for the first 30 teams registered for OSS racing at Smokin’ the Sound, April 26-29, 2012. We hope to encourage previous members and newcomers alike to share in the camaraderie and commitment to safety that has become the benchmark of the OSS family.

Paul-
Is the plan to rebuild a year-long offshore circuit or are you going to focus on “destination events” such as the upcoming Biloxi event?

John-
Actually, in a perfect world, I would like to see both happen; destination events making up a 6 – 8 annual race schedule. The more you can give people to do over a race weekend, the more attendance the event will have and the Local Producers will have an easier time getting their needed sponsorship.

In our next installment, John will bring us up to speed on the upcoming Biloxi event and introduce us to Woody Bailey, the man behind Biloxi.

To learn more about OSS, to attend, participate or sponsor an event, you can contact John Brunner at jbrunner@offshoresuperseries.com

www.offshoresuperseries.com

Quick- name two 40-year-old performance boat companies still owned and run by their founder.  Don sold Cigarette- twice. Reggie is gone from Fountain.  Formula?  Nope.  The Porter’s have owned it a long time but didn’t start it.  Your list is stuck at one.  Pantera.
I began thinking about this as I traveled to visit Pepe and Jo Nunez at Pantera.  After close to 40 years, how are they still at it?  After a brief time there, I think I found out.  Family and enthusiasm.  While this story began with the idea of a more »

We caught up last week with Steve Stepp, founder and president of Velocity Powerboats.  Steve was kind enough to share with us a look into how this long-time boatbuilder has been weathering the storm of this tight economy and some of the things they’re doing now and in the future.

In looking through the photos from the Miami Boat Show, something caught our eye.  Among the million-dollar megaboats was one little, but very more »

All too often when someone dies in a boat racing accident, the various websites have several postings of condolences, with many saying “they died doing what they loved”. While there is no doubt that those of us who race do love racing, I don’t believe any of us want to die. Racing in fact, is more a celebration of life and living it fully by our self definition. To others it’s too risky, or simply a waste of time. Just look in the newspapers after a racing tragedy. The comments section are strewn with people who find what we do thoughtless, selfish, etc. In part they are right, but we’ve made the decision and we can’t be angry with those who see it differently.

There is the assumed risk, but there is also the assumed safety aspect. As boat racing has progressed over the decades, the safety advances have been significant. I’m alive more »

While attending the Miami Boat Show last month, I took a break from the crowds and spent a day hitting some spots around Miami. First on my list was the place that seems to be “ground zero” of the South Florida performance powerboating scene, Johnny Tomlinson’s TNT Custom Marine.

Pulling onto the TNT lot, I immediately found myself in a traffic jam, with forklifts buzzing back and forth launching and racking boats. This is not your usual middle America-style boatyard. With the price of land on the water these days, there are no sprawling parking lots. But the space that is there is put to good use. The first more »

One of the most respected teams on and off the water is Team CRC, sponsored by Columbia Rim Corporation. Their current MTI 850 Supercat has been a mainstay on the offshore racing circuit and has carried the teammates Tim McDonald and Mike DeFrees to more than a few podium finishes.

Driver Mike DeFrees owns Columbia Rim and throttleman Tim McDonald is the owner of Oregon Custom Marine.

A special thanks to our field reporter Jeff Dieringer. He called upon his existing friendship with the CRC team to bring us this inside look into their operation. Thanks also go out to our friends at Shoot2Thrill and FreezeFrame Video for their contributions to the story.

I had the pleasure of visiting with Tim McDonald and Mike DeFrees during the Portland Boat Show this past month. Appropriately enough, we sat in one of Oregon Custom Marine’s P-1 raceboats. This is a twin to the boat that Mike and Tim drove to a San Diego Bayfair victory a few months ago. If success is the junction of good timing, good planning and good people then it’s no mystery why this team gets the gold right out of the gate.

Serious Offshore: So, what part of the country do you come from?

Tim: I grew up in Oregon and have been here all my life.
Mike: I’m born and raised in Washington and I still live there, just outside of Vancouver.

Serious Offshore: Tell me how you guys first met.

Mike: I guess it was at a poker run in central Oregon about ten years ago.
Tim: Yeah, I’m pretty sure that it was the first OCM sponsored poker run up at Lake Billy Chinook not too far outside of Bend Oregon.
Mike: I think I was running my 34’ DCB then.

Serious Offshore: So top notch machinery is a habit; I’d like to find out about how you both got started in boats – what’s your background?

Tim: Well, my dad raced boats so it might be in my blood a bit although my first boat was a fairly more »

Win, or Die Trying

When Don and I would talk, we often spoke about becoming the Open Class World Champion. Nothing else mattered. Win, break or die trying. If you didn’t have that attitude you had no business being on the racecourse. It was a man’s sport, where only the strong survived.

Don told me I had everything it took to win a World Championship, except time. He explained that after a certain point, money is the same with every one. But the one’s that could afford to devote an unlimited amount of time to the sport were those that would go on to become world champions. He told me that I had the skill, but since it was more important for me to pay attention to the trucking business I should only view racing as a hobby. Then he told me why he was trying to dissuade me from even trying. He told me he was putting new customers in boats with pros on the throttles. He said these boats and throttlemen would be set up so that even a monkey could drive the boat to a World Championship.

Don with the Squadron XII

In June 1979, after five long battles, I was tied with Betty Cook for the National Championship (so much for this being a man’s sport). Just three days before the next race truckers went on strike across the country. Being in the trucking business, this was not the time for me to go play. Don called me on the phone and told me not to even think about it. “Do not go to that race. Stay home and take care of the business” he said. It killed me, but I stayed home and Betty went on to win the World Championship that year. Something I felt she deserved anyway.

Don was a very gracious person in many ways, but when it came down to competition he HAD to win. Competing against Don was often an ugly thing. He and Mark Donohue used to race home on Biscayne Boulevard to Don’s house, going over the traffic islands and down the sidewalks. Don even competed with garbage trucks.

Don setting the diesel record on a Florida canal

One particular night Don was leaving the horse track long after it had closed, and the place was completely deserted. The parking lot was huge and flat. It was designed in a T formation with one main intersection. Don was driving his newly restored Ferrari Daytona and decided he wanted to beat the only other vehicle for miles around- a garbage truck headed for the same piece of road. You know the result. Don never backed down and neither did the garbage truck driver. One very badly damaged Ferrari later and Don was rethinking his win-at-all-costs strategy.

On another occasion, after a wonderful waterfront mean and some drinks, Don challenged Billy Martin to see who could get back to the shop first. Billy jumped into his car and began screeching his tires as he worked his way out of the parking lot. Don watched him go, then simply jumped into his car and went right through the shrubs and right out onto the road right in front of Billy and then took off. Don won.

Don was a smart businessman and jumped at any opportunity. He helped me with some investment by including me in deals in which he and his friends were involved. Every year in January a group of us would buy positions on Bell Jet Ranger helicopters. In my case I would order two new helicopters and give the salesman a deposit. Delivery time was running about a year at that time. In July of every year, like clockwork, Bell would announce that there would be a price increase of about $40,000. As the delivery date of our new helicopters got closer, we would begin to get calls from buyers who wanted a new chopper but didn’t want to wait. They were often willing to pay the new price for our delivery date and chopper and we pocketed the spread. I sold my last two to Wayne Newton and a big divorce lawyer from Palm Beach.

Back in those days offshore racers had a much closer relationship with the top auto racers of the day. Mark Donohue and Don were very close. Mark and Roger Penske were just developing the Camaro-based IROC series and Mark built one of those cars for Don to play with on the street. Don loved that car so much he used it as his daily driver for many years. Don wanted his friends to have them too. I had one just like don’s, in silver and Dr. Bob Magoon had one in red with a turbocharger. We even talked about running the Cannonbvall race with these cars.

The Shop

In the early years of the Formula and Donzi era, weekends were often spent back at “the shop” as he would call it, with his kids in tow. He would tinker and doodle new ideas while the kids ran around and climbed in and out of the boats. One such outing turned into a research and development session. Don had a new sixteen-footer, all lettered up with Donzi splashed across the sides. At the time, his idea of marketing consisted of running up and down the inter-coastal, jumping the wakes of big cruisers. He thought people would see the DONZI name and be impressed with the little boat’s ability to jump like that and keep going.

Don Aronow, Legend.

He was having a great time, but his son Michael as passenger that weekend was sliding all over the boat. Don looked over and asked if he was having a good time. Michael said… “No, not really. I’m getting beat up back here. Don told Michael to take the wheel and give it a go, which Michael did. Now it was Don’s turn to try top hold on to the smooth fiberglass. Withing a very short time Don said the test session was over and it was time to go back in. The very next day the Donzi workers were told to install the famous horseshoe-shape grab rail around the cockpit. No more sliding around for Don or his customers.

My Mentor

Don had as many facets as a diamond. If he liked you he would give you the shirt off his back (usually silk or linen). But if he didn’t like you, there was no way you could get on his good side. His business associates called him ruthless, and he was. If he knew someone had lots of money, he would work them hard to get the very best deal for himself. On the flip side, if he knew you didn’t have money, he would be very generous with his time and advice and whatever else he could do to help.

Without Don’s help I would have never accomplished my dream of racing in the open ocean. His advice on racing was always on the money. During races he would often fly over me in his helicopter just to wave his fist out the window and encourage me to keep going.

Whenever I raced in the Bahamas, he always made sure I had Willie Meyers as my navigator, a man that knew those waters better than anyone. One year I won the Key West race in my little 24-foot Banana Boat in the Modified class, beating the 28 and 30-foot boats on a very rough day. Don got Bill Wishnick and some of the old guys to stand up and give me a big ovation. I felt like I was World Champion that night, standing in front of those guys with a trophy in my hands.

I learned alot from that man over the years. He was my friend, mentor and idol. There was one piece of advice he gave to me that probably won me more than a few races, and I’ll share it with you. He said that no matter how rough it was there would always be flat spots between the big waves. That would be the time everyone else relaxed to catch their breath. He said that’s the time I had to push and prepare for the next big wave. Trim up and take advantage of the flat spots but watch out for the big wave that’s waiting for you. By that time you’ll be further along than the competition. If you look at the famous photo of Don in The Cigarette, you can see that his tabs are up. He was trimmed up and running fast in the flat stuff when he found his first big wave.

That’s how Don lived- trimmed up and running flat out, never knowing when a big wave would slow him down. He’s been gone 25 years now but I can still hear his laugh. It was the laugh of a man who lived life to the fullest and enjoyed every moment. It was the laugh of a man who knew something the rest of us didn’t. It was the laugh of a man that had no true peer. Don was in a class of his own. As the undisputed King of Offshore Powerboat racing and father of the sport, he will always be remembered as a fearless competitor and an icon of the sport.

I’d like to wish my old friend Happy Birthday. Don would have been 85 years old.

Charlie

Editor’s note: Banana Powerboats CEO and HORBA founder Charlie McCarthy had a long and unique friendship with Don Aronow. In this two-part series, Charlie revisits the story of that friendship

Meeting Don Aronow

I fell in love for the first time in my life during my freshman year at Saint Leo University, just north of Tampa Florida. But this relationship was no ordinary one- the object of my passion was offshore powerboat racing.

My roommate at Saint Leo’s, who came from a family of boat racers out of Chicago, introduced me to this great sport and I was invited to join the pit crew of Mike Gordon. Mike raced an 18 foot Rayson Craft endurance boat with a big 427 Ford engine. As pit crew members our job was mainly to be gofers. We’d go for food, we’d go for beer, we’d go for parts, whatever was needed. We were more »