Pantera- An Inside Look

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Anyboady recognize the famous boat racer in this picture that was very well known in the 70s ? Even sponsored a big boat race in Pt. Pleasant , N.J.

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Here are a few more from 1989 at the U.S. Nationals in Indy and the other showing the Benihana Bertram.

 

[Ratickle]

Anyboady recognize the famous boat racer in this picture that was very well known in the 70s ? Even sponsored a big boat race in Pt. Pleasant , N.J.

View attachment 73315

He was lucky to live after that crash in San Fran. Was that pic before or after? I believe he raced in that event of his own his very first race back after the crash. And won....

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Shop cat in 1977.

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

This picture was taken in 1988 in Englishtown, N.J. Rocky flew a Benihana hot air ballon over the 1/4 mile at the Summer Nationals. I was 17 years old at the time.

He was lucky to live after that crash in San Fran. Was that pic before or after? I believe he raced in that event of his own his very first race back after the crash. And won....

 

[Ben]

Anyboady recognize the famous boat racer in this picture that was very well known in the 70s ? Even sponsored a big boat race in Pt. Pleasant , N.J.

View attachment 73315

John Henry Falk?

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Rocky Aoki the owner of Benihana. He spent the weekend with us at Englishtown that year.

 

[Ben]

Typical of me to miss the obvious. I was looking at the guy in the white shirt.

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

The guy w/ the white shirt is Kenny Koretsky (Pro Stock and top fuel drag racer) do a google on him.
I am the one all the way to the left w/ the "cute" yellow boating shorts.
Rgds,
Pepe.

PD, one of Rockys favorite saying: "If you are scared of dying, you are scared of living" (How true!)

 

[Ratickle]

How the heck did you get the name, "The Benihana Kid", Jo ?

 

[Buoy]

The guy w/ the white shirt is Kenny Koretsky (Pro Stock and top fuel drag racer) do a google on him.
I am the one all the way to the left w/ the "cute" yellow boating shorts.
Rgds,
Pepe.

PD, one of Rockys favorite saying: "If you are scared of dying, you are scared of living" (How true!)

Cute shorts PP:ack2:

And people made fun of me when I posted photos of when I was at the factory wearing jean shorts....

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

How the heck did you get the name, "The Benihana Kid", Jo ?

It started out as just "THE KID" because I was the youngest licensed Pro - Stock driver in NHRA history right when I turned 16.Then a local track announcer here in South Florida ( Hollywood Dragway ) started calling me the "Benihana Kid' and it just stuck with everyone at the races.

JO

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

This 24' was sponsored by TV6 here in Miami back in 1978.

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Lake X in 1978. The Pantera 24' my Father and Ralph set the Miami to New York record with was getting ready to make the trip.

JO

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Lake X

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Holiday Isle race 1979. Pantera 28' with triple 2.4 Mercs. Took a 1st place overall.

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

This picture was taken in 1994 at Lake X while testing a new Pantera 28' with tripe 2.5 Mercury outboards. This boat is still winning today in Puerto Rico.

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Lake X in 2004. Pantera 35' Factory 2 race boat.

View attachment 73378

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

View attachment 73379

Lake X 2004 getting ready to do prop testing and weight placement for F2 class racing. It was an awesome facility to test with the Mercury factory guys.

JO

 

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

1st canopied race boat.