Dave Little
I began racing Stock Outboards in 1965. My first boat (17-S) was an A’Utility (ASR). The boat was a Hal-Kelly kit called a “Foo-Ling”, and it was powered by a KG-4 Mercury. I took third place in my first race and I was hooked!
By the late 60’s, I had added a B’ Utility (BSR) to my trailer. It was a Hedlund runabout powered by a converted 20-H Mercury. My best finish was second place at a Muskegon, Michigan Divisional Championship. I was no Stover Hire but I sure wanted to be.
In 1975, I bought my first Swanson/Champion Hot-Rod and added 15SSR (the current BSR class) to my trailer and retired the Hedlund BU (I never could turn that stupid thing!) I had been impressed with Ray Hammond’s wide bottom Austin runabout, so I ordered a brand new wide bottom Austin for my A’ and 15. It was perfect for the upcoming 76’ Hinton Nationals with its huge mile & two-thirds course. I finished second behind Cooper Jess. This was getting to be fun.
In 1978, I purchased another Austin, but this time I wanted a boat for Dayton. The record runs were scheduled for that spring and I was ready. I not only won both heats going away, but I set a new closed course record in the process. However, the record was short lived since I was DQ’ed before I ever reached the pits. My unpainted motor was not “the original factory color”, which was Champion blue, so I was disqualified by a duty bound (and sympathetic) Bud Parker. I protested on the grounds that the motor was ordered and delivered “un-painted”, and that was in fact the “original factory color”. They didn’t buy it, so I lost my only record. (Keep in mind that I took second at the 76’ Nationals in Hinton with my “un-painted” Hot-Rod). Aside from the “BS” politics that plagued Stock Outboard, I was really pleased with the 15SSR package. It was a fantastic ride, and that experience helped push my father and I towards the purchase of the Champion company from Tom Moulder on Wednesday July 11, 1979.
For what it’s worth, on Thursday July 12, 1979, I informed Stock VP Ernie Dawe of the ownership change and that my first official order of business was to eliminate that stupid “original color” rule. From that date forward, Hot-Rod engines would NOT be painted and all colors were to be considered legal!!
In 1980, I went to Wakefield feeling good about my chances, but I knew that I was going to need the racers best friend…LUCK, and lots of it. For the first time in my career, I got lucky and won. I was the 1980 15SSR National Champion. Furthermore, I used the same rig that I raced in Dayton, and it was STILL UNPAINTED! My first rule change was working perfectly. But seriously, what made it special was that both my lovely wife Connie and my mother (Jenny) were there to share in the victory. (Willie, the first American Hot-Dog was there too, but he was asleep under the trailer).
The victory could not have come at a better time, because I knew that I had to retire from racing in order to dedicate my energy to building Hot-Rods, not racing them. So my racing career unofficially ended that weekend when I packed my trailer and headed for Canton. I didn’t open it again until the 1981 Nationals in Dayton the next year. I was in Dayton promoting engines and playing the game of politics, not preparing for a repeat victory. In fact, I actually opened the trailer for the first time since Wakefield on the day of my race, and simply went for a free “boatride” defending my title. I finished fifth. It was my last race, but not my last time in that boat. For the next decade, I used that rig to field test every design change that we made to the Hot-Rod.
And as they say, the rest is history, ….. and it was sure one hell of a ride!