THE RACERS THAT TAKE UP THE RIGHT SIDE SEATS

                                      

                                THE RACERS THAT TAKE UP THE RIGHT SIDE SEATS 

There is, in my type of race truck, a racer that occupies a second seat known as the co-driver That racer has a special talent, not just to help the driver stay on course but the ability to withstand the punishment they get from a rough ride. here's what I mean: the driver flies a whoop- de- do landing with his hand on the wheel, feet firmly on the floor, knows when he's going to land, the wheels hit the ground and we're off.  No so for for your co-driver, who, after the wheels touch drown, feels the jolt after we land. I tried that seat for three races, it ain't easy,  that was enough for me. No thanks! Rod Hall, Willie Stroppe, Jamie Martiniz, Joel Silverstien, Bob Bower, have all sit next to me. That these racers trusted me to get us home safely is quite an honor. Here are some others:

The brothers Hummel, Steve and Jim. Steve is kind of a quiet guy, a good mechanic, course director, and adviser. There is a pic of the Bronco in the air, under a Vegas under pass, watched by a bunch of fans. I flew this jump on the second lap for the fans. I land, then Steve lands, as he does, In a low tone, "better watch this jump  next time around," not knowing I did it on purpose. Steve won a few hundred thousand on the lottery and went into business. Jim took over the seat. Jim was and is a mechanic, likes his work. He also has a great sense of direction. Three am. 500 mi. into Baja on the 1000, we come to a deep sandy junction on the course, most tracts go right, no say Jim go left, seems like he was always correct. I was not an easy guy to ride with. On a 'Baja 500' couple hours  in, up to 'Mikes Sky Ranch', Jim asked to pull over, he has a migrane headache. I reach into my pocket and pull out a pill, "Here take this, I get them too, and when you throw up hang out the window." I never let off the gas. I'm sometimes not a very nice guy.

Brad Stoffer, Different from me, a very nice guy.. Worked and rode with 'Scoop Vessels' a long time. He was a great fabricator and co-driver. Example: when 'Wide world of Sports, w/ Curt Goudy did ABC  hour and half on Sunday, they used the whole program to show 'Scoop win the 'Baja 500' overall in the Chevy Blazer. They had their announcer, Sam Posey, as co-driver. Real story, Sam started the race, got back in at the end, ,Brad was the co-driver for the race. When 'Scoop quit racing Brad came to work for me as fabricator, mechanic, co-driver. I had a shop where Brad developed the half cab as a integral part of the Bronco. Great as a co-driver but had to suffer an endo coming off of "Mikes" that was entirely my fault. "Scoop later gave Brad his fab. shop on his horse ranch. Last time I saw Brad he was retired living on his boat in Dana Point harbor.    

 Art Nisson, took over  as my first co-driver from Bill Sears , in the Saab. Prepped the Saab and drove and co-drove the Bronco its first couple of races'  with neither of us knowing what we were doing, it worked out Ok. The Bronco finished its first two races in pretty good shape. When I decided to drive the whole race, he went back to sport cars.

Karl Klass a local from Laguna rode with me a couple or races until I dumped on him. During the 'Mint' I broke, got out and walked five miles to the Stroppe pits. Left him there all night with hardly no supplies. Not  nice thing to do. In the pits was Bensen Ford Jr. We talk for a while, he offered me a cigarette,  I been smoking cigars for the past two years, could  not even taste it. Nice of him though. Two years later during the Baja 500 I caught with  Ben Ford and Fuenties in a Ford pickup about 200 mi, south of Camalu during the '1000' after they had stolen Stroppes  company. I tried to run them down but they took off thru the desert and Jamie wouldn't let me chases them.

Pat Shea, a local, rode with me during the 'Barstow 250' Afterwards he dated and married my daughter, Amanda, but I did get two wonderful grandchildren , Danniel and Allie  out of the deal.

Jaime Marteniz  was with me thru a bunch of wins and losses. a great mechanic and co- driver and adviser, "You don't need no --------brakes, hit the -------gas. Jaimie and I mostly got along, quiet kind, not too much for talking, we only had one problem. It was at the '500', the team was staying at Papagayos, in Ensenada. Race morning I got up and saw Jaime working on one of the racers pickups. For some reason Jaimie was always impressed with these guys and did their mechanical work gratis. This morning he worked on their truck until I pulled him off to get the Bronco ready to go. And we're off. Jaimie liked to shift the gears, like Stroppe did for Parnelli. A couple of hours in the race we're coming down this sand wash flat out, at the end of the run I could see a solid wall of stone, foot on gas, waiting for Jaimie to shift, running out of road, I look over, he's asleep.I stand on the brakes and make the down shift, just in time. Next pit ten miles, still groggy I tell him to get out. He had stayed up all night working on that pickup from Mexico. That's one of the few problems we ever had. In the pits was a pastor from Long Beach wanting to ride, we had a good run don't know where we finish. I said before Jaimie never believed we won when we did. I'd say "We won.", "No we didn't" After my house burnt down, he brought me over one of our win trophys', condition, to be in my will to be returned to him.

Then there were the in and outers. In the '74 Baja,' after the roll over I offered the 'co' a chance to drive and  finish the race but he hit the hiway with a case of beer. Or another 'co' Stroppe sent to me. A bike rider, said he was pro, wanted to ride the whole race, I suggested he try maybe half a race , he said no he'd do the whole '500'. Thirty minutes into the race he started throwing up, car sick. He wanted out now! No way I said, need help if I have to change a tire.  I got a new 'co' at the next pit. The next day the pit crew told me that the poor guy laid on the ground for the next eighteen hours. Things aren't always what they seem.

Willie Stroope, my forever co- driver. In '75' we win the '1000' and go on from there. My next to last 3 races were with Willie along side. In the 2000s I brought back the old Dodge pre-run, race truck. We'd run Parump and Parker. I don't remember if he rode with me in my last '1000' in 2005, that 8 hour ordeal, but he was with me for most of the other races. That all ended when I dumped the Dodge on its side in 2008, twenty miles from the 'Parump' finish. Willie a little heavy, getting older, like me , had a tough time climbing out. Last I heard he lived in Lake Arrowhead, Ca.

My last two co-drivers: Bob Bowers (BFG), the Henderson '250' in 2008, we did the last of 3 laps, we won. 2009, Rod  Hall called to do the 'Mint' and get his 20th there. 80 mi. into the 2nd 100 mi. lap we were leading the class, I put the Ram in a hole. We got her out, Rod finished the lap. 2010 Hall and I tried again, never should have, I did damage to front end 30 mi. into the race.   Got out at the next pit. Never should have got in. Why is it a guy never knows when to fold them? Got two new hips that year. I am so great full to each one of those great co-drivers for helping me have the time of my life,       

   

A Few of the Five Race Helmets Over the Years

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