This is a short history about all the amazing racing outboards OMC built during the prime time of tunnel boat racing.
Most of the OMC racing was done for the UIM ON and OZ class.
ON was max 2 liter and OZ was over 2 liter..No limit to the size of cylinder volume.
and because of the two liter limit OMC could not just add two more cylinders to the famous Super Strangler/Stinger GP V4.
The Paris 6 hour race 1973 was a enormous success and OMC was first and second in the race.
The headlines was brutal for Team Mercury..
“Mercury annihilated”
https://svera.se/blogg/paris-6-hours/my-first-paris-6-hours-1973-was-a-disaster/
Cees van der Velden drove his new #1 Marlboro boat with the Johnson V6 to victory.
Renato Molinari and Bob Hering drove this engine to victory in Parker 9 hours 1977.
I raced this engine in Paris 1978
This engine was also called CCC but a completely different animal from the first CCC
Cees van der Velden won the Paris 6 hour race with this engine 1979. Beating the Merc T4
purpose built 3.5 liter V8 looper.
Mike Downard/Tom Posey the overall winner in the #22 OZ class Scotti/Johnson Rotary.
Averaged speed close to 70 MPH over 3 hours including refueling and driver change.
Alf Bullen the overall winner in his #6 OZ class Burgess/Johnson RS V6 2.448 liter Cross-flow.
James Beard the overall winner in his #6 ON class Cougar/Evinrude V4 1.632 liter cross-flow.
Milan, Italy 1 Hour GP 1974 Peter Thorneywork the overall winner in the #8 ON class Milesmaster/Johnson V6 2 liter cross-flow.
Chasewater 1979. The OZ class UIM European Championship race.
This was an interesting race (I was there racing OE) and Billy Seebold was not allowed to race his Seebold/Long John/Merc T4.
Not because he was an American but Billy did not have a UIM license.
(A feud between APBA and UIM)
So Team Mercury put Roger Jenkins in the big bore Merc T4 Seebold-boat and race number 9 instead of 7.
Tom Percival drove the other Seebold/Long John/Merc T4.
At the end of the weekend Bob Spalding in his #11 Velden/Carlsberg/Johnson V6 RS
3 liter looper fuel injection was the big winner.
Beating the big bore Merc T4 and Team OMC was extremely happy.
This is another fact the Merc boys don’t remember..but this little Swede does..
Bristol 1980 was another big setback for Team Mercury and the T4 racing.
This is the headline:
No Gold at Mercury’s Final Rally.. Evinrude/Molinari wins in Bristol 1980
Seebold breaks down in last lap forfeiting win to Molinari.Many Merc supporters always bring up Bristol 1982 when Billy Seebold won the OZ class with a smaller Merc V6 over the V8 drivers.
As always I was there and Renato Molinari was leading by a lot over Billy Seebold but broke down at the end and Seebold won..Yes I know you must finish to win..Back to Bristol 1980 and Billy Seebold was leading the OZ class with the big bore T4 but broke down and Renato Molinari ended up winning the race with the smaller 3 liter looper fuel injection. So please remember this Merc fans when bringing up Bristol 1982.
Bristol 1980 was also Team Mercury’s last race for the T4 in the OZ class at that time. I am 100% sure the reason for Team Mercury to pull the plug on the T4 racing was the rumors was already out about OMC introducing the new V8 for the OZ class 1981. Team Mercury was now going to race ON max 2 liter and call the ON class Formula One.
(Merc came back with a modified T4 in the OZ class 1984)Here is a link to exactly what happen in Bristol 1980 and the OMC advertising after the race. “Evinrude staying-power wins Embassy Grand Prix” Pretty funny..!!
Parker Enduro 1980
Another setback for Team Mercury.
Bob Spalding and Ken Stevenson drove the #201 OZ class Velden/Johnson V6 3 liter looper to victory. Beating the Merc/Mariner big bore T4.
Another victory for Team OMC with poor enginering according the Mercury supporters.