Outboard Racing

Part 2

My OMC fall out 1976.


..so a few days later I was finally told the facts but very secret..because legal action was going on from mostly Huzells side.

In the fall of 1976 OMC invited all Swedish Evinrude dealers (around 200) to a meeting at Malmen Hotel in Stockholm.
OMC introduced a British expert in how to stop Japanese companies taking over market shares from US and European companies in Europe..
All the dealers was thinking the same thing..WOW..British..??..they did really poorly saving Norton, Triumph etc in the British motorcycle business..they where already gone 1976..
OMC was told by this British company to kick out the distributors like Huzells and AGB..(Johnson) and open up OMC controlled subsidiary/ daughter companies in most of the European counties. This was the future.
As of January 1 1977 OMS Sweden was now going to run Evinrude/Johnson in Sweden.
Only good thing in my opinion was a few weeks later OMC told us my friend Bengt Nilsson from Huzells Marin was going to be the CEO for OMS Sweden.
As a dealer we got plenty of mail regarding OMS Sweden policies etc.
The new OMC Europe racing policy was everything must be run by the European racing boss in Brygge..OMS Sweden could not support racing..This was it for me…!!
A few days later I met up with my old friend Rutger Friberg..he was in charge of Volvo Penta outboards based in Gotenburg. Roger Jenkins was already running Volvo Penta/Konig in the UIM OE class and did great.
Rutger was a powerful man within Volvo and a yacht sailing friend with Per Gyllenhammar the CEO for Volvo Cars.
A few weeks later I signed a great deal with Volvo Penta of Sweden..a few steps better than the ones I use to have with Huzells.

Racing International and local in the UIM OE/F3 class with full support from Gert Lowisin & Dieter König.

I told my friend Bengt Nilsson the CEO for the just started OMS Sweden..He was disappointed and said its going to hurt your Evinrude sales.
Well..what Bengt and OMC did not know was…
Billy Huzell.. a very smart pissed off business man..he was not going to roll over and play dead..
Billy traveled to Japan..signed a deal with Suzuki outboards to be the distributor not only for Suzuki outboards but also Suzuki motorcycles starting early 1977.
AGB..the former Johnson distributor signed a deal with Brunswick to be the distributor for Mariner in Sweden.
The same thing happened in most European countries..
OMC got what they wanted but opened the door big time for the Japanese outboards..
For sure this big OMC mistake was in my opinion the start for OMC’s down spiral..

First picture is Rutger Friberg and me.
Second: Rutger and Per Gyllenhammar

Here is the letter from OMC Racing in Brygge, Belgium January, 1977.
Says it all..
The OMC sales department in Belgium was helpful but not the racing department.

I have been asked many times about this headline..Here is part one.

This is a long story and we must go back to early 1971 when my racing relationship with Evinrude and Huzells started.

Huzells was a great company and the main business was supplying parts, tools and shop equipment for car dealers in Scandinavia based out of Karlstad, Sweden.

The owner Billy Huzell was a very active owner and he hired Bengt Nilsson to run Huzells  Marine division in Stockholm.

Huzells Marine division was the distributor for Evinrude in Sweden.

1971 

Huzells was getting involved in outboard racing mainly in Sweden and sponsored some races and drivers.

They did have a program for race drivers..to purchase Evinrude outboards and parts for a very good deal.

1972 

I signed up for this program and got a brand new Evinrude 65HP including racing propellers and parts.

See Huzells 1972 ad.

Turned out great I won the UIM E class Swedish Championship 1972 and Huzells invited me to the yearly Evinrude dealer meeting in Spain.

1973

 I got the call from Huzells about the new Evinrude 65SS for the UIM SE class and Huzells was going to give me one as a loaner but I must purchase a new tunnelboat from Italy. I did and the rest is history I won the biggest UIM SE class race in Finland over OMC’s factory drivers. OMC racing in Belgium did not even let me use a propeller as the European racing boss promised me if I came to the race in Finland.

After the 1973 success Billy Huzell told  Bengt Nilsson the man in charge for Huzells marine division to pay me for my boats, travel expenses and a big bonus for 1973. I was so happy with Huzells.

1974 

Same thing..Huzells took really good care of me,  purchased new race boats, free outboards etc etc. Very generous with my travel expenses and of course a large bonus after the season. I won at last 30 races and repeated my UIM SE class European Champion title in Evian, France. (There was no UIM SE class World Title)

The Swedish market was huge back then in new outboard sales (third in Europe) and Huzells was doing extremely well.

Huzells/Evinrude did have 35-40% of the market..It was only Evinrude/Johnson/Merc/Penta at that time. A few Yamaha, Chrysler and Seagull.

Huzells promoted Evinrude very well..Involved ABBA with Evinrude and my racing. Billy Huzell came to races to help and support me and other Evinrude racers.

All the Evinrude dealers in Sweden was happy. You could always tell that at the yearly dealer meeting in Spain. Canary Islands is more correct. Yes I was there.

Billy Huzell told me late 1974 to start looking for a location in Nacka to get my own Evinrude dealership.

1975 

Same thing..Huzells backed my racing up even better..and I won tons of races. Kept my UIM SE class European title by winning in Sabaudia, Italy. I also drove for OMC racing in Brygge, Belgium. 

Won the Rouen 24 hours in the factory owned SE class boat.

One sad incident..I crashed bad and hurt myself testing a new UIM OE class Burgess owned by OMC racing in Brugge.

I was not happy the way I was told to do the testing.

Late 1975 Utbordarspecialisten Lasse Ström Marin opened the doors in Nacka. 

Huzells backed me up with lots of stuff.

Great credit..Huzells paid for lots of stuff to promote my exclusive Evinrude dealership located at my home turf.

At that time the local media loved doing stories of my racing and dealership.

Billy at the races and Billy and me at his birthday..(50 Years)

1976

Same thing..Huzells backed my racing up even better than 1975….but…I could tell something was not right..I asked Billy and Bengt Nilsson but no answer.

1976 was also the best year ever for new outboard sales in Sweden..around 50 000 new outboards was sold..a big big part of that was Evinrude..I did extremely good in my first full year as a dealer..sold a few hundred mainly larger outboards.

The 1976 UIM SE class European Championship race was this year in Sweden and guess who won..!!

I got the UIM SE class title four years in a row..newer done before or after in this very popular SE class..but…

now I was 100% sure something big was wrong between Huzells and OMC..because Billy Huzell did not come to the  race I won in Nora, Sweden..

Part two next

Part 2: Huzells – OMC..My fall out with OMC late 1976.

Wow..I have to go Off Topic.. This is probably one of the greatest memories from my racing years..!!
As many already know…late 1976 I did have a major fall out with OMC and the European racing boss..and switched to Volvo Penta racing built by Dieter Konig 1977 in the UIM OE class.
The swede Gert Lowisin was great to work with and he helped me to get to know Dieter Konig.
There was no one more in to boat racing like Dieter and I spent lots of time in West Berlin..( yes, back then West Berlin was an “island” within the European eastern block)
After some time I got a really good relationship with Dieter..Did lot of testing in the narrow canal outside Dieters Konig factory.
Dieter taught me lots of great racing stuff and he asked me to race in Tegel, West Berlin as a test before Paris 6 Hours.
My black UIM OE class Molinari was extremely fast after Dieter and me developed the 3 cylinder VPK in to mega power..Of course using Methanol..like most Konig race engines.
This never seen before picture makes me smile but also tears me up..
When testing a few new things with Dieter in the narrow canal..I had some issues..Dieter jumped onboard and he figure the problem out in a very high speed test in the rear of my Molinari..!!
Yes..Its Dieter himself in the rear of my Molinari..
No other racing boss could never match Dieter’s enthusiasm..
Sadly we lost Dieter many years later in a ultra light plane crash.
R.I.P my great friend.

The record attempt at the Dalälven, Sweden October 1973.
It is Gert Lowisin himself who has built this hydro boat with a Chrysler 45 Super Sport for the UIM SD class. Yes, Gert did get a few world records on this very cold weekend..
I was also there for a few UIM SE class world records.

Over my 20+ years of boat racing I got to know all the “big wheels” in the business..

I drove for Team Renato Molinari and Cees Van Der Velden.

Owned and purchased boats from Burgess, Clerici, Molinari, Schulze and others.

Billy Seebold is the only one I never did any business with but in my opinion Mr. Bill is probably the greatest of them all.

There is no one friendlier and a better spokesperson for the sport than Mr. Bill.

I did met Mr. Bill in the early seventies over in Europe the first time. We became friends and I love the man..

Many great memories and here is a mix of my own pictures I took of the best ever.

Mr. Bill is in for his toughest fight ever..please think of him..