1975.. My first year as a Evinrude factory pilot..

PB 200 South Africa 1975
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After the race in Paris late 1974 I was back in Sweden to do 7 month of Military service.
I received a telex in March of 1975 from South Africa, and the distributor for Evinrude
asked me if I was interested to race the SE- OE class at the BP 200.

Of course I was, but the Military refuse to give me a 2 week break.

I knocked on the Captains door and asked him if there was anyway he could help me.
He was friendly and told me how to do it and a few days after I got an early release and was now on the
way to S. A on my own.

They picked me up at the airport and I was booked at the nicest Hotel in Johannesburg.
When I checked in, I got my best and biggest surprise.
My boat racing Hero, Jimbo McConnell was invited to and was checking in at the same Hotel.
He was standing there, together with Mouse, the OMC Race Mechanic.

Next morning we drove to the Race site at the River Vaal and the Clerici SE- OE boat with number 44, was driving
like the one I raced in Europe.

Jimbo was racing the OZ class if I recall correctly.
You can see Mouse at one of the photos but I do not have one with Jimbo.

We did lots of testing and I think the Race course was 5 miles long and the river was pretty narrow.
There was a few more invited foreign drivers, but most drivers where locals.

Lots of different classes and the Race was pretty crazy, but lots of fun and I still have the # 1 Trophy.

After the Prize ceremony and the party I was ready to head back to Europe.

The Rouen 24 Hours was coming up, and that was my first race as a Factory driver.
Jack Leek from OMC, Waukegan hired me, but the new Racing Boss for Europe was Paul Kalb

Next story..https://svera.se/blogg/racing-historier/our-se-class-victory-in-the-rouen-24-hours-1975/

My boat was the OE 44..I am sitting in the front of the Clerici boat.