Wayne Baldwin began his racing career in 1965 at the first boat race he ever saw. Lone Star Boat Racing Association held a race in May of that year almost in the front yard of his lake house on Lake Corpus Christi in Texas. Wayne and his brother Mark entered the B runabout competition with a stock Mercury on a 12 foot Nomad boat. They each ran a heat finishing 3rd and 4th respectively due to rough water and their very heavy boat. Most of the competion stayed on the bank.

From Wayne: This is my younger brother Mark holding a check for $10.00 for my third place win and $5.00 for his fourth place. It was for me my first, and for Mark his first and only alky ride. The race was at Lake Mathis in March of 1965.

Wayne and his brother building one of their early raceboats. (Photo courtesy of Wayne.)

In 1966 Wayne started the season with a brand new AB DeSilva runabout, a used 10-6 Sid Craft hydro, and two new Konigs--an FA and FB. The white boat on the trailer was built by Wayne and his brother Mark. Note the brand new Gentex life jackets and the rookie stripes on the half helmet. These were the only motors that the Baldwins chromed the exhaust systems. (Photo courtesy of Wayne Baldwin)

(Photo courtesy of Wayne Baldwin)

(Photo courtesy of Wayne Baldwin)

(Photo courtesy of Wayne Baldwin)

Having gotten the bug, their dad E. E. "Baldy" Baldwin located and bought a Mishey hydro and deflector A Merc Quincy from Curtis Mihalchek in San Antonio. Wayne went round and round testing. With a large fin in the center, the boat slid a lot during the corners. Wayne slid too wide and hit a submerged rock on a little point and the boat took on water and sunk. They got the motor dried out and repaired the boat. When Mark slid too wide and ran up on the bank, he quit racing and became a pit man. Wayne's first race with an alky rig was at Nueva Guerra in Mexico. The water was rough and he was driving to fast. He spun in a turn while testing and took a slug of water down the carb. They never could restart the motor. Wayne took the motor to old time racer and mechanic Dan Waggoner who lived in Flour Bluff near Corpus Christi. He immediately spotted the trouble. The Mercury powerhead was split open and the crack ran down through the tower housing and stopped at the Quicksilver lower unit. Baldy then purchased a B Merc Quincy deflector from David Fuqua in Corpus Christi. They went to a race at Sunset Lake north of Corpus Christi where the 1957 NOA World Championships were held. They were never able to start that B motor. There was a hole in the head. The Baldwins were pitted next to Freddie Goehl and Arlen Crouch who had a trailer full of Konigs. Freddie offered to sell them the used Konigs they were having success with, but Baldy said he was through buying used motors. Freddie said he and Arlen were Konig dealers, so Baldy placed an order for 2 new Konig motors, an FA and FB, along with a brand new DeSilva runabout to be built. They also located a used Sid Craft hydro for the Baldwins.

Photos by Wayne.

(photo courtesy of Wayne Baldwin)

(photo courtesy of Wayne Baldwin)

Photo from the Claude Fox album, courtesy of Bill Hosler.