1968 Miss Budweiser U-12

 

  Boat Statistics

Boat Name:

 

Year:

Designation#:

 

Miss Budweiser

1968

 

U-12

Owner/Driver:

 

Year Model Built:

 

Craig Johnson

 

2005

Builder:

 

Construction:

 

 

Tony Minalia,Mark Beatty & Roger Newton

 

Fiberglass, wood and foam

Motor:

 

Speed Controller:

 

Scorpion 3026-1210

 

?

Prop:

 

Paint Colors:

 

 

Octura

 

Gold, Red and white

Type of Graphics:

 Radio:

 

 

vinyl

 

?

The model:  The hull began its life under the eyes of Roger Newton. It was then acquired by Mark Beatty in 2005 and raced off and on till 2009. After the original 1968 Budweiser Tony received from a non-club member was totaled in a pre-season test session, this boat was given to Tony by Mark in an exchange for dummy motor work. It was revealed late in the 2011 season at the Atomic Cup and placed well all day. Tony later sold the boat to Dan Clark, who spruced it up and ran it in a few races in 2019. The boat was acquired by Craig Johnson, who ran it in four events in 2021.

The real boat:  After several previous hulls and drivers who lost their lives battling for wins. Bernie Little decided to commission Ed Karelson to build this hull for him for the 1968 season. Bernie picked veteran Bill Sterret to drive. By the end of the ’68 season, the Bud was a top boat for national high points. In 1969, the Budweiser earned its first ever national championship. It was also involved in a bit of controversy at the San Diego race that same year when it was filmed travelling inside the buoys and went on to win the race. The boat stayed in the Budweiser stable until 1973 and went to the Country Boy team and then onto the Vernor’s. The boat went into storage for a number of years. But was then restored by the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum. No plans to restore it to running order and make it a primary exhibition boat like the Wahoo or ’75 Oberto.