Hometown hero

Oh Boy! Oberto-Miss Madison
ready to take on the competition

The U-6 crew hopes winter upgrades
will project boat to victory

By Konnie McCollum
Staff Writer

(June 27, 2008) – After completing one of the most successful seasons last year in its entire 47-year racing history, the U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto-Miss Madison team will enter 2008 “ready for battle.” The team hopes to beat its three consecutive second-place finishes in the National High Points and capture the American Boat Racing Association championship this year.

Photo by Don Ward The U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto-Miss Madison team received a new hull during the 2007 racing season. The boat is show here at last year’ Madison Regatta.

At the annual Madison Regatta, scheduled for July 4-6, the team will be competing for the coveted Indiana Governor’s Cup. Miss Madison last won its hometown race in 2001.
“We ended the 2007 season with back-to-back wins and hope that success propels us forward for the new season,” said driver Steve David, a Realtor who resides in Lighthouse Point, Fla. He spoke in a June telephone interview with the RoundAbout.
During the offseason in 2007, the Unlimited hydroplane received a new hull designed to have better weight distribution for quicker starts and faster turns. That, along with other improvements added to the boat, helped the U-6 team add to its success of the past few seasons.
The 2007 racing season for the Miss Madison included victories at Seattle in the Chevrolet Cup and later at San Diego in the Bill Muncey Cup. The team also finished first or second in 19 out of the 24 heats entered.
Miss Madison crew chief Mike Hanson said the winter months prior to the 2008 season were spent acquiring lots of new parts for the boat. “We always strive to put our best foot forward each year,” said Hanson during a June interview. “This year, we hope to bring things together and better our success of the past few years.”
David said the team was “about 1 percent off the mark” last season but worked on tweaking the gear ratio and other improvements during the time off from racing.
“With the new hull, we had to feel our way out at first, but we made remarkable improvements and had great consistency throughout the season. With the changes we made over the winter, we should be stronger coming out of the box this year.”
David has been driving the Miss Madison since 1991. He was an accomplished driver prior to taking the job. David took time off from racing in 2000 when his father died. In 2001, team manager Charlie Grooms called and asked David to drive the Unlimited hydroplane.
“I had raced against Madison for years and had high regards for the team,” David said. “I thought it would be a perfect team for me because everyone on it has a great desire to win.” He also knew that the U-6 team was his father’s favorite team.

Photo by Don Ward Oh Boy! Oberto driver Steve David (right) talks with Larry Oberto in the pits after winning an early heat last year.

Owned by the people of the city of Madison, the U-6 Miss Madison races under the sponsorship of Oh Boy! Oberto meat products. Over its racing history, the boat has claimed a pair of victories on home waters, the 1971 APBA Gold Cup with driver Jim McCormick and the 2001 Indiana Governor’s Cup with driver Steve David. McCormick’s victory was made into a movie called “Madison” and starred actor Jim Caviezel, Jake Lloyd and Mary McCormack. It was initially released nationally in April 2005 and went to DVD a few months later.
Representing Miss Madison Inc. is Bob Hughes, who has served as president of the board of directors for more than 30 years. Hughes, who won the Unlimited Sportsman of the Year Award in 1983 and the prestigious Gar Wood Award in 2003, said he is excited about the upcoming season.
“Although the competition will be as tough as it has been in the past few years, we believe Miss Madison will do even better than last year,” he said. “We’ve got a fantastic crew, and they have worked hard over the off-season to get things ready for the season.”
Admission wristbands for the 2008 Madison Regatta are $25 beginning June 30 and thereafter. Children ages 10 and under are admitted free. Wristbands are valid for all three days – July 4-6. Wristbands may be purchased at the Madison Regatta office on Vaughn Drive. The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Wristbands may also be purchased at the following locations: American Legion Post No. 9; The Bottle Shop; Cork-N-Bottle; CVS Pharmacy – Hilltop and Hanover; Fillin’ Station Liquors; Hanover Liquor Store; Kroger; Madison Area Convention and Visitors Bureau; all MainSource Bank locations; Riverside Produce in Milton, Ky.; and all River Valley Financial Bank branch locations. Two service clubs, the Rotary Club and Lions Club, are also selling them.