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| Mike Wiener COUNTRY BOY  Country Boy N-8 Raleigh, NC 1975 Lauterbach built this hull in early 1971 and was owned and driven by Joe Siracusa of Mayor City, La. Mike Wiener is a former boat racer who drove to the five litre world championship in 1966, heard of Country Boy and flew to Louisiana, liked what he saw, and closed the deal. By December of 1974, Wiener had retired as a driver but wanted to continue in the sport. That he did as owner of Country Boy...the name he inherited from his predecessor. "It took us 3 months to rework the boat. I knew Jim Kropfeld and asked him to drive for me."  Country Boy N-8 Jim Kropfeld setting the Competition Speed Record in Hampton, Virginia 1975. Ironically the record he broke was set by Larry Lauterbach driving this same boat for John Siracusa in St. Pete.  N-10 White Lightning and N-8 Country Boy Jim winning the 1975 National Championship in Seattle. It wasn't an easy win as Steve Reynolds is driving his N-10 White Lightning and the two boats were sponson-to-sponson for the entire 2 heats. Jim won the first race and Steve won the 2nd race. Jim won the National Championship by having the better overall time of both races combined. A lot of folks have said this was one of the best boat races in the history of limited class hydroplane racing.  N-1 Country Boy Columbus, Ohio 1977 Mike Wiener ran the Lauterbach again in 1976 and then ordered a new Jon Staudacher 225 cu in class boat for 1977.  N-1 Country Boy St Pete, Florida 1977 They won the High Point and National Championships for 1977 and 1978 in this boat.  N-1 Country Boy Columbus, Ohio 1979 For 1979 they start off with their 2nd Staudacher built hull and they continued their winning ways by taking the High Point and National Championships for 1979 and 1980.  N-1 Country Boy East Fork, Ohio 1979 A great combination of the latest Staudacher design, George English built Buick engines and driven by Jim Kropfeld to victory.  J-15 Country Boy Mike Wiener and team move up to to the J class with this Staudacher hull after Jim drove the first version of this design, Special Edition. Jon Staudacher sold that boat and built this one for the Country Boy team.  J-15 Country Boy Cincinatti, Ohio 1981 This boat ran well in all types of water conditions. Although it helps to have a driver such as Jim Kropfeld behind the wheel.  J-10 Country Boy St Pete, Florida 1982 The year 1982 brings in yet another new Staudacher boat.  J-10 Country Boy 1982  J-10 Country Boy Dayton, Ohio 1983 Steve Kuhr is driving in this photo. Jim is now also driving Miss Danash (GP) and Miss Budweiser during this period so Mike is getting other drivers to take the wheel of the Country Boy  J-8 Country Boy St Pete, Florida 1984 Mike Wiener gets another new Staudacher hull for 1984.  J-8 Country Boy St Pete, Florida 1984 After only one racing season, Mike sold this boat and it become the Deel Me In and it went on to win numerous titles and championships as one of the winningest J class boats of that era.  N-8 Country Boy Dayton, Ohio 1985 Glenn Koutney driving a Don Mashburn owned hydro and sponsored by Country Boy This is a Staudacher design and may be a frame kit or plans were used, not sure.  N-600 Country Boy Eugene, Oregon 1986 "Rookie" Woodruff driving. Another Staudacher owned by Don Mashburn and sponsored by Country Boy  J-2 Country Boy St Pete Country Boy team purchased an Ed Karelson hull.  J-2 Country Boy  J-2 Country Boy St Pete, Florida 1988  GNH-2 Country Boy Madison, Indiana 1995 A different Ed Karelson hull is now racing for Country Boy  UL-2 / GNH-2 Country Boy Madison, Indiana 1998 Note the shoes & fins added.  UL/GNH-2 Country Boy Decatur, Illinois 2000  UL/GNH-2 Country Boy Decatur, Illinois 2001 Driver is Tom Thompson  NM-2000 Country Boy A wild looking new conventional design by Jon Staudacher featuring 3 sponsons. With the motor in front and sitting deep in the middle sponson, this design enables a super low and efficient prop shaft angle.  NM-2000 Country Boy  NM-2000 Country Boy Roush Ford power  TEAM COUNTRY BOY  NM-2000 Country Boy Scott Kropfeld (Jim Kropfeld's son) is driving.  NM-81 Country Boy This is the last hull that Mike Wiener owned. It's a Staudacher and another really neat design  NM-81 Country Boy Pontiac, Michigan 2008  NM-81 Country Boy Great photo shows the unique angles of this 3 sponson bottom design. Note what looks like a shoe in front of the rudder, each of the 3 sponspons has different shapes, sizes and dimensions that Jon Staudacher has incorporated into this design.  NM-81 Country Boy The shoe makes for a good mounting surface for the rudder bracket. The right sponson is bigger than the left and the skid fin is bracketed quite a ways from the boat.  NM-81 Country Boy Driver Tom Thomson giving the boat everything its got at Rocky Fork 2008. © Phil Kunz Back to the boats |