
Don
Edwards Biography & Photo
Gallery

As a young
innovator and Drag Boat enthusiast, Don Edwards has helped
to
shape the Drag Boat industry from the very beginning. He has
won many races
and awards while building his reputation as one of the best
in the business!


Since the beginning Don was part of an elite group of
racing legends
in the industry including: Keith Black, Dave Zeuschel, Gary
Gabelich, Ray Caselli,
Larry Schwabenland, Dwight Bale, 'Sanger Jack' Davidson,
René Andre Maddox,
Rudy Ramos, Rich Hallett, Ed Pink, Louis Unser and many
others . . .

Left to right:
(top) Tom Grist, Jim Noteboom, Tom Roberts, Harlan Orrin,
Bob Silva, Spike Morelli
(bottom) Ted Phillips, Don Edwards, Barry McCown, Larry
Schwabenland
Don Edwards has won
many awards with his hydro drag boat Golden Komotion.
Don currently enjoys coordinating reunions and boat
shows.
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Through the years
Don has pulled together these classic photos and stories
in this book featuring over 120 pages of the best and
brightest stars
from the glamour decade of 1960's Drag Boat Racing.
Order
on Amazon or at
your local bookstore!
Don Edwards Enterprises
main (805) 688-5060
cell (805) 350-1206
goldenkomotion@gmail.com
A look
back - through the years . . .

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Finished replica of the Golden
Komotion II model kit -
Designed by Bob Bolton at Mad Dog Models
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Garage poster-art announcing
drag boat racing "heyday" of the 60's era
The original Golden Komotion was designed by Don
Beck in 1960
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Golden Komotion II was
constructed & designed in 1965 by Rich
Hallett
The Blown Chrysler Hemi featured a 450cu engine
built by Dave Zeuschel
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Program show sign depicting
those who made it happen: Keith Black, Lee
Taylor,
Rene Andre, Louis Unser, Barry McCown, Don Edwards,
Larry Schwabenland,
Bob Nordskog, Eric Rickman, Jim Ramsey, Otto
Crocker, Dave Zeuschel
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Garage art display featuring
race and event posters, memorabilia
and rare racing boat parts collected over the
decades
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Don at home in Solvang next to
his vintage wood drag hydro Golden Komotion IV
with Blown Chrysler Hemi engine souped-up &
maintained by Ken's Racing Engines
Golden Komotion IV is classic example of legendary
boat building by Rich Hallett
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Avenue of the Flags Car
Show - June, 2012
Olivera's Automotive - Buellton,
California
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Advertisment of 2010 South Lake
Tahoe Wooden Boat Classic
Featuring the famous Thunderbird and the Golden
Komotion IV
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1967 LIFE Magazine featuring
Chuck Stearns record water ski run clocked at
119mph
Seen here pulled by the Golden Komotion II at Long
Beach Marine Stadium
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Don on a fall day under the hood
with his FORD Coupe
Over the years he has owned several of these 1940
FORD Coupes
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276ci Flathead Merc 1948 Engine
- Ported & Relieved Block with Sharp Heads
Edelbrock 4 Carb Manifold with Stromberg 81's
Harmon Collins Mag and Isky 400 Jr. Cam
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Cover of Hot Rod Magazine with
Don's 1940 FORD Standard Coupe
Mercury full race flathead engine - Featured photo
taken in 1956
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When hot rods were outlaws - Don
was among 100 drag racers chased by local
police
as seen on the front page headlines in the Santa
Barbara News Press - January 1956
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Don and his wife Lydia when they
moved to Solvang, California
Danish Capital of America - Photo taken
1973
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Don traded drag racing for
slower driving in 1974 - His affection for Lydia
and engines
never diminished as Lydia shows off his
International TD-9 Crawler Tractor
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Don's Truck/Trailer/Crawler
Combo was featured in the Truck Gazette Catalog
This magazine edition was published in February
1993
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Don's love of tractors and farm
equipment lead to their purchase of a 158 acre
ranch
located near Lompoc and the Santa Ynez Valley -
Edwards Ranch Est. 1979
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After traveling the back roads
of Santa Maria - Don discovered and restored
this vintage 1952 GMC 900 Series truck and
flatbed
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This Truck/Tractor/Crawler Combo
featured a 671 diesel engine and 35 ft. flatbed
Seen here hauling a 1942 International TD-14
Crawler Farm Tractor
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Harvesting grain on the Edwards
Ranch with the John Deere 45 Combine
Circa 1983
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The romance of a cattle ranch
was a new and exciting learning experience:
Lots of work, worry and wide open spaces
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Discing the earth for garbanzo
beans was more enjoyable on the International
TD-14
than herding cattle on a horse!
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Feed the cattle first - There's
nothing like farming to help keep you in shape!
Photo taken in 1985
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Restoring this John Deere 45
Combine was a labor of love for Don on the farm
Don was always up for the challenge of keeping the
ranch running!
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A good days work! Planting grain
with "Junior" Silva and his Caterpillar D4
shown here with Don's International
TD-14
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Pop Edwards next to our Allis
Chamlers HD-14 Crawler with 671 GM diesel
engine
Don Edwards father always liked the great outdoors
and the rural ranch atmosphere
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Farm "work-horse" rigs shown
here at rest while contented cattle graze
The work day ends as the harvest moon rises . .
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Thanks for visiting -
See you at the races!
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