Need help-Imperial won’t start, then it does

Hope someone can give a mechanical novice some direction. I have a 75 Imperial 440-4. Several times this last week when I try to start it, it cranks but does not start. I smell gas so the engine has flooded. When I go back 20 minutes later and try to start it, it fires up and runs fine all day. I thought with the 90 degree weather we’ve been having that it might be vapor lock (and I only had a 1/4 of a tank of gas in it). I filled it up yesterday thinking that might help, but this morning the same thing –no start, flood engine, 20 minutes later it starts!

Might the problem be the fuel pump? I put a new one in last summer.
How about something to do with the ballast resistor? Have had a similar problem with my kid’s Scamp and a new ballast resistor did the trick.
Might it have to do with the choke?

Any ideas appreciated. Thanks.

Hope someone can give a mechanical novice some direction. I have a 75 Imperial 440-4. Several times this last week when I try to start it, it cranks but does not start. I smell gas so the engine has flooded. When I go back 20 minutes later and try to start it, it fires up and runs fine all day. I thought with the 90 degree weather we've been having that it might be vapor lock (and I only had a 1/4 of a tank of gas in it). I filled it up yesterday thinking that might help, but this morning the same thing --no start, flood engine, 20 minutes later it starts!

Might the problem be the fuel pump? I put a new one in last summer.
How about something to do with the ballast resistor? Have had a similar problem with my kid's Scamp and a new ballast resistor did the trick.
Might it have to do with the choke?

Any ideas appreciated. Thanks.