Why do we do it? By Darren Olson

Hot women, fortune & fame…ask most sports figures and I’ll bet this would be their answer. There is a certain amount of ego stroking as we walk through the front gate, unchallenged by security, wearing our credentials and uniforms. With sunglasses on we strut around the pits with an air of confidence ready for the show to begin. Our goal…to hoist the gold at the end of the day! In the beginning this is how we all felt but, as time passes, why do we truly do it?

Hot women (or guys)…

Be it a caveman beating on his chest or your neighbor at the local gym, we all subconsciously hope someone is looking at us with intrigue. The longer you stay involved in racing you begin to realize that most of the eyes looking at you are those of our future fans…kids. Remember when you were 3 ft. tall and looking with amazement at a hydroplane and its famous driver? There’s nothing more rewarding than a kid’s smile as you help them into a hydroplane cockpit or offer to get them an autograph or photo. I think my perspective is a little biased having Kayleigh as our driver…she’s a kid magnet. But that’s what keeps it fun! Besides, fortune & fame mean nothing if you don’t have eager fans waiting for the show and their heroes to come to their town.

Fortune…

What fortune? Unless you’re a NASCAR owner/driver you don’t do it for the money (a few points, cheap trophy and the free food maybe but certainly not for the money). But fortune isn’t always measured by cold hard cash. At the top of the pyramid are the owners. In a perfect world all hydroplane owners would be filthy rich, everything would be free and we would all have new equipment. But a good owner first of all has passion for hydroplane racing. It’s definitely a bonus when they have knowledge of how the equipment works or when to ask for help (this added help is sometimes worth more than any check or trophy). Most owners’ checkbooks don’t always match the team’s needs…that’s where sponsors come in.

Sponsors come in all forms and levels. Teams could not function without the financial backing of individuals who either love our sport or see a value in the resources we are providing. They usually support teams with money, product or services. Good sponsors can also be seen on race weekend cheering for their team(s) in the pits or at the hospitality tent or possibly in a Jersey Speed Skiff. Some sponsors choose to support individual / multiple heats (series sponsors) or even whole events. So remember, happy sponsors (your can usually tell by that big grin on their faces) = fortune or at least some form of relief.

Fame…

These last 2 seasons have opened my eyes to the notion of fame (granted having your mother say “I saw your butt sticking out of the cockpit at Seafair” may not be what I was hoping for). The media has gone nuts over the concept of a young, successful (and cute) female hydroplane driver that is a positive role model for kids everywhere. It would be so easy for Kayleigh & the rest of us to get a swelled head but fame for one isn’t as important as fame for all. Kayleigh may be the lure to hook the media but it’s the ULHRA and the teams that ultimately benefit from the exposure. Whether it be a photo, a newspaper article, TV, or the internet…it promotes what we already know…ULHRA hydroplane racing is fun & exciting and why we keep coming back for more.

Soon it will be winter, our boat will be in pieces and I’ll be elbow deep in resin and paint. This is the time when I usually ask “Why do we do it?” Then I remember all of the kids, the travel and the attention…not to mention all of the fun! Without my fellow crewmates and friends throughout the sport, I doubt I would’ve enjoyed it nearly as much. At times it’s frustrating and exhausting but I STILL LOVE IT! See you at the races.

Darren Olson

UL-72 Co-Crew Chief