|
Sept.
30, 2006
8
Cylinder Stock high points
title up for grabs
BELFAIR,
Wash. – Math has never Bud McKay’s forte, but with
the Victoria Express Presents Straight Thunder just a few hours
away, McKay spent most of Friday night crunching numbers like
an accountant on April 14. McKay’s crunching the numbers
because his GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team is tied for the
high points lead for the 8-Cylinder Lighter-Than-Lights championship.
"I
was trying to figure out how many points we need to clinch the
title this weekend, but holy cow – all four boats on hand
this weekend could, conceivably, either share or win the high
points title outright," McKay said with a groan. "The
easiest thing for us to do is win every heat – then we
don’t have to worry about the points at all. But that’s
like telling a big-league hitter to hit a homerun each time
he comes up to the plate in a game."
The
GEICO hull needs to score 845 points over the weekend to clinch
the 2006 high points title. But it’s going to be anything
but easy.
The
Lighter-Than-Lights are part of four races on the Unlimited
Lights Hydroplane Racing Association campaign. Besides, the
8-cylinder stock hydroplanes, 4-cylinder stock hydroplanes make
up the Lighter-Than-Lights series and race between Unlimited
Lights and American Challenge Cup Series races, offering fans
a full and exciting day of racing.
McKay
missed the first race of the season in Issaquah. The boat and
the team were in the pits, but were at the final stages of putting
together a new engine for the race and just didn’t get
it done in time to get on the water.
At
Tri-Cities, high winds and extremely rough water kept the smaller
boats on the beach for most of the weekend. The 8-cylinder stock
class was limited to just two heats of racing. McKay and his
GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team won both heats to earn his
first-ever hydroplane victory.
In
this race, McKay’s wife, Gigi, raced another boat against
him – GEICO Presents The Terminator. Gigi lost power and
went dead in the water just 200 yards from the finish line in
the final heat after slamming down hard on the water. Had she
finished, the two GEICO hulls would have finished 1-2. Gigi,
who had just gotten off of chemotherapy for breast cancer two
weeks earlier, was injured and suffered a torn ligament in her
neck and also suffered from two bulging discs in her neck.
Next
was Silverdale’s quicksilver race. Like Tri-Cities, the
8-cylinder stock class was reduced to just two heats, and McKay
won both of those heats as well. The other boats either blew
their engines or sank.
Beyond
crunching the numbers, McKay said the GEICO hull is faced with
many challenges in this last race.
"Our
engine is tired," he said. "Brandon (Payne, Namrom’s
crew chief) has gotten more out of this engine this year than
anyone thought possible. ‘Frenchie’ Bourdeau, our
hull specialist, has spent more time patching holes on the bottom
of the boat than a quilt club’s got together to patch together
a quilt. If we can survive this weekend, let alone win it all,
that will be a victory for us as well."
Payne
will share the driving duties with McKay this weekend. Gigi
McKay is on her Amazon Heart Thunder charity Harley-Davidson
ride in California for breast cancer support programs and doesn’t
return until Sunday night.
While
the GEICO engine is tired, two other boats will be featuring
new engines. Bob Donley’s The Terminator, the boat Gigi
drove in Tri-Cities, has Steve Clark’s very fast and fresh
Chevy 305 in it. Clark, another racer from Belfair, will share
driving duties with Donley.
Debi
and Wil Muncey’s hull also a brand new engine in it.
"The
Muncey’s engine still has that new-engine-smell to it,
too," McKay said with a laugh. "And then there’s
Rob Schueler in the E-711 boat. He was running fast at Silverdale;
until he ripped open the sponson and sank. He’s back, refreshed
and ready to go.
"Our
boats are all pretty evenly matched – it’s going to
be a great weekend for all of us."
Updated
Sept. 29, 2006
The
World Famous
"HARLEY REPORTS"
I'm back, Jack
Sept.
23, 2006 -- Harley
Report 1
Sept. 25, 2006 -- Harley
Report 2
Sept. 26, 2006 -- Harley
Report 3
Sept. 28, 2006 -- Harley
Report 4
Sept. 29, 2006 --
Harley Report 5
Sept.
18, 2006
Gigi
McKay roars to California for Harley-Davidson charity motorcycle
ride
BELFAIR,
Wash. – For the second straight year, Belfair’s Gigi
McKay has been selected to ride in the "Amazon Heart Thunder"
charity Harley-Davidson motorcycle ride through Southern California.
McKay, 46, leaves Tuesday morning to meet the other 12 women
who were selected for the ride that raises money for breast
cancer support programs.
Some
of the riders for the seven-day fundraiser are experienced on
motorcycles; some are novices; but all are breast cancer survivors.
For McKay, a three-time breast cancer survivor, this year’s
ride is even more special for her. She’s currently battling
yet another bout of breast cancer.
"Nothing
is going to stop me from riding this year," McKay said.
"Once I get back from the trip, we’ll see what we
have left to do – but I need this ride for my sanity."
McKay,
who races hydroplanes, found herself on the beach for most of
the 2006 season as she went through chemotherapy and was only
being able to drive in three races. At Tri-Cities, she was injured
while racing another boat – GEICO Presents The Terminator
– as she took a wicked hop on the choppy Columbia River
and came down hard to shut the engine off just 200 yards from
the finish line. The impact tore a ligament in her neck and
she suffered two herniated discs also.
McKay
normally shares her hydroplane racing duties with her husband
Bud in the GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team. The McKays donate
all prize money they earn with the hydroplane to the Amazon
Heart Thunder program. When Gigi was asked to drive The Terminator,
head-to-head against her husband, Bud was concerned that if
Gigi beat her, their donations would be impacted. But Gigi told
her husband not to worry about it.
"I’d
cover it," she said.
With
the chemotherapy, her time on her customized 1998 Harley-Davidson
Road King Classic this summer was nearly non-existent.
"It
really sucks; we had just a gorgeous summer here and I can’t
get on the bike to enjoy it," she said. "Riding is
what I do; it’s what I am. And when I can’t get on
the bike, it’s just not natural."
But
what is natural for McKay is helping others before she helps
herself. That’s what she loves about the Amazon Heart Thunder
ride. Not only will she be raising money for the breast cancer
support programs, she’ll meet each day on the ride with
women in Southern California who, like Gigi, are in a battle
with breast cancer.
"What
we all try to show them is there is hope after diagnosis,"
McKay said. "When they get to talk with me, I just don’t
say the words – I live them."
In
late May, McKay learned that her breast cancer had returned.
She tried to keep in low-key and private, but by the "Tastin’
And Racin’" hydroplane race on Lake Sammamish June
10, her hair was starting to fall out in patches from her 21-consecutive-day
chemotherapy treatments.
So
instead of trying to hide it, she asked her competitors to shave
off her hair. Following the race, McKay cut the ribbon to kick
off the North Mason Relay for Life event in Belfair. Then the
next week, she led her Kitsap Mall team around the track at
Bremerton for the Kitsap Relay for Life event. McKay is the
head of security and guest services at the mall.
Then
just a week after her last chemo treatment, McKay flew to New
York; rode motorcycles from New York to Athens, Ga., where she
was a guest speaker at the American Motorcycle Association’s
Women In Motorcycle conference.
In
mid-August, McKay learned that the chemo treatment did the trick
and had good test results. But a follow up examination just
a week ago showed signs that the cancer has come back and is
showing up in her liver.
"I’ve
just not yet physically recovered from the last rounds of chemo,"
McKay said. "I won’t know until I get back from this
trip (Oct. 1) what we’re going to do. We went at the last
one pretty aggressively, but it really did a number on me. Being
able to go on this ride will help me think a little clearer
on what’s best."
But
the always-optimistic McKay said she’ll beat this as well.
"Life’s
full of challenges," she said. "I wouldn’t wish
breast cancer on anyone. If I can go on a bike ride to help
someone else to never go through what I have, then it’s
worth it."
To
donate to McKay’s ride, visit Amazon
Heart Thunder 2006. And stay tuned to our website.
Sept
12, 2006
Personal note from Gigi as she prepares
to head out on Amazon Heart Thunder ride
My
dear Friends and Family:
From September 23-30, 2006, young breast cancer survivors, including
myself, will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, riding motorcycles
up the coast of California from Los Angeles to San Francisco
in Amazon Heart Thunder, a unique high-profile advocacy, community
building and fundraising event created for and by young women
living with breast cancer.
Over
the course of a week, we will raise awareness of the diverse
needs of young women living with breast cancer, challenge media
stereotypes, raise funds and continue along our own personal
path of growth and healing by building a supportive community
with fellow survivors. It truly is the adventure of a lifetime
and I can’t wait!
Last
year I was honored to have been chosen as one of the riders
in the Amazon Heart California ride. It was amazing and changed
me forever. Megan & Meredith are so special to me; they
are the force that brought all these wonderful women together
in such a great way. We shared, we bonded, being a group of
women on Harley-Davidson motorcycles; we attracted attention
and raised awareness. But, most of all we made lifelong friends!
This
past year since the ride has been quite a challenge. Had some
medical problems and ended up having my gallbladder removed
along with part of my liver. It seems that breast cancer decided
to take up residence on my liver. Finished up my chemo a few
weeks ago and am getting stronger every day.
Once
again looking forward to an adventure of a lifetime I have signed
on to do Amazon
Heart Thunder 2006! I belong to a women’s motorcycling
club and my Sisters all pitched in to make items for sale which
began my fundraising in Athens, GA at the AMA Women’s Motorcycling
Conference. My Amazons WMC Sisters have been support riders
for Amazon Heart events since 2004, they rock!
My
personal fund raising goal is to raise $5,000 which will benefit
programs for young women diagnosed with breast cancer provided
by Amazon Heart and its partner organizations in the United
States. I invite you to join me by doing either of the following:
Donate
towards my participation this year online at Amazon
Heart Thunder
Send
a tax-deductible contribution of any amount, made payable to
Amazon Heart
There
are currently more than 2 million women in this country who
are living with breast cancer, and 250,000 of these women are
under the age of 45. Studies show that young women diagnosed
with breast cancer experience greater unmet needs, more unhappiness
and more financial stress than older women. Young women with
breast cancer experience a higher degree of social isolation
through feeling "different" to their peers, and the
unlikelihood of knowing any other women in their situation.
I
want to change this and I feel strongly that my ride will truly
be making a difference.
I
hope you will consider joining my journey and learn more about
what I’ll be doing by visiting Amazon Heart Thunder. Read
my online story about why I am so passionate about taking part
and click on the links to make your online donation. Please
note that checks should be made payable to Amazon Heart, and
are tax deductible.
Thank
you for considering this request. I look forward to sharing
good news with you post-Ride as I will have completed a personal
journey to support young women with breast cancer and helping
ensure that no one faces breast cancer alone.
Sincerely,
Adalgisa
(Gigi) McKay
Donate
now
Sept
10, 2006
Namron
scrathes from Spanaway
I’m
sorry for the late notice, but at 1 in the morning today, we
had to throw in the towel and scratch from today’s race.
We have a blown head gasket and a warped head. Our backup head
was damn uncooperative
and has just too much leakage for us to be able to run the boat.
We made a huge extra effort since we knew some of you made plans
to head down to the lake – it’s still a fun time if
you still want to come down. Some of you won’t even get
this email until tomorrow.
(sigh)
that’s racing.
It
seems something always comes up at Spanaway. Out of the three
races we’ve been to there, we’ve blown three engines!
So in all, this is a minor setback. We’ll get the backup
heads machined to stop the leakage and plan to rock and roll
at Lake Chelan Sept. 23-24.
For sale; one Chevy 305 head (with an impressive racing
warp in it). Good for paperweight or makes a unique pencil and
pen holder. It also has an additional marine purpose –
boat anchor. Want to be the hit of the party? You can paint
the head any color to blend into carpets and watch as your drunk
friends trip over it; a perfect gift for a lieutenant.
Make
offer.
Aug.
3, 2006
Gigi McKay beached again
How
rough was it on the Columbia River last weekend for the Hapo
Credit Union Thunder Cup in Tri-Cities, Wash? It wiped out Gigi
for what could be the remainder of the season.
Gigi
ended up with a torn ligament in her neck as well as two bulging
discs in her neck (C-3, C-4). The doctors told her that she's
done for the year, but Gigi just smiled and said, "This
is me, they're talking about. I'll be back before the end of
the season."
Aug.
3, 2006
GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team and
GEICO Presents The Terminator photos from Tri-Cities.
SInce
we are already maxing out our allowed space for the website,
we're putting some links to photos from the Hapo Credit Union
Thunder Cup in Tri-Cities, Wash. Just click on the links below
to see some shots of the team in action. More are expected to
be posted soon -- so come on back and check them out every now
and then.
Here's
a shot of Bud and Gigi McKay riding in the boat parade before
the start of the racing action on Sunday morning. Can you tell
if Bud is trying to keep Gigi from going overboard? Or is Bud
trying not to take the plunge? Click
here for picture. |
Here's
a shot of Bud driving the GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team
right up against Marty Porter in the Miss Understood during
the final heat. Click
here for the picture. |
OK,
and they call us crazy? This is crazy. Click
here for the picture. |
Here
are some crowd shots. Click
here for the picture. | Click
here for the other picture. |
July
31, 2006
GECIO
Presents Namron Racing Team wins at Tri-Cities
BELFAIR,
Wash. -- The GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team from Belfair,
Wash., didn't even know they won the 8-Cylindar Lighter Than
Lights Hapo Credit Union Thunder Cup in Tri-Cities, Wash., until
Monday morning. On the course, Bud McKay, driving the GEICO
Presents Namron Racing Team hydroplane finished behind Marty
Porter's Miss Understood at the finish line, but a course infraction
by Porter added a minute to his overall elapsed time and gave
McKay his first-ever hydroplane victory.
"I
knew Marty didn't make it to the score up buoy at the 1-minute
gun, so I had a pretty good idea I had won the race," McKay
said. "But when I came back to the pits, Marty got tossed
into the water by his crew. I went over to the official and
asked if it was a legal start and he said it was, which meant
that I got second - I thought."
McKay went over to soaking wet Porter and gave him a wet bear
hug and offered his congratulations. He then went to the dock
and waited for his wife Gigi McKay to return to the pits after
she went dead about 100 yards from the finish line in the GEICO
Presents The Terminator.
"Then
it was time to pack for the long journey home," Bud McKay
said. "I wish I'd have known I won at the time; it sure
would have made packing and the drive home a lot better."
Due to high winds all weekend and delays in the schedule from
the unlimited Atomic Cup, the 8-Cylindar Stock class was limited
to just two heats - the preliminary heat on Friday morning and
the final heat Sunday afternoon. The Lighter Than Lights series
is part of the Unlimited Lights Hydroplane Racing Association.
With the unlimiteds, unlimited lights, G-Boats, 4-cyilndar and
8-cylindar boats, racing action was non stop when the winds
allowed.
Bud McKay won the preliminary 8-cylindar heat Friday with Porter
giving chase. Gigi McKay was unable to start due when the starter
failed.
After
the preliminary heat Friday, the McKays ran into town in search
of a new starter. When they returned, crew chief Brandon Payne
and crew member Steve Clark installed the new starter and both
GEICO boats would be ready to run for the scheduled afternoon
heat. But race officials called it off due to winds gusting
at 30 knots along the backstretch.
Sunday
morning's preliminary heat was also cancelled due to high winds
and white caps on the backstretch. However, the McKays asked
if they could go out onto the course for a demonstration run
together.
"They
warned us about the whitecaps on the back stretch, but once
we got there they looked more to me like ocean surf to me,"
Bud said. "The main reason we wanted to go out was to show
Gigi the course for the final heat and to get the two GEICO
boats on the course as much as possible. Our sponsor made a
huge effort to allow us to get two boats in the show and we
didn't want them to stay on the shore."
While
it was Bud showing Gigi the course in the morning, he could
have used a little help himself in the afternoon as he got lost
on the course and ended up turning at the wrong buoy just before
the start of the race.
"I
had the start nailed, too," Bud said. "Then all of
a sudden, there was a patrol boat in my path and I thought,
'What is he doing out here?' Of course I'm sure he's on his
radio to the tower saying, 'What is he doing out here?'"
Bud
was able to veer to the right and head back on course, but lost
the inside position to Porter. Both came around for the start
side-by-side and were in a classic deck-to-deck battle heading
into the treacherous turn one with Bud holding onto a two-length
lead.
"But
I hit a hole and I thought for sure I was going to submarine
the boat," Bud said. "I not only lost my momentum,
but I lost my breath as I was jarred forward in my seat belts
- it felt like I ran into a brick wall. At this point, I could
see Gigi in the mirrors and she was gaining on me. And I'm sitting
there thinking to myself, 'Oh no, not again.'"
Gigi
held a 2-1 advantage over Bud when the two have raced head-to-head.
And the last time they raced, Gigi erased a half-lap lead to
overtake her husband.
Coming
up for the final turn, Bud took the turn as wide as the course
would allow to take the checkered flag. Gigi was within range,
but she hit a hole in the apex of the final turn, just 200 yards
from the finish line, and lost oil pressure and died. Had she
finished, the GEICO boats would have finished first and second.
"There
wasn't any oil pressure, and I wasn't going to try and start
the boat," Gigi said. "It was very disappointing because
I was so close, but I wasn't about to risk ruining an engine."
When
the tow boat arrived to bring Gigi in, they headed over to the
Pasco side of the river rather than the closer Kennewick side
were the pits were located. Gigi asked the patrol boat what
was going on.
"The
last thing I wanted to do was cause a delay in the schedule
as the unlimiteds were next on the course," Gigi said.
"But the folks in the patrol boat said, 'Can't you hear
that?'"
With
her helmet on and radio earplugs still in, Gigi couldn't hear
the chants of "Gigi," "Gigi" along a portion
of the Pasco shoreline.
"I
think the loudest people I heard over there were from the little
girls on the shore," Gigi said. "A couple kids tried
swimming out to the boat while I was being towed in. There is
nothing in boat racing that compares to the people in Tri-Cities.
You get a couple of boats deck-to-deck, and the people go wild.
They didn't seem to care if they were the big boats or the little
boats."
The
next stop on the series for the Lighter Than Lights is in Silverdale,
Wash., for quicksilver Aug. 19-20, while the unlimited lights
battle this weekend at Seafair. For the McKays, the quicksilver
race is their "home course." Unfortunately, Gigi McKay
will not be able to race that weekend to attend her parent's
50th wedding anniversary in Tigard, Ore. And more than likely,
the Hapo Credit Union Thunder Cup will bring an end to the Bud
vs Gigi competition on the water.
"It's
an expensive sport and hard enough to run one boat, let alone
two," Bud said. "But Gigi and I will go back to being
a team again and trying to beat the rest of the field. But we
end our friendly little race-in-a-race with each other even
- 2-2. That's the way it should be."
July
26, 2005
McKays duke it out, again, in Tri Cities
this weekend
BELFAIR,
Wash. – Bud and Gigi McKay, from the Namron Racing Team,
will square off on the water again in Tri Cities during this
week’s HAPO Community Credit Union Thunder Cup. They’ll
race Friday and Sunday in between the unlimited and the unlimited
lights hydroplanes.
Thanks,
to their sponsor, Rick Stevens of GEICO Direct in Lakewood,
Wash., the McKays will be able to race two hydroplanes in the
8-Cylinder Stock “Lighter Than Lights” series of the
Unlimited Lights Hydroplane Association. They have teamed up
with Bob Donley of Ravensdale, Wash., to run his “Terminator”
hydroplane for the race since he can’t make the race. With
the sponsorship from GEICO, both boats have been reflagged for
the race. Bud will drive the “GEICO Presents Namron Racing
Team,” and Gigi will drive the “GEICO Presents The
Terminator.”
This
is the second time Bud and Gigi have raced against each other.
Last weekend at Moses Lake with Gigi driving for Donley, the
McKays squared off three times. Gigi has a 2-1 lead in the battle.
“That
was about the most fun I’ve had in hydroplane racing,”
Gigi said, who is the security and guest services manager for
the Kitsap Mall in Silverdale, Wash. “If I didn’t
have such an awful start in the first heat we raced against
each other, I’d have skunked him.”
What
does Bud say about getting beat by his wife?
“It
wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t wave at me every
time she passed me,” Bud said, a retired Air Force Reserve
master sergeant who still works as a civilian at McChord Air
Force Base near Tacoma, Wash. “But it was such a blast
being out there with her. The first and second time we raced
against each other, we really had to work – we were within
2 seconds of each other at the finish both heats. The last heat
we raced, she was just gone and I couldn’t keep up. No
one was more proud of her than me when she got by me. Especially
with all that she’s been through.”
The
Moses Lake race was the first race Gigi competed in since coming
off chemotherapy for breast cancer just four weeks earlier.
Aside
from that, she hasn’t raced competitively since August
of 2005 before she took off on a two-week Harley-Davidson charity
ride through California to raise donations for breast cancer
support programs with “Amazon Heart Thunder,” a partner
with the “GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team.”
“When
you also consider she drove a boat she’s never been in
and kicked my butt, that’s pretty impressive,” Bud
said. “There were six boats in the National Modified class
at Moses Lake, Chris Bertram, who is driving an unlimited this
weekend, was first, Gigi was second and I took third place overall
for the weekend. Gigi had two seconds and a third; I had two
thirds and a second in the class. We had a combined 14 starts
and 14 finishes in one weekend with both boats – I think
that says a lot with how hard our team had to work.”
Last
weekend, Steve Clark, another Belfair racer with the “Thunder
Struck” hydroplane team, shared the cockpit with Gigi racing
primarily in the other class they compete in, the 5-Litre Stock
class, but he did take the “GEICO Presents The Terminator”
out for the National Modified final on Saturday and earned his
first-ever finals victory. Clark will be at Tri Cities to help
with both teams and is the backup driver for Gigi as well.
Bud
said that he is concerned about one thing at this weekend’s
race in Tri Cities. The “GEICO Presents Namron Racing Team”
donates 100 percent of all prize money and show money to cancer
support programs. If Gigi beats him again, that means less prize
money for the team’s donation. But not to worry, Gigi said.
“I’ll
cover it.”
July
24, 2006
Moses Lake Recap - Gigi 2, Bud 1
Man
oh man…what a hot and sizzling weekend. How hot was it?
Our crew chief Brandon Payne has a second degree burn on his
leg when he brushed against the headers after the first heat
on Saturday. How dedicated was Brandon? If you didn’t know
he was hurt, you wouldn’t know. He kept both boats roaring
and never missed a beat…and that 4-inch circular burn on
his leg had to hurt! Thanks Brandon!
For
those of you who don’t know, as far as the Bud vs Gigi
race, the final tally was Gigi 2, Bud 1. I beat her on Saturday
only because she got a bad start. Even my half-lap lead on her
didn’t last long as I could see the little sneak cut to
the inside right behind my roostertail on the last turn flying
to the straight. That was so cool. I don’t know about Gigi,
but I had both feet on the throttle! The best part was coming
into the pits together side-by-side.
We
squared off twice on Saturday in the National Modified classes.
And she beat me both times. The first heat by four seconds;
the final heat by 30 seconds. And each time she passed me, she
waved at me. When we got into the pits…Gigi’s smile
said it all.
It was great fun to be able to race together…and no one
is prouder of Gigi than me. But our team made sure we were ready!
Seven heats started…and seven heats finished and no major
damage whatsoever to both hulls!
Thanks
so much to Bob Donley for presenting the opportunity for us.
Also, Frenchi was “the man” in getting the “other
boat” ready to go. I know Gigi and Steve Clark are thankful
for all of the help…I guess I am, too. ;) Also, a big thanks
to Steve for partnering with us to run the boat. It was great
fun to work with Steve, our good Belfair buddy – not to
mention, a very good driver. Thanks always to our sponsor –
Rick Stevens with GEICO Direct of Lakewood. We wore Sage ragged
going between two boats in the 104 and 107 degree weather. Shadey
and Carsey were a lifesaver in watching Harley and shooting
video and running back and forth to get the things I forgot.
I had to crack up when we played back the tape when Gigi first
passed me; Shadey said, “Oh oh…Gigi’s passing
daddy.” Also, Joe’l – the new shirts are so awesome.
I can’t tell you how great it was to have two team shirts
for the weekend.
And
congratulations on Steve’s first-ever final heat win in
the National Mod heat on Saturday! We tossed Steve in the water
to celebrate the moment – he deserved it.
We’ll
see if we can have Bud vs Gigi II at Tri Cities this weekend.
Bob has once again offered his boat up to Gigi. We’re badly
needing help with the crew and seeking a gas sponsor for the
BIG RACE. We’re also expecting some of the “Wings
to Wishes” kids to come to the race on Friday to see our
boats and to meet our team. This is by far the biggest race
we’ve done in our short career! It’s also an Unlimited
Lights race that we’re racing under – and we’ve
not scored a single point with them last year or this year –
something has always, always come up. More than anything…we
want to show them how great our team and program is – even
if we have to bring two boats! ;)
See
you at the races!
Bud
McKay
July
17, 2006
It’s McKay vs. McKay at Moses Lake
BELFAIR,
Wash. – Three weeks after completing chemotherapy from
her third breast cancer, Namron Racing Team’s Gigi McKay
is set to return to racing hydroplanes July 22-23 at Moses Lake.
“I’m
ready to go,” McKay said. “I rode motorcycles from
New York City to Athens, Ga., and back, 10 days after my last
treatment. That got the kinks out, for sure.”
McKay
is ready to get back on the water where she and her husband,
Bud, debuted last year in their hydroplane racing career –
Moses Lake. But there’s one noted change this year. Gigi’s
been asked to drive one of their competitor’s boats –
“The Terminator,” owned by Bob Donley. Which means
she’ll go head-to-head with her husband in the Namron Racing
Team.
“Oh,
the furs already flying at home,” Bud said. “We might
as well call this the ‘Couch Cup’ because one of us
is going to end up there after the race.”
But
the trash talking is all in fun as they are both each other’s
biggest fans.
“Due
to Gigi’s motorcycle commitments and her chemotherapy,
she’s only been able to take the boat out once this year,”
Bud said. “But when she brought the boat back in after
running ‘Hot Laps’ at Spanaway Lake, I could see the
smile she had even though she was still wearing her air mask.”
The
McKays were going to drive against each other at the Unlimited
Lights “Tastin’ and Racin’” race at Lake
Sammamish earlier in the year, but Gigi was half-way through
her 20-day chemotherapy. In fact, some 20 crew members and drivers
from other teams at the race helped shave Gigi’s hair off
at the race.
“My
hair was falling out anyway, so we figured we might as well
get some good out of it,” Gigi said. “We raised more
than $150 for our cancer donation program out of it.”
Namron
Racing Team donates all prize, award money and donations from
hydroplane racing to cancer support programs. Last year, they
raised more than $7,000.
So
far, the season’s been frustrating for the Namron Racing
Team. Engine troubles and hull damage to the bottom of the boat
has kept the boat on the end of the tow rope or on the beach
for most of the season as the team’s only completed three
full heats of racing. One of them was a second place finish
in the 5-Litre finals at Lawrence Lake in Yelm at the first
race of the season.
But
crew chief, Brandon Payne and crew member Brian “Frenchi”
Bourdeau repaired the hull damage this weekend. The engine has
been rebuilt and all signs point to a solid boat for Moses Lake.
Payne, who’s been with the team since the first day, is
scheduled to also make his hydroplane driving debut at Moses
Lake for Namron Racing Team.
“This
is where it all started for us last year,” Bud said. “The
course is very special to us both. Now that we’re both
going to have the chance to be on the same course at the same
time competing, that’s very exciting and will make this
weekend’s race even that much more special.”
July
14, 2006
Moses Lake...here we come
Gigi
is chomping at the bit to go racing at Moses Lake next weekend.
So am I. We'll spend the weekend making the repairs to the boat.
We'll be ready.
July
10, 2006
Western Divisionals bites back at Namron
Man,
did we look good this weekend at Black Lake in
Olympia at the Western Divisionals! One of the reasons was our
new team shirts and hats given to us by our very own Joe’l
Malatesta. Not only did we look good – we smelled fresh,
too! ;) Well, at least for a weekend. Thanks so much Joe’l.
There
are some photos posted on Tim Crowley’s website http://www.pbase.com/irishman_e_1/namron.
Thanks, Tim.
Frenchie
and Brandon busted their tushes and worked on repairing a crack
on the bottom of the boat and applied a 5-layer fiberglass patch
before the race. Their company, “Mil Tails,” sponsored
us for the race as well! Thanks, Mil Tails!
Our
newest crew member, Sage, was making his first appearance for
the Namron Racing Team and did a great job for us. He’s
a hydroplane junkie, too, and has great enthusiasm. And he made
sure the GEICO Gecko was spotless on the deck.
On
the water, holy cow did we look good, too. The changes Brandon
and Bryan Richards did to the strut made a huge difference in
how the boat ran. We had two distributor wires come off, so
I was only running on 6 cylinders in the first heat and shut
down the engine.
I
hit a couple of rough spots on the course and tore the patch
off on the bottom of the boat prior to that in the first heat.
As soon as we brought the boat back to the trailer, Frenchie
was laying under the boat on the trailer trying to repair the
patch again after that heat while Brandon was on top of the
boat fine tuning the engine for the slightest chance we were
able to run the final heat. This is boat racing at its finest!
And I can’t be more proud of the team. There were nine
boats at the race, but only eight can race for the final heat.
One other boat in the next elimination heat would not have to
finish and run less than 2 laps for us to be eligible. But as
it was, all the other boats finished. And we weren’t eligible
to run.
We
started to put things away and get ready for Sunday’s racing.
All of sudden, and as they were starting to put the boats in
the water for the final, the pit boss ran over to us and said
one of the boats has scratched and can’t make the final
– “Can you make it out?” Hell yes. So now, Sage
and Brandon were the ones flying as they frantically put everything
back on the boat we had taken off. Were we ready? We weren’t
even the last boat to go in the water! We were so ready. We
were ready in less than 15 minutes – about the same amount
of time it would take you to call our sponsor Rick Stevens of
GEICO to save money on your insurance – 1-877-454-3426.
We
went out for the final heat and I got out a little too early.
I tried to go way wide coming out of the turn and heading to
the start to scrub off time, but it wasn’t enough. But…for
the first time in my career – I was leading the field going
into the first turn. Technicalities being what they are, I jumped
the gun by three seconds and was assessed a one-minute penalty.
But it was fun. Coming out of the turn, I could feel the loss
of power from the wire coming off the distributor again, so
I just stayed out of the way for the other boats. And man, were
they flying. Congratulations to our very good friend Wally Johnston
in winning the Western Divisionals.
When
we came back in for the final, the temp patch (speed tape aka
duct tape) was ripped from the boat so we ended the weekend
and scratched from further racing.
Frenchie
went home and we all ran to the beer garden to visit with our
good friends Kevin
“The Busman” from Q-Country 102.9, and his fiancé’
Shielia. Shielia gave me a blanket to give to Gigi. It was a
gift from one of Shielia’s co-workers who makes blankets
for people going through chemo therapy. It was not only a very
touching gift, it’s a very nice blanket. And one that I
hope is OK to be shared with the husband of the wife going through
chemo therapy! Thank you!
As
we sat there and just before I was about to indulge in a cold
beverage that didn’t say “Coke,” out of nowhere,
a couple other racers came over looking for us asking us to
step up the national modified class.They needed one more boat
to go out to make a legal heat.
Another
good friend, albeit a crazy one, Bryan Richards, suggested that
I put another temp patch on the bottom and just go out long
enough to make the start. Craziness is infectious in beer gardens
whether you’re drinking or not, so, we did. One of the
racers in the class came all of the way from New York. If they
don’t have enough boats, he basically made the trip for
nothing. So, once again, after thinking we weren’t going
to be getting wet, we were frantically putting the boat together
to run. This time, Brandon was under the boat on the trailer
putting on fresh layers of speed tape.
The
plan was just go out before the one-minute gun fired, score
up and then make a legal start and come back in the pits. As
long as four boats make a start, it’s a legal heat. As
the clock wound down to 2:50…I went out. On the first lap
everything felt great. I really thought about staying out…but
I hit a roller and launched up pretty good coming out of turn
2, so I said…OK, enough fun and brought the boat back in.
Chris Bertram, from Eatonville, a super nice guy, won the final
heat and divisional championship. Congratulations, Chris! Chris,
his dad, Pat, and Daryl Monetle, from New York, paid our entrance
fee for the class – talk about class. Pat also made a very
nice donation to our cancer support program right there on the
spot. Thank you very much Pat.
But
– that was the end of our racing for the weekend. We were
not racing on Sunday. We’ll shoot to make another patch
on the bottom in time for the Moses Lake race coming up on July
22-23.
Gigi
came home Saturday night after being gone for almost two weeks
for her guest speaking appearance at the AMA Women’s Motorcycle
Conference at Athens, Ga. She was planning to come out to the
race to say to everyone on Sunday, but it was too friggin’
hot and she was still very tired from her trip. That and she
had some serious snuggle time to make up for with Harley. She
loved the blanket and the new team shirts. She was very touched
to hear about the Bertram’s donation for our cause, too.
Thanks to Silver Cloud Inns, for their “Slumber Bucks,”
and Sunset Chevrolet’s “Racers Bucks” for entering
the race, and to Pat, we raised nearly $150.00 toward our cancer
support donations!
So,
we’d have to call this a great weekend of boat racing!
So,
stay tuned for the Moses Lake race. This is where Gigi and I
made our debut last year. We’re trying to update our website,
but we’ve maxed out our allowed space, so we’ll have
to do some deleting. I guess, if I wrote smaller reports, that
would help.
June
24-25, 2006
Namron Racing Team at Kitsap Relay for
Life
Who'd
have thunk it? Our biggest trophy we've earned for the hydroplane
came from the Relay for Life. More on that later.
Gigi
was feeling much better as the start of the relay meant she
was done with her 20-day chemo treatments.She had no trouble
on the survivors' lap and (do I need to say it?) hugged the
inside lane -- out front....again. She did take a break and
sat in the shade after that lap, but she completed almost 5
miles throughout the weekend.
For
this relay, we had both the boat and Gigi's Harley-Davidson
on display.
We
raffled off $100 in tickets for a chance to start our brand
new engine during the Relay for Life at Bremerton High School.
Ten-year-old Corbin Darby won the raffle. The live band that
was playing read his name over the loud speaker and Corbin was
at the boat before we could get back. And he was ready to go.
We
brought both mine and Gigi's drivers' suits and helmets with
us.
We
decked Corbin in Gigi's gear, including helmet, air mask and
driver's jacket. Crew member Mike Jarvis helped Corbin into
the cockpit and made sure he could reach all of the controls
Corbin would need to. Crew chief Brandon Payne gave Corbin the
green light to fire up the engine as a pretty good size group
of people surrounding the boat.
Once
Corbin brought the engine to life, the crowd cheered! It was
awesome. Corbin got a little throttle happy and gave the engine
a good run for about 10 seconds. His eyes and smile said it
all. But, like all drivers, Corbin hammed it ip and came out
of the cockpit waving to the ever-growing crowd.
At
the end of the event on Sunday, at the awards ceremony, they
called Gigi and I up to the stage and presented us with a trophy
for our unique and loud fundraising effort.
June
16-17, 2006
Namron Racing Team at North Mason Relay for
Life
We
had the boat on display for the Relay for Life. Gigi was asked
to cut the ribbon to start off the festivities of the Relay.
After she cut the ribbon, Gigi took off like she always did
on the surivors' lap with Harley -- cutting to the inside lane
and to the front. But Gigi was right in the middle of her chemo
therapy treatments and was really tired and hurting.
But
there is no stopping this woman. She gutted it out...shaking
very bad at the end but wouldn't let anyone help her finish.
Once she finished, she accepted some help to get to the infield
to sit down. She had an energy drink and rested. Ten minutes
later, she was off for another lap. After that, she stayed with
the boat and enjoyed talking to a variety of people.
June
11, 2006
Namron beached for Tastin'
Our
brand new engine just wasn't ready in time, so we pretty much
sat all weekend. The highlight for our team was rasing almost
$100.00 from our racing buddys who came over and helped shave
Gigi's head at the race. Thanks everyone!
We'll
be ready for the Western Divisionals. Right now, we have a long
break and will enjoy the Relay for Life events coming up.
June
8, 2006
News release -- Breast beaches Gigi for
'Tastin' N' Racin'
Gigi's
facing another challenge. Her breast cancer has returned and
has turned up on her liver. Still, this woman tried to get cleared
to race this weekend. Doc's said no.
Gigi's
hair has started to fall out from the chemo treatment, so we're
going to ask the racers, crews and friends in our class who
we compete against to shave her head at the race.
Gigi
is confident she'll beat this "just like all the others."
She's bummed that she can't race -- especially since we were
to be racing against each other -- but she said, "There's
always another race. I'll be there."
Click
here to see the news release
May
24, 2006
Engine bites the dust; new one under
way
Today
was a good news/bad news kind of day. First Brandon Payne, our
crew chief, informed the team that we spun a bearing on our
engine at Spanaway on Sunday. (Bud didn't run out of gas after
all). The damage to the engine is costly -- the crank is toast
as is the block.
Block
II for the season is under construction as you read this. We
have a backup crank ready to go. The rods and pistons are rock
solid as are the heads. A new set of bearings and a gasket set
are all the team needs. So as far as meltdowns, this one wasn't
as bad.
May
22, 2006
Namron and tow boats meet all day at
Spanaway Lake
Namron
Racing Team was bit by the gremlins on Sunday's race at Spanaway
Lake. First, Gigi made a great run on the "Hot Laps"
before the race -- her first time in the boat since August of
2005.
Mike
Jarvis took the boat out for the first heat of the 5-Litres,
but had to shut her down before completing the first lap when
the oil pressure dropped.
After
being towed in, Brandon Payne, our crew chief, ran through the
engine and added a little more oil. Gigi took the boat out for
the first heat of the National Modified race, but she shut her
down before making it out onto the course when she couldn't
get the oil pressure up.
A
couple of teams came over to our trailer to help and suggested
we try a different oil filter. Brandon added a little more oil
and ran through the engine again. This time Bud took it out.
It
looked like that did the trick. Bud was roaring around the course
for the National Modified final heat. He had a perfect run at
the starting clock and would have nailed the start from lane
2, but the boat on the inside lane veered over three lanes and
Bud had to back off the throttle and steer right (which he didn't
want to do) to avoid the collision.
Bud
made up some time cutting back to the inside and was within
stricking distance of the two lead boats. Heading into turn
2 of the first lap, the engine just stopped -- as if it ran
out of fuel. Bud pulled into the infield, got out of the boat
and looked at the engine. The deck and inside of the engine
compartment was covered in oil.
The
thought is the boat ran out of fuel as it wasn't refueled when
the boat was towed back in. But Brandon will take the engine
apart on Tuesday to see for sure.
Note:
Today is Brandon's birthday! Happy birthday, Big B.
May
15, 2006
Namron hauls in second place on Sunday's
final 5-Litre heat
Photo
courtesy
of Mike
& Denise Johnson
Bud McKay digs in for the turn at Lawrence Lake.
The
following is the story from the Region 10 news release posted
on the www.goboatracing.net national website -- the official
website of inboard hydroplane racing, about the 5-Litre heats
at Lawrence Lake.
5-Litre
Oh it’s going to be a hot 5-Litre season in Region
10 again. In 2005, six of the top seven 5-Litre hydroplanes
in national high points race in Region 10. And this highly competitive
group got the ball rolling just as they left it last year.
With
nine boats in the pits and only five lanes on the course, race
officials determined there would be two elimination heats and
one, six-boat final. The sixth boat would be the trailer boat.
So the teams wasted no time getting into the action.
The
first heat on Saturday was called after the second lap when
Wally Johnston, of Helena, Mont., barrel rolled his "Agitator"
in the middle of turn one. Johnston landed upside down but came
through without being injured. The boat suffered minor damage
mostly to the deck.
David
Leach was determined the winner as he had went the furthest
at the time of the accident.
In
Heat 1B, Jon Zimmerman’s "Chop Chop" did just
that as he blazed the course at an average speed of 97.108 mph.
Tacoma’s Rob Lisk’s "Tons O Fun" stormed
into second place about the 90 mph. Looking good in his return
to boat racing after more than 20 years away was Arizona’s
Mike Schroder. He had fantastic speed down the chutes and held
his own through the turns.
In
the winner take all final, David Leach in the "Buccaneer"
strolled to the win with Zimmerman and Lisk locked in a classic,
deck-to-deck race for second place. Lisk got an ounce of the
"Tons O Fun’ ahead of Zimmerman.
Over
the course of the day Saturday, Johnston swapped engines and
made the repairs to the deck of his hull and, not surprisingly
to anyone who’s competed against Johnston, he was ready
to go on Sunday.
In
the first heat on Sunday, Johnston’s boat was a little
flighty, but he was still working out the bugs from the accident
and still managed to pull in second place behind Lisk. On the
course, Leach was the winner, but was assessed a minute penalty
for failing to yield on the course.
The
start of the final heat on Sunday kept the referee, turn judges
and scorers on their toes. Six of the seven boats in the final
jumped the gun – the lone legal starter was second-year
driver Bud McKay, of the Namron Racing Team out of Belfair,
Wash., in the trailer position. Johnston made up the one-minute
penalty and beat McKay by just a tick more than one second.
Click
here to see the complete results
The
following is the story from the Region 10 news release posted
on the www.goboatracing.net national website -- the official
website of inboard hydroplane racing, about the National Modified
heats at Lawrence Lake.
National
Modified
Eatonville’s Chris Bertram set the fastest time for the
weekend when he went out for his one and only heat in the National
Modified class at 104.318 mph. "Wild Bill" Strain
had his "Problem Child" out on Sunday and sporting
new tail feathers. He was taking it easy and turning laps close
to 100 mph in the finals.
Jeff
Bernard, racing Armand Yapachino’s "Joya Mia"
was bit by the gremblins. Bernard had the her running, but had
to shut down before the start of the first heat on Saturday.
Always
dependable Bryan Richards, a 5-Litre step-up who came within
one heat last year of winning National Modified National High
Points, had his usual consistent weekend – one first and
three second-place finishes. Mike Schroder wanted to get some
driving time in after being out of the sport and stepped up
as well. But the engine didn’t hold up and he had to withdraw
after the first heat.
Tylor
Echols made his National Modified debut taking the Namron Racing
Team’s hull out on the course and earned a second place
finish in the Saturday final heat.
Click
here for complete results
March
26, 2006
Namron
Racing Team pleads to person who has their digital camera
To
the person who has our digital camera from the Kitsap Mall display.
Please, keep the camera, but please either mail us the
storage card and download the pictures and email them to us
or burn them to a CD and mail it to us -- no questions asked.
The pictures that we took at the Kitsap Mall are priceless to
us. We made a promise to all of the people who came to our display
and sat in our boat that we'd post the photos of them on our
website. Take a look at the smiles of the hundreds of kids who
sat in the hydroplane. Please, do the right thing -- keep the
camera, that we can replace, but the images mean more to us
since they can't be replaced.
Bud
and Gigi McKay
Namron
Racing Team
NE 101 Wanda Court
Belfair WA 98528
bud.mckay@namronracing.com
March
23, 2006 -- News Release
Namron
Racing Team goes on display at Kitsap Mall for Military Appreciation
Day
BELFAIR,
Wash. – Namron Racing Team’s 5-Litre hydroplane will
be on display at the Kitsap Mall Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9
p.m. for the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce’s Military
Appreciation Day. Namron’s owners and drivers, Bud and
Gigi McKay, from Belfair, will also be on hand to promote the
chamber’s “quicksilver” hydroplane race on Dyes
Inlet that will be held Aug. 18-20.
Boat racing fans of all ages, and in some case, all sizes, can
come to the Kitsap Mall Saturday and have the opportunity a
lot of people never get to do – sit in the cockpit of a
hydroplane.
Click
here for the complete release
March
15, 2006
Happy Birthday Dad (Mr Namron)
Today
would have been my dad's
71st birthday. It seems like just yesterday that he was
in the battle with cancer, but it's been three years since he
passed away. Happy birthday, Dad! Get a good seat for this season
-- we're going to rock the place!
--
Norman Delano McKay Jr (Bud)
March
14, 2006 -- News release
Namron Racing Team, ‘Wings to Wishes’
making dreams come true
BELFAIR,
Wash. – A partnership between Namron Racing Team and "Wing’s
to Wishes" is up in the air – literally.
Namron
Racing Team, a 5-Litre hydroplane team out of Belfair, Wash.,
joins forces today with "Wings to Wishes," a Spokane-based,
501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that helps seriously ill children
soar through the air.
"We
are so thrilled to be a part of the ‘Wings to Wishes’
organization," said Namron Racing Team’s co-owner
and co-driver Bud McKay. "These are very special children
who are undergoing treatment for serious, sometimes terminal,
illnesses. Some need access to private aircraft to transport
them to their wishes. Others just want to experience flying.
We can’t wait to introduce these amazing kids to boats
that can fly."
Click
here for the release
March
10, 2006
Happy Birthday Harley
Harley
McKay is the big 2 today. Our little miracle girl is something
else. She's growing like crazy and cutier than anything.
March
8, 2006
Happy Birthday Shadey
Shadey
McKay is 15 today! Uncle Mikey Jarvis gave Shadey the present
of a lifetime -- a D-Stock outboard hydroplane! Looks like Shadey
will be racing in the summer of 2007.
March
8, 2006
Update on Gigi's medical condition
Gigi
returned to work today. She was just supposed to work 2 hours
-- she stayed for 6 hours. She's supposed to work tomorrow a
half-a-day, so, knowing Gigi, that means she'll work overtime!
She's doing much better but still very sore.
March
3, 2006
Gigi's medical condition
Thanks
to all the nice cards and emails that were sent to Gigi. She's
doing much better now, but still hurting. She gave birth to
twin 14mm gall bladder stones and then had her gall bladder
removed March 1.
Feb.
23, 2006
Cell Testing
That's
Namron Racing Team's Crew Chief, Brandon Payne, left, helping
Region 10 rescue's team during the cell certification testing
Feb. 19 at the Fife Pool. Brandon went through his first certification
as well and can now qualify as a driver.
Click
here to see more photos
Feb.
14, 2006
Happy Valentine's Day from the Namron Racing Team
It's
been a very busy off season. We've been working hard trying
to secure sponsors for the 2006 season who want to join forces
with us in our race for a cure. I'm sure that we'll have rock
solid sponsors in 2006. We welcome back Rick Stevens from Lakewood
GEICO. Lakewood GEICO went over and above for our team last
year, contributing more than he agreed to. He even helped buy
food and drinks for Gigi's Poker Run at the Lake Spanaway Race.
We're proud to have the famous Gecko on the boat for another
year. Be sure to call Rick directly to get his great rates on
motorcycle insurance -- 1-877-454-3426. Tell him Namron sent
ya. By the way, Namron insures not only Gigi's bike with Rick's
GEICO's office, we also insure the team's motorhome, dually
pickup, Gigi's car and my speedy minivan with GEICO. By the
time it took you to read this, you could have been on the phone
with Rick and received a quote.
Coming
up...
Harley
Show
If the weather holds, Gigi's Harley-Davidson will be on
display at the Harley Show at the Kitsap Mall. If the snow comes
back, they'll postpone the Harley Show for a later date. Either
way, once we get Gigi's Harley in the show, we'll have Harley's
Harley Rocker there again. Last year, flash bulbs galore were
going off when Gigi and Harley showed up in their leathers and
jumped on their bikes. This year, Harley's got some new leathers
and just loves wearing her doorag! I'm sure my girls will be
the hit of the show again and even more pictures of them will
be taken.
Relay
for Life events
Like last year, Namron Racing Team will have our boat on display
at a variety of Relay for Life events. We're still trying to
juggle the schedule, but we should be at four events this year
-- Bremerton, Belfair, Lakewood and Gig Harbor. Gigi's heading
the Kitsap Mall Team for the Bremerton Relay for Life event.
For this event, Namron Racing Team and the Kitsap Mall join
forces. Click
here to donate to Gigi's team for the Relay for Life event in
Bremerton. We'll
have the boat and Gigi's bike on display. Be sure to come and
see us. Better yet, come out and join our team. Gigi was the
guest speaker for the kickoff event at the Kitsap Mall. About
200 people were on hand and gave Gigi two standing ovations
during the course of her speech.
Brandon
and Joe'l
We're proud to announce that our crew chief, Brandon Payne,
and our team manager Joe'l Malatesta are getting married. Brandon
proposed to Joe'l as the clock struck midnight on New Year's.
Team Coach Mike Jarvis was with us as we were all celebrating
the big day together at Stewart's Arena in Yelm. Congratulations
Brandon and Joe'l.
Honorary
Crew Member
On Dec. 1, Namron Racing Team participated in the Lakewood Chamber
of Commerce Holiday Luncheon and Auction at the Great American
Casino to help raise money to support the chamber. We auctioned
off an honorary crew member position for one race. This would
give someone the opportunity to get a lot closer to the action
in hydroplane racing than they thought possible. Brandon Payne
and I took the boat to the auction to display. Even though it
was out in a heavy snow fall, we had a steady line of visitors
to see the boat. Brandon and I expected the bid to reach perhaps
$80.00 -- but we were wrong. The winning bid was $200.00 by
Corey Campbell of Classy Chassis. He got the bid for his 10-year-old
son, Collin Campbell. Welcome to the team Collin! Now, we're
just waiting for Collin to decide which race he'd like to attend.
Be sure to look for Collin holding the boat in the water before
Gigi or I take off -- just hope he remembers to let go.
Get
on, sit down and hold on
At the same auction, Gigi auctioned off a special ride
on her Harley. She'll pick up the person at the Lakewood Chamber
of Commerce and take off for a ride through the Tacoma waterfront
and to Point Defiance Park and back for a lunch at one of Lakewood's
great restaurants. Music DJ George Hollis, of Gotta Dance Productions,
was the winning bidder. He'll wait for the warmer weather to
come around and head out on his journey. He's in good hands.
Gigi's a former motorcycle cop from Houston and is a motorcycle
safety instructor. But from one veteran of the back seat to
a rookie -- all I have to say when riding with Gigi -- hold
on!
Getting
ready for 2006
The great thing about hydroplane racing is our great competitors
in Region 10. There's not a single 5-Litre team in our region
that's not helped us in some way. Justin Weymouth, owner of
the Miss Silver Clouds Inn, the national high point champion,
gave us (not sold) one of his spare engines. All we have to
do is wipe the dust off of it. But Justin's encouraging us to
go through the engine and freshen it up, and we'll do that.
We'll do that along side Bryan Richards, in the Miss Shoreline
Sign and Awning -- the No. 5 boat in the country. We'll put
our engine together along with him and his team at their shop.
Jon Zimmerman, in the Miss Chop Chop, the country's No. 2 boat
(just by 13 points), sold us some of his equipment at very reduced
rates. Doug Shelton, a former 5-Litre owner/driver in Tacoma,
who's also a referee, has offered us use of his shop as we need
to take the boat off the trailer, flip the boat upside down
and correct the angle of attack. We also have some trailer work
to do and can do that once we have the boat off the trailer.
We can't thank our friends enough!
The
2006 season is right around the corner. Be sure to come out
and see us on the water or at one of our many displays. Keep
checking back to the website to see what we have going on. We
had a great 2005 season raising more than $7,000 for cancer
support programs. We're shooting for $10,000 in 2006. We can
do it! But we can only do it with you.
Bud
McKay
Dec.
5, 2005
No cozy off-season for Belfair hydroplane
team
BELFAIR, Wash. – Namron Racing Team’s off-season lasted
just two months. The Belfair-based hydroplane team is wasting
no time as it has a lot to live up to preparing for the 2006
season; a season that is still more than four months away.
Click
here for the release
Nov.
5 , 2005
Namron marches in Auburn's Veterans Day
Parade and celebration
The
world famous GEICO Gecko was a hit at the parade waving to the
crowd and doing the "Robot" on demand. Hundreds of
Gecko decals were handed out at the parade by the race team.
-----------------------------------------------
BELFAIR,
Wash. -- Bud and Gigi McKay, and the rest of Namron Racing Team,
took part in the 40th annual Veterans
Day Parade in Auburn. It kicked off with a C-17 flying overhead
from the 7th Airlift Squadron at McChord Air Force Base. Namron
Racing Team's hydroplane was No. 19 of more than 200 displays
in the parade. It’s one of the two largest Veterans Day
parades west of the Mississippi River. The other is in San Diego.
More
photos from the parade can be seen on the special Veterans
Day page.
Oct.
4 , 2005
"Harley's Proud Mama" report
Hi, I'm Harley McKay. Click on the links below to keep up to
date with my mommy on her Changing Gears -- the Global Run.
Oct
4, 2005 -- Report 13 (Mommy's home!)
Oct.
1, 2005 -- Report 12
Sept.
29, 2005 -- Report 11
Sept.
27, 2005 -- Report 10
Sept.
26, 2005 -- Report 9
Sept.
23, 2005 -- Report 8
Sept. 22,
2005 -- Report 7
Sept.
21, 2005 -- Report 6B -- Special Edition!
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