The Dawe Family

[Ron Hill]

The Dawes were from Needles. Ruben, Helen, Jimmy, Ernie and Virginia all lived in Needles. They owned a Chevron gas station.

They probably got interested in boat racing because of the Colorado River Marathon, a 115 mile race from Needles to Parker Dam and return...

Ruben, Helen and Jimmy have all passed on.. Jimmy's daughter raced for awhile. Ernie has been in boat racing since he started about 1954. Ernie has never left the sport.

His daughter Tammy and he, are at Blythe, today, March 1, 2009, testing for the 2009 Winter nationals. Steven Dawe has raced since he was 9, he's 30 or 31 now....

I hope someone in the Dawe family will post some family pictures...

Helen Dawe's tacos were legendary for being so good!

Puddle Jumper is Steven Dawe at Indio, about 20 years ago!

[Skoontz]

Get dave to post some of the ones he showed me of Ernie

[russhill]

Ernie Dawe is the fiber of which Stock Outboard racing is made. Few, if anybody has contributed more to Stock Outboarding than Ern has. As Ron says above, he started in 1954 and hasn’t missed a Stock Outboard race since. Some of us claim to have been in the sport longer, but no one has been any more consistently.
He’s from a great Needles family. Father, Reuben was a wise old boy and for many of the early years was the spirit (and the money) of the family racing. Ern’s mother, Helen, was a lovely lady and extremely smart. During the few years they lived in Long Beach, Ern and I would team up against Helen and my late wife Judy to play bridge. Ernie will tell you to this day that we talked a better game than they did. But they always beat us.
Brother Jimmy was a wild and woolly, fun loving guy who also never missed a race from the ’54 days until his death about 10 years ago. He was a tougher driver than Old Ern, but Ern won more races.
Two of Ernie’s kids three kids also race. I don’t know if his other daughter ever did race. And like their father they have been pretty darn successful. Ernie married Mary Jo, also a Needles girl about 35 years ago, and as recently as two weeks was scoring and timing the races at Havasu Landing, like she has done hundreds of times before. Tammy and Steven were both racing and Ernie was crotch deep in the water helping anybody who needed help.
I never remember Ernie doing anything but racing, working, and helping others. I can’t ever remember him being involved in any kind of a rhubarb. He’s always a gentleman.
So he doesn’t think he’s outsmarting me, I’m going to tell you just what he really is doing when he stands crotch deep in the water with his hands on his hips to “watch the race.” Oh well, maybe I won’t. Maybe you’ll have to figure it out yourself.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I wish I knew Ernie. Russ...from what you, Ron and others have posted about Ernie....I can tell....he's the bedrock of boat racing. Here's my question. I could look it up by going to the archives, but by asking it this way maybe some other curious members may take the time to look it up themselves.:cool: Ron...you had posted a while back, a log that Ernie had written on their trips to the nationals. The start date was what I consider the black & white photo period. Before interstate highways. When you were really not sure that you could travel across the U.S. of A. without encountering a problem with your car. Route 66 was for real. Now to my point. I read about every year that you, Ron, posted about Ernie's trips to the nationals. That was their vacation. Then it quit. I haven't read the story in a while, but seems to me that there was more than has been posted. Am I wrong, or did Ernie quit his logs?

[nightwing]

far i know Ernie Dawe go to the winter and summer nationals every year.

[nightwing]

i wish jimmy dawe was still around.

[Jerry Combs]

So he doesn’t think he’s outsmarting me, I’m going to tell you just what he really is doing when he stands crotch deep in the water with his hands on his hips to “watch the race.” Oh well, maybe I won’t. Maybe you’ll have to figure it out yourself.

Russ,

You mean the same thing that all of us were doing? :p I hope that all is well and if you are ever in NE Oklahoma that you will give a shout. Ron has my number.

Ernie has always been a gentleman and a very competitive racer. I don't know how many times he helped me get my rig into the water.

Jerry

[Marlee Hill]

all the Dawe's, that I know at least, (Ernie, Steven, and Tammy) are great people and they are at pretty much at every region 12 race. (at least where their classes are sanctioned) = )

[AZOutlaw]

all the Dawe's, that I know at least, (Ernie, Steven, and Tammy) are great people and they are at pretty much at every region 12 race. (at least where their classes are sanctioned) = )

I know I wouldn't be as involoved in "Kneel Down Blender Boats" as I am today! Nor could I make it to races or even the first turn, without their unselfish help! I thank the man upstairs all the time that Ernie and his family are a part of my life! I too miss Jimmy and his support he gave me, especially winning the cooler bobbing championships at the Whitney Point, NY Stock Nationals in 2001! :D:D:D
Here is a photo of Ernie from last years Stock Nationals at Whitney Point, NY. Always appreciate you getting wet for me! :D

[Mike Menter]

Awesome picture Jeff!! I would like to add that my first encounter into the Region was with Ernie after I bought Gary Lewis's rig. Gary told me to contact Ernie on my way home and let him know that I bought his boat! From that point on, Ernie has provided me with tons of information both over the phone and at the Lake. I physically meet Ernie In Blythe to test the boat for the first time, and he along with Tammy, spent the time to show and break down the procedures step by step! The 5 hour drive to Blythe to test with Ernie was well worth it.

Just my .02 cents...all in all like stated above...a stand up guy who is willing to help anybody with loads of knowledge!