In memory of racers no longer with us:

[Ron Hill]

In the book Speed and Spray I remember seeing Wyatt Nelson's name in J Runabout. He bought some 45 blocks a few years back and then I called him to see if he was happy with them. He said, "I'm happy with them." We talked at least an hour. We covered a lot of ground...

[Ron Hill]

April 16, 2016 Art Pugh

Art Pugh left us

Mr. Art passed away today, April 16, 2016.Gary posted on fb about 20 minutes ago the few times i was lucky enough to talk with him, were a pleasure. Prayers to the Pugh family.

An Art Pugh Quote or Two

Runabout: Run about so far then toss driver in the water

"Harry, I don't know nothing about propellers, but I do know coon dogs. And you don't want that dogs' cousin, or brother..." (Harry being Harry Bartolomei, 1967, DePue).

[Ron Hill]

Mike's dad, Bob and my brother raced hard against each other in the 1950's.

Mike raced at the First Nationals at Lake Ming.


Interesting guy. He owned roller rinks, then a hotel in the Philippines. He also owned Mike's hamburgers there.

We didn't see each other often, but we had been friends since childhood!

[Ron Hill]

He was the MAN, often thought he was a MYTH, he is definitely a LEGEND!!’

RIP Barry Woods, may you fly free from the broken body!
February 7, 1942 - June 10, 2023

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Not much news about this, but I was told today that Rich Krier passed away from trauma injuries suffered from a boat racing accident on Lake Jackson in Illinois on September third. Rich succumbed to the injuries on September 8. This is a sad and terrible event. I don't know why It has taken this long for the news of his passing to get out, nor what happened. Keep the Krier family in our prayers.

[Ketzer]

Very sad news, Wayne. I did a search, and there are a few articles online about the accident. An amazing guy, Rich Krier.

[Ketzer]

Mickey McGuire passed away last week at the age of 84. Mickey raced B & C pro-hydro out of Hot Springs, Arkansas, during the 1960s and 70s. He was a founding member of the Razorback Boat Racing Club. Mickey was always fun to be around and a great competitor.

[racingfan1]

On Saturday morning May 4th Mr. Gene East passed.

Comments by Paul Christner on the passing of Gene East;

The news has come to me of the passing of one of Quincy Welding's Great, Mr Gene East !
Most people associated with the history of boat racing realize there was once a place in Quincy Illinois called Quincy Welding, where some of the most wicked outboard racing engines ever in the history of outboard racing came from, along with some of the most talented racing boat drivers to ever compete in the history of professional outboard boat racing !
My late father OF Christner got a lot of respect and notoriety from his contributions to the field of past boat racing and it's history and legacy, however behind every great established business in boat racing's past is the heart of that success, made up frequently of the extraordinary employees that without, the firm never would have made it to the level of success it did, period !
Here at Quincy Welding we had many past great employees and one of those great extraordinary employees was Gene East who came to us right out of the Navy and at the almost peak of the cold war between the U.S. and Russia in 1962 . Gene was also a quite formable racing boat driver on the local level too !
Gene was highly trained and educated by my father OF Christner and progressed to be a top skilled welder, machinist, racing boat repairman, mechanic, and master craftsman of all trades at Quincy welding.
Gene went with the racing crew in the big Quincy yellow trailer to many of the bigger regional and national boat racing events and was seen by most racers at those events carrying four cylinder loopers on his back to and from different pit areas of the Quincy brand racers at those events!
One time after we left the shop on an early Friday evening after all of the customer work was completed for both the racers and the welding shop in Quincy, we set out for a race in the south, late that night on the trip we broke a leaf trailer spring on the Quincy racing trailer.
We thought what next, however Gene in the almost pitch black of the night crawled under the racing trailer in the dark on the shoulder of a narrow road with only a flashlight and changed that leaf spring with nary a whimper or complaint with a new spring we carried along back then as a spare!
That's the kind of extraordinary person Gene East of Quincy's fame was as well as a person of amazing trade skills work ethic and character!
There are many more times at Quincy Welding where we were blessed with Gene's amazing greatness that hopefully I will get to mention at a later time!
God bless your spirit Gene East and thank you for being a part of the Quincy Welding Family legacy, and great past that never would have reached the peak in history it did without your grace and unselfish contributions!
Paul A Christner

[Pete Nydahl]

I received a call from Jerry's oldest daughter Stacey, informing me of his passing September 9th 2024
He was a childhood racing icon to me. One of the tuff ones! He and his wife Dee were great friends with the Nydahl family
Not only was he a fierce hydro driver,he could ride the hell out of dirt bikes and snowmobiles!
Jerry was a tall,strong and broad shoulder guy,so the big hydro class's suited him well.A National Champion in D and F Hydro

Jerry was also a member of the Evinrude 100 MPH Club.In October 1971 at Alexandria, LA he ran his Quincy Loop 6 banger/ Marchetti through the Kilo at 108mph


RIP X-12

[racingfan1]

Our condolences to the family of Gary Keller on his passing. Gary raced PRO runabouts in the late 80's and early 90's than again in the mid 2000"s. He was one of the good guys in boat racing.