Steve David Announces Retirement
From Miss Madison Racing –
Steve David, driver of the ‘U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison’ Unlimited hydroplane who has accumulated 18 wins, six Driver’s Championships, four National Championships, 11 top qualifier poles, and is the sport’s winningest active driver, will announce Friday his retirement. This weekend’s San Diego Bayfair race will be his last in his 25 years racing unlimited hydroplanes.
David told his Miss Madison race team his decision on Thursday evening, prior to qualifying for the last race of the season in San Diego.
David who turns 60 years old in January had been contemplating his retirement for some time. He had hoped to win one race on the hydroplane circuit that he doesn’t have in his trophy cabinet –the Detroit Gold Cup. But after a heartbreaking loss this year, having battled for the Gold Cup 22 times, placing second 12 times, David felt maybe the 109 year-old trophy and motorsports oldest active trophy just wouldn’t fit in his trophy cabinet or his record book.
“I have dreamed for years of winning the Gold Cup,” the modest David said, “but it wasn’t meant to be. I believe that God didn’t give me what I wanted, but rather what I needed. It is fully acceptable to me.”
David continued, what “I needed from boat racing was to have met the thousands of fans and friends that have supported me through thick and thin, wins and losses, and some painful crashes. Everyone I have met in my 44 years of boat racing is part of my record book and in my trophy cabinet. To me that is better than the Gold Cup.”
When told of David’s retirement, Jerry Jensen a fan and follower since 1988 from Portland, Ore. said, “It seems like just yesterday I met Steve. He had just suffered a bad fire in the open cockpit ‘Pocket Savers Plus’ on Lake Mead (Nev.). His face wrapped in an ice packed towel from the burns, still in pain, there he was, in the pits, meeting and greeting his fans. That trademark smile peeking out from the towel. After that I have been his fan ever since. My kids and I will miss him and so will the sport.”
Paul Erickson a fan and graphic designer from Seattle said, “No, I can’t believe it! He is a sponsor’s dream. Once, I heard him attributed the win in an interview after the race to having used T-Plus engine treatment in the boat’s turbine engine, a engine treatment not run in turbines, but the fans ate it up. His gracious charm, smile and competitive spirit are an inspiration to all who are privileged to know Steve.”
Steve Brandon another fan from Detroit said, “Steve is a guy that has so much experience he knows exactly where that fine line is when racing. He always brought the boat back in one piece and put it back on the trailer. Very seldom did you see him on the back of a tow line, a tribute to both Steve and his crew.”
As for retiring at 59 years-old David said, “It seems most fitting to pass the torch to Tom Thompson (driver of the ‘U-11 Unlimited Racing Group’) as the oldest driver in the sport,” David jokingly said. Thompson who is 51 years-old is in his second season as an unlimited hydro driver has been a worthy boat racing competitor of David’s for over 33 years.
LAST RACE IS FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Before closing his record book in boat racing, David will have to use his decades of racing knowledge to defend both the Bayfair Cup and the H1 National Championship this weekend on Mission Bay, Calif.
“This weekend you’ll see 100 percent, plus one. It’s said the difference between boiling water and just hot water is one degree. My team is giving me that extra degree of energy this weekend and we’ll be putting it all on the line for my final race,” David said.
David has only a slim 43 point lead over ‘No.5 Graham Trucking’s’ Jimmy Shane going into the final race of the 2013 season, according to H1 Unlimited, the series governing body.
The top qualifier will receive 100 points Friday, and a winner of Saturday’s and Sunday’s preliminary heats are awarded 400 points for first place. David will have no time to think about his future summers sipping rum and cokes on the back of his recreational pleasure boat in the Bahamas.
“It’s fitting that my last race will be on the Bill Muncey Memorial Course on Mission Bay. Bill was a tough competitor, and one of the finest ambassadors for our sport. The National Championship will be determined on his course with us defending the title against Jimmy Shane. I have literally known Jimmy since he was born,” David said.
David, a past American Power Boat Association (APBA) President from 1996-98, six-time inductee into the APBA’s “Hall of Champions” and an inductee into the APBA “Honor Squadron” said, “While retiring from driving, my passion for improving boat racing and the fan experience will not cease.”
When the roostertails settle on Mission Bay, David, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio will return to Florida and continue to build his real estate holding company, Florida Professional Family of Companies, currently one of the 100 largest independent real estate holdings in the USA.
David and wife Sabrina will be dividing their time between their homes in Lighthouse Point, Fla. and Ocean Reef, Florida, when not snorkeling their way through the Bahamas on board their recreational boat ‘Grateful’.
FUTURE FOR MISS MADISON RACING-OH BOY! OBERTO
As for Miss Madison Racing, they will begin an extensive off-season search for a driver to replace David.
For thirteen years David has driven for the Madison, Ind. community owned Miss Madison Racing and is only the team’s 19th driver in their 52 years of operation.
“The entire Madison Racing experience has been a magic carpet ride! From a back marker, to middle of the pack, to making finals, and now a multiple time National Championship team, it really is the stuff of folklore. The team has always given me 100 percent and I’ve tried to reciprocate, David said.
David’s has driven for Miss Madison Racing the longest (13 seasons), second is the team’s current crew chief Mike Hanson with 11 seasons in the cockpit.
Team manager, Charlie Grooms said finding a replacement for David will be no easy task. “Steve has been such an ambassador for the city of Madison, Ind. our sponsor Oh Boy! Oberto and the sport of hydroplane racing that it will take years to replace him.” He continued, “We are all saddened that he has chosen to hang his helmet up but we are extremely grateful for his leadership in our organization. He has brought the Miss Madison organization from just a participant to a multi-national champion winner and we look forward to his leadership and support in the future.”
To begin the task the team will choose a new driver from only seventeen in the world with unlimited driving experience.
Miss Madison Racing began in unlimited hydroplane racing in 1961 when industrialist Sam DuPont donated his hydroplane to the city to help promote tourism and their annual regatta. The race team is the only community owned race team and is the oldest continuous running team in sport, now in its 52nd year. In 2005 a major motion picture, “Madison” based on the race team and town was released.
Oh Boy! Oberto founded in Seattle in 1918, is one of the nation’s top beef jerky producers and meat snack food brands. For more than 95 years, three generations of the Oberto family have been making fine quality meat snacks while living up to the company motto – ‘Have Fun!’ Oberto products are available online and in convenience, grocery and mass market retailers nationwide. Oberto’s goal is to continue to develop new products to meet the demands and desires of today’s customers. Oberto offers a tradition of quality you can taste! Come join the fun at www.obertobrands.com
Steve David Announces Retirement
From Miss Madison Racing –
Steve David, driver of the ‘U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison’ Unlimited hydroplane who has accumulated 18 wins, six Driver’s Championships, four National Championships, 11 top qualifier poles, and is the sport’s winningest active driver, will announce Friday his retirement. This weekend’s San Diego Bayfair race will be his last in his 25 years racing unlimited hydroplanes.
David told his Miss Madison race team his decision on Thursday evening, prior to qualifying for the last race of the season in San Diego.
David who turns 60 years old in January had been contemplating his retirement for some time. He had hoped to win one race on the hydroplane circuit that he doesn’t have in his trophy cabinet –the Detroit Gold Cup. But after a heartbreaking loss this year, having battled for the Gold Cup 22 times, placing second 12 times, David felt maybe the 109 year-old trophy and motorsports oldest active trophy just wouldn’t fit in his trophy cabinet or his record book.
“I have dreamed for years of winning the Gold Cup,” the modest David said, “but it wasn’t meant to be. I believe that God didn’t give me what I wanted, but rather what I needed. It is fully acceptable to me.”
David continued, what “I needed from boat racing was to have met the thousands of fans and friends that have supported me through thick and thin, wins and losses, and some painful crashes. Everyone I have met in my 44 years of boat racing is part of my record book and in my trophy cabinet. To me that is better than the Gold Cup.”
When told of David’s retirement, Jerry Jensen a fan and follower since 1988 from Portland, Ore. said, “It seems like just yesterday I met Steve. He had just suffered a bad fire in the open cockpit ‘Pocket Savers Plus’ on Lake Mead (Nev.). His face wrapped in an ice packed towel from the burns, still in pain, there he was, in the pits, meeting and greeting his fans. That trademark smile peeking out from the towel. After that I have been his fan ever since. My kids and I will miss him and so will the sport.”
Paul Erickson a fan and graphic designer from Seattle said, “No, I can’t believe it! He is a sponsor’s dream. Once, I heard him attributed the win in an interview after the race to having used T-Plus engine treatment in the boat’s turbine engine, a engine treatment not run in turbines, but the fans ate it up. His gracious charm, smile and competitive spirit are an inspiration to all who are privileged to know Steve.”
Steve Brandon another fan from Detroit said, “Steve is a guy that has so much experience he knows exactly where that fine line is when racing. He always brought the boat back in one piece and put it back on the trailer. Very seldom did you see him on the back of a tow line, a tribute to both Steve and his crew.”
As for retiring at 59 years-old David said, “It seems most fitting to pass the torch to Tom Thompson (driver of the ‘U-11 Unlimited Racing Group’) as the oldest driver in the sport,” David jokingly said. Thompson who is 51 years-old is in his second season as an unlimited hydro driver has been a worthy boat racing competitor of David’s for over 33 years.
LAST RACE IS FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Before closing his record book in boat racing, David will have to use his decades of racing knowledge to defend both the Bayfair Cup and the H1 National Championship this weekend on Mission Bay, Calif.
“This weekend you’ll see 100 percent, plus one. It’s said the difference between boiling water and just hot water is one degree. My team is giving me that extra degree of energy this weekend and we’ll be putting it all on the line for my final race,” David said.
David has only a slim 43 point lead over ‘No.5 Graham Trucking’s’ Jimmy Shane going into the final race of the 2013 season, according to H1 Unlimited, the series governing body.
The top qualifier will receive 100 points Friday, and a winner of Saturday’s and Sunday’s preliminary heats are awarded 400 points for first place. David will have no time to think about his future summers sipping rum and cokes on the back of his recreational pleasure boat in the Bahamas.
“It’s fitting that my last race will be on the Bill Muncey Memorial Course on Mission Bay. Bill was a tough competitor, and one of the finest ambassadors for our sport. The National Championship will be determined on his course with us defending the title against Jimmy Shane. I have literally known Jimmy since he was born,” David said.
David, a past American Power Boat Association (APBA) President from 1996-98, six-time inductee into the APBA’s “Hall of Champions” and an inductee into the APBA “Honor Squadron” said, “While retiring from driving, my passion for improving boat racing and the fan experience will not cease.”
When the roostertails settle on Mission Bay, David, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio will return to Florida and continue to build his real estate holding company, Florida Professional Family of Companies, currently one of the 100 largest independent real estate holdings in the USA.
David and wife Sabrina will be dividing their time between their homes in Lighthouse Point, Fla. and Ocean Reef, Florida, when not snorkeling their way through the Bahamas on board their recreational boat ‘Grateful’.
FUTURE FOR MISS MADISON RACING-OH BOY! OBERTO
As for Miss Madison Racing, they will begin an extensive off-season search for a driver to replace David.
For thirteen years David has driven for the Madison, Ind. community owned Miss Madison Racing and is only the team’s 19th driver in their 52 years of operation.
“The entire Madison Racing experience has been a magic carpet ride! From a back marker, to middle of the pack, to making finals, and now a multiple time National Championship team, it really is the stuff of folklore. The team has always given me 100 percent and I’ve tried to reciprocate, David said.
David’s has driven for Miss Madison Racing the longest (13 seasons), second is the team’s current crew chief Mike Hanson with 11 seasons in the cockpit.
Team manager, Charlie Grooms said finding a replacement for David will be no easy task. “Steve has been such an ambassador for the city of Madison, Ind. our sponsor Oh Boy! Oberto and the sport of hydroplane racing that it will take years to replace him.” He continued, “We are all saddened that he has chosen to hang his helmet up but we are extremely grateful for his leadership in our organization. He has brought the Miss Madison organization from just a participant to a multi-national champion winner and we look forward to his leadership and support in the future.”
To begin the task the team will choose a new driver from only seventeen in the world with unlimited driving experience.
Miss Madison Racing began in unlimited hydroplane racing in 1961 when industrialist Sam DuPont donated his hydroplane to the city to help promote tourism and their annual regatta. The race team is the only community owned race team and is the oldest continuous running team in sport, now in its 52nd year. In 2005 a major motion picture, “Madison” based on the race team and town was released.
Oh Boy! Oberto founded in Seattle in 1918, is one of the nation’s top beef jerky producers and meat snack food brands. For more than 95 years, three generations of the Oberto family have been making fine quality meat snacks while living up to the company motto – ‘Have Fun!’ Oberto products are available online and in convenience, grocery and mass market retailers nationwide. Oberto’s goal is to continue to develop new products to meet the demands and desires of today’s customers. Oberto offers a tradition of quality you can taste! Come join the fun at www.obertobrands.com