Gunnar O’ Farrell took the wheel of an Unlimited hydroplane in racing action for the first time in 2023, but he is no stranger to the sport or to the seat of the U-21. Gunnar began going to races at the age 6 with his family. By 8 years old he was in the hydroplane museum building an outboard boat. He started in outboard (Stock and pro classes) when he was 9 years old and drove for 6 years.
At 20, he decided to make the next step and move to the inboard class and drove in the 2.5 mod and stock classes. His career really accelerated in the inboard class, where in 2021 he won summer nationals.
In 2022, the O’Farrell family bought a 2.5 mod and has been restoring it. In 2022, Gunnar was given the opportunity to drive an Unlimited Hydroplane. He completed his 15 laps going over 130 mph and became a qualified Unlimited hydroplane driver. His fastest lap was 145.175 mph. Gunnar’s first race was at the 2023 APBA Gold Cup in Seattle, where he qualified at 145.572 MPH and competed in all four qualifying heats, but did not make the Final Heat.
- Gunnar enjoys being outdoors, to include hunting, fishing, and snow skiing.
- Became a qualified H1 Unlimited driver at the 2022 H1 Unlimited test session on the Columbia River, June 3, 2022. He did not race in 2022.
- Drove his first competitive H1 Unlimited heat at the 2023 APBA Gold Cup on Seattle’s Lake Washington.
- Entering the 2025 season, Gunnar has only entered 3 H1 Unlimited events.
- Gunnar dramatically flipped the U-21 at the 2025 test session in May on the Columbia River. He was unhurt in the crash, and the boat sustained minimal damage.
- Gunnar began building his own hydroplane at 8 years old at the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum.
- He began racing stock outboards at 9 years old, and did so for 6 years.
- At 20 years of age, Gunnar stepped up to inboard racing in the 2.5-liter stock and modified class. In 2021 he won the Western Nationals in the 2.5 Liter Modified class. (The final heat featured a nine (9) boat field and Gunnar started on the outside!)
- Gunnar proposed to girlfriend Marina Bartels at the 2024 ABPA Gold Cup in San Diego. They plan to be married in May of 2026.
NEXT DRIVER VICTORY: Gunnar’s next win will be his first.
