Guest Author: Charlie Grigg

In this edition of UHR’s Guest Author Series, we’ve taken a different approach to sharing the perspectives of someone important to our sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing. We would like to thank Charlie Grigg who sponsors the U3 Grigg’s presents Miss Ace Hardware, the “Turbinator” for participating in our Q&A. We would also like to thank Chris Denslow for the use of the photos you see in this article.

Let’s start with H1 Unlimited, the sanctioning body for the sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing. It’s no secret they have gone through some changes over the years. As an eye toward the future, do you have a specific idea about restructuring H1 itself, including the relationship between team owners, sponsors, and race sites? As a sponsor, what do you see as ideal in that regard?

First and foremost, everyone needs to understand one thing: the boats are the show. PERIOD.

It is not the H1 administration, board, officials, or staff. They are the governing body, but nobody comes to see them, or their inspections, or their security. They come to see the BOATS.

The race sites are necessary, as are their volunteers and planning. But nobody comes to see them prepare, plan, or work with the local officials.

They come to see the BOATS.

I also understand that all need to be paid.

H1 has an expense to administer the league. The race sites have some large expenses in order to put on the race and be able to do it year after year. The owners have a large expense in their boats, haulers, travel, and team expenses, and they need to get paid. And the sponsors must have a return on their investment to put their name on a boat.

I do not have experience with the innerworkings of H1 or a race site, but I am a sponsor and close friend of a boat owner.

I am only a local sponsor, and I sponsor the U3 because it is the unique boat in H1: the last piston-powered boat running. It was an emotional attachment to my childhood, watching the river filled with those loud Thunderboats. It made sense to me to pay them to put my business on the boat, to get them running again.

The Tri-Cities supports these races better than any site in the country, and I wanted kids to hear and feel what I felt as a kid. Best race site; best race organizers; unique boat in the U3 – easy decision for me, in the Tri-Cities.

But a national sponsor does not look at things emotionally, they want to know how many eyes are going to see their company’s logo when the boat runs. Eyes at the race, on TV, and mentions on the radio. I have spoken with national sponsors about trying to get them involved, but there is NO national TV audience. There are only 6 race sites. There just is not enough to even get them interested.

From the prospective of a boat owner, they need enough money to make it to races. And by that, it isn’t just gas money to get there. They need enough to get the boat there, get their teams there, feed them, and put them up in hotels!

National sponsors are zero because we can’t give them enough eyes. Local sponsors are hard because if you live in Seattle, how many contacts do you have in Guntersville? And if I am a boat owner, it isn’t leaving the shop unless I have enough to cover my expenses. It is not coming out of my pocket. And if you haven’t noticed, there are not any independently wealthy team owners. No people like Jeff Bezos of Amazon, where the expense is of little consequence.

So that may mean that H1 Unlimited and the race sites need to pay more to put the show on. Maybe H1 needs to cut their expenses so more money can go to get the boats there. Maybe a few more bucks need to be charged at the race sites so more money goes to the boats. I don’t know what the number would be that would make it for the teams, maybe $25K per race?

As I said before, parties need money to do what they do. But if the boats don’t have enough money to show up, you have no show. We have to have a strong fleet to even interest TV. If TV comes back, sponsors come. But,

• No boats, no show.
• No show, no race sites.
• No race sites, no H1.

Digging a bit deeper, do you have any specific suggestions for improving officiating? What can the sanctioning body do to improve the quality of officiating? As one example, is technology such as drones a viable solution?

The officials are a great bunch that have a passion for racing. They have been around the sport a long time, and have made a lot of friends in racing. But, they are there to do a job and friendships may cloud judgement in a call. Sometimes, the party that was on the short end of a decision might feel like the officials like the other guys better.

That should have no bearing.

I do think that calls need to be made sooner rather than later. A couple of years ago, changing the results of a race months later, made H1 look like a joke. Make the call – and stick with it.

If technology is used, it should be the same at all race sites. I kind of like the drone option – much cheaper than helicopters and putting 4 in the air would give plenty of views to make a call. But set a time limit. Officials can review for 30 minutes, or what ever the number is, and make the call. And stick with it.

I do thank the people that volunteer to be officials. I have reffed in other sports, and nobody wants to get yelled at for making a call! And I have coached, and yelled at refs (not proud of it, but guilty!) They are doing their best to make the right call, and they can’t make everyone happy! But they are appreciated.

Let’s shift gears. Do you have any suggestions for improving the fan experience? Things like different or new starting procedures, any ways to improve parity among teams, encouraging owners to maintain boat count at races, etc.?

I am fine with “jockey for position” for lanes – one of my favorite parts of the race. Except when my team doesn’t get the lane we want! If you assign lanes based off of qualifying speed, then everyone will sandbag to be slowest to get inside lane. And if you give it to the fastest qualifier, well… they were fastest anyway… they win… and there is no good in that. Lane draw, and a pace boat so they all come across at the same time, might be interesting.

Boat count is totally determined by money. Why haul your boat across the country and lose money? If you want boats, pay more to get them there. You get more boats, you have a better show, then the fan experience goes up.

We also need more interaction with teams and the fans. Get them out among the fans during down time. Autographs, pictures, etc. We do boat appearances at our locations around town, and that gives fans some one-on-one time, up close to the boat and motors, and they love it.

The other thing about the piston engine in the U3: people can relate to a piston engine, they all have cars with them. Most people have no idea what a turbine is. Some think it is jet propulsion, but they have no idea how it works.

Seafair is now an air show with some boats

Do you have specific counter points to Richard Anderson’s Op-ed piece?

One of his comments was that racing doesn’t translate to younger fans. I think that it would resonate with younger fans if there wasn’t so much down time between the heats. Again, if we had more boats, there would be more racing. We used to have 12—15 boats show up at a site. Heats 1A, 1B, and 1C. Nobody wants to come see 6-7 boats, barely enough boats to have A and B heats. Just not exciting. But boats have gone away because they go broke!

So we fill the time with air shows. Seafair is now an air show with some boats.

What do you see your role and participation being in the near future?

I plan on sponsoring here in the Tri-Cities as long as I am teamed up with the Go3 team and the piston power. If they decide to no longer race, then I will probably be done, too. Like I said, it is a unique opportunity being the only piston powered boat!

Charlie Grigg, 56, lived a block from the Columbia River in Pasco, Washington when the first hydroplane race took place, becoming a life-long fan of “Thunderboats.” He is the sponsor of the U3 Grigg’s presents Miss Ace Hardware, the “Turbinator.”

His family owns Grigg’s Department Store in Pasco, and 3 more Ace hardware stores in the Tri-Cities. He and his wife Robin have 2 adult children; son, CJ and daughter, Nicki. He says Robin tolerates his sponsorship of the U-3 Hydroplane, mostly because she likes Ed and Barb Cooper and the rest of the team!