Over the years, every Club and Region experiences the J Class going through healthy fields of six to eight drivers to none. That is expected, and the hope is that as the numbers dwindle, the remaining kids have an opportunity to move up to the AX classes. We have also seen over the years how the young kids form relationships with their fellow J Drivers, not just on the course, but in life in general. Unlike stick and ball sports where the kids interact for an hour or so, the boat racing families are together for entire weekends, eight to ten times a year. This interaction is the basis for longer term relationships, even after one leaves the sport. Friendships develop and are continued over a lifetime. We also feel that racing has developed character skills that have become useful later in life. Not only do the kids learn to be competitive, they also learn sportsmanship and how to work as a team on their equipment.
This is no more evident than the Region One JU Class of 1963. This season was comprised of two veterans, a second year driver and three rookies. Fifty seven years later, all six of these individuals remain in constant contact with each other. One member stays in touch electronically, but in 2019, the other five all attended South Shore Outboard races and had the opportunity to embellish on what they recall from the old days. All the drivers have also become successful in their professional careers, and we wonder if the competitiveness and discipline of the boat racing experience factored into this success. Here is a mini biography of the JU Class of 1963 with their hometowns.
Doug Bailey, Andover, Massachusetts (49B) – Doug was probably the most successful J Driver. He started in 1961 and went on to win the 1963 and 1964 National Championships and the National High Point Championships. He was also inducted twice into the Gulf Marine Hall of Fame. He made it very difficult for the rest of the drivers to win a race until he parked his JU after his win at the Modesto, California Stock Outboard Nationals in 1964. We believe his 13,450 points scored in 1963 is still the most ever in a single season. After JU, Doug moved into the ASH and AU classes where he continued his success until it was time for college, and he took a brief hiatus. Returning to racing in 1972, Doug moved up to running BSR, CSR and DSH. He continued racing until 1977 when he made the decision to focus on family. He spent his entire working career in the finance and banking industry, and now resides on his farm in Brandon, Vermont. Doug makes it a point to attend the Kingston Fall Classic to renew his old acquaintances, and it is always a pleasure to have him back in the pits. As an interesting side note, the school parking lot where we park the campers is where Doug’s wife Dawn went to Sanborn Regional High School and where Doug waited many afternoons for her dismissal.
Dan Parker, Windham, Maine (29A) – Dan was the oldest of this JU group, starting his career in 1959 at Standish, Maine. One of the highlights of his young career was finishing 4th at the 1963 National Championships in Boston, Massachusetts. Dan served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years and upon his return, he was back in racing to stay. In 1984, his employment in the computer industry transferred him to Texas where he resumed his racing career. Dan served as president of the American Outboard Federation (AOF) and was the first president of the National Boat Racing Association (NBRA). Along with an APBA National Championship in CMH, Dan collected several AOF National Titles and was inducted into the AOF Hall of Fame. Now retired, Dan spent the last ten years of his working career as owner of his own Computer Service Company. Fittingly, Dan’s last race was in 2019 in Standish, Maine, the site where it all began 50 years ago in the JU Class.
Pat Pickard, Portland, Maine (33A) – Pat was born into the sport. His dad was the legendary Ken Pickard who had started his racing career before Pat was born. Pat’s first year in JU was as expected. He reached the podium on several occasions and improved with every race. In 1963, he was the proud owner of a newly designed Casta Craft runabout, and he now reached the podium on a more regular basis. In 1964, along with Bailey and Parker, he was ranked in the APBA top five. In 1965, his first ever time in a hydroplane, he won ASH at Milton, New Hampshire. Upon his graduation from the Maine Maritime Academy, Pat raced on a part time basis when time permitted. He followed his family to Tennessee in 1975 and continued to race in the Modified Category. The highlight of his Mod career was having the 2nd fastest qualifying time at the 1977 Modified Nationals in CMH. He spent his entire 33-year working career in the U.S. Merchant Marines, sailing as Chief Engineer on the open seas. Retiring in 2008, he and his wife have a small horse farm. Several years ago he had the pleasure of hosting Doug and Dawn Bailey as they rode their horses throughout the country side of Tennessee. Pat is also an avid Marathon runner and competed in the 2019 Boston Marathon.
Jack Thompson, Weymouth, Massachusetts (3B) – Jack followed his older brother Andy (Chub) Thompson into the sport in 1963. Jack was the original owner of the number 3-B that he sported on his JU. He would later take over his brother’s number, 13-B, and he would pass the 3-B to a guy named Bill Giles. Jack had great success in the JU class, placing in the APBA top five in both 1963 and 1964. In 1968, he made the big jump to CSH and was a 15-year-old phenom consistently defeating the likes of Stan Armstrong, Bill Giles, and Larry Castagneto. Jack went on to finish 2nd in the APBA point standings that season. Jack left boat racing shortly after that and set his sights on the asphalt short tracks of New England, establishing himself as a contender in the stock car ranks. During the 1990’s, Jack took over the management and operation of the Londonderry Speedway Go Kart facility. Jack is a retired Firefighter, and to fill that retirement time he returned to boat racing and is now one of the Chief Referees in South Shore Outboard.
Steve Noury, Merrimac, Massachusetts (79B) – A second generation driver, Steve recalls playing in the pits with Pat Picard when they were just 5 or 6 years old in the late ‘50s. As an APBA Lifer, he has raced every class in the Stock Outboard Category and probably held every Club and Regional position. The highlight of his competitive career would be four APBA – CBF National Hi Point Titles and the 2007 Stock Outboard Waldman Award. In his professional life, Steve has an accounting background, which he used in his 22 years as a CFO for a Real Estate Development Company and later as owner of his own service and retail business, the Trailer Place of New England. The management and organizational skills derived from his exposure to the business world has played a major role in his contributions to the administrative side of the sport. In 2018, Steve was honored to be nominated by his peers in South Shore Outboard for APBA’s highest honor, induction into the APBA Honor Squadron. In his acceptance speech he stated, “you get into the sport for the competition, you stay in the sport because of the people.” This is no more evident than his continued relationship 57 years later with his fellow JU drivers.
Peter Crowley, Melrose Massachusetts (17B) – Peter was a late comer to the party in 1963. He started his career in a homemade boat in September at Lowell, Massachusetts. Peter focused on ASR for many years, and his achievements included a National Hi Point Title and the 1980 Stock Outboard Waldman Award. In the early ‘90s, Peter transitioned over to the Pro Outboard Category and it was there that he set his mark. He has won the APBA Pro 250 Hydro (1993) and Pro 250 Runabout (1995) National Championships, set the UIM World Records in the Pro 250 Runabout Kilo (1987) and Competition Records (1997). He was also the USTS Hi Point Champion in Pro 250H (1993) and Pro 250R (1994). Peter has also played a leadership role in SSOA and Region One. He has been a Region Director, Region Vice Chairman and Region Chairman. He was the de facto SSOA Commodore and has served as a Stock Outboard Commissioner. He continues his professional career as a R&D Engineer and Technical writer for BioP, Merck/Millpore.
We are not sure how many other Clubs or Regions can boast of the longevity of friendships created over fifty years ago at the races, but we are certainly proud of the Region One JU class of 1963 and their continued leadership in the sport.
Lowell Hanson
