Whether cars or boats (unless you’re a well-funded NASCAR team), volunteer crews, weekend warriors, after work show ups—whatever we call them—we couldn’t race without them. While most top teams have some paid crew, every team I’m aware of in the present, also has highly talented volunteers.

I wanted to share with you a couple of them who have been important to my career as well as our sport as a whole. I’m guessing there have been people just like these in your life, too. They add a depth and richness to our racing experience that spills over to our other lives as well.

Riita and Brooke Tyler from Massachusetts. This husband and wife (and son) have been helping various Unlimited teams for almost 30 years. They started with Jim Harvey in the mid ’80s up to the present with the Formula U-5 and U-7 operations. In regular life, Brooke owns Volvo heavy equipment dealerships in New England. Riita was in retail for much of her life. Their son, Brooke, also is involved in the family business—the third generation of Tylers to do so. He grew up in the sport and helped lead the U-7 Formula to the National High Points championship a few years back. I had the pleasure of having them on my team when I drove for Jim Harvey during the T-Plus years. Later Brooke Jr. lived with us for a while in Florida. He’s now married with a child of his own.

Mark and Julie Hooten and their son Lee. This family from Rochester Hills, Mich., have been fans of Unlimiteds for several decades. Originally avid photographers, they were fixtures in the bleachers at the famed roostertail turn in Detroit. I met them in the early ’90s and invited Mark to join the T-Plus team for an “Excellent Adventure.” Fearing that after one season he might prefer the sport from the outside rather than the inside, the bug bit him hard, as well as Julie and Lee. Mark now oversees both of the Formula Unlimiteds as team manager while holding down a full-time executive position with GM. Lee is a graduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute interning with Apple this summer. We’ve had the pleasure of having the Hootens with us in Lighthouse Point for pleasure boating and they attended Sabrina’s and my wedding.

Bill and Dee Moore from Oregon volunteer on the U-37 team. This boat is owned by famed Unlimited driver Billy Schumacher. By day, Bill and Dee run their family owned window and screen business near Portland. Besides working on the U-37 in their spare time, they also are new grandparents. We’ve had the pleasure of their company at our home for pleasure boating, too.

Jimmy Gilbert of Houston. Truth be told, Jimmy likes offshore more than Unlimiteds. But thankfully he likes our sport enough to have been with our team for well over a decade. He previously helped the Miss Budweiser team and Mike Hanson’s team when Mike won the APBA Gold Cup. He came to the Oh Boy! Oberto team when Mike became our crew chief. During his 30-plus years with NASA, Jimmy was involved in figuring out how to get astronauts and equipment to the moon and back. He’s the electrical and computer whiz for the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto. His commitment to quality is a pleasure to behold.

These are just four of the families we’ve met through racing that have added joy to our life and made our race teams better because of their commitment. If you’ve met people like this, drop us a line and share your story. I don’t think there is a top competitor in boat racing who would have reached the top without volunteers.