Over the past 40 years of racing, most of the great racers I knew and know were/are married. In this edition of my blog, I’d like to share with you the spouses behind a few of them.

John Fitzgerald of Rio Grande, N.J. John raced in several classes, most notably the stock 7 litre class. He is a big Irish guy who I dearly love. His wife is former national champion and American Power Boat Association (APBA) Honor Squadron member Ann Fitzgerald. Ann has won in the stock 1 litre, 2.5 stock, 2.5 modified and 6 litre classes.

John gave up the seat in racing to back his wife in the mid ’70s. Whether it’s driving the truck, rebuilding the boat or anything else required to maintain a race boat, John is there. I know this guy really well and I can say with certainty he is Ann’s hero and Ann is his hero. Ann is a retired school teacher and John had a tool distribution business besides the race program. They also are the organizers of one of the largest inboard races on the East Coast in October of each year in Southern New Jersey.

Stu Shane. Himself a multi-time national high point champion in the 2.5 litre stock class, “Highjacker” Stu is set apart because not only does his wife Robin race, but so does his daughter Kelly and his son Jimmy. The entire family has built boats, engines, hardware, you name it, all the while maintaining a thriving sheet metal business in Havre de Grace, Md.

They also found time to organize the Havre de Grace inboard races for a number of years. I know this guy pretty well too, and I doubt I’ve ever met a more level-headed, easy-going guy than Stu. Robin also served as APBA Inboard Chairperson for a number of years.

Tonya Hanson. Tonya is the wife of my Crew Chief Mike Hanson. Prior to becoming a crew chief, Mike drove in a number of classes, setting records in the 2.5 litre modified boat Madame Blue. He also won the APBA Gold Cup driving Mike and Lori Jones’ U-9, along with other Unlimited hydroplane victories.

From 1989 until joining the Jones’ camp, Mike drove the Miss Madison under various sponsorships including Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, DeWalt Tools, and others. He subbed for an injured Chip Hanauer and won the 1994 Dallas/Lake Lewsiville Unlimited race in Miss Budweiser.

Tonya teaches special education and challenged students in a Seattle suburb. Almost six months of each year Mike is in Madison, Ind., working on the Oberto Unlimited and Tonya keeps the homefires burning. They’ve raised two terrific children, Trevor and Aubree, who are also crewmembers on our boat, the Oh Boy! Oberto.

Finally there is my wife, Sabrina. Sabrina is a nervous wreck while I’m on the racecourse, yet she shares in this passion of mine. Her texts when she is not at a race sound like my crew chief’s instructions: “Nail the start, kick butt.” She truly loves the people who make up our team and knows that my joy of racing is as much derived from the people who are the U-1 as much as the racing itself.

Because of job requirements, she can’t make all of our races,, but you can bet I better call or text an update within 5 minutes of returning to the dock after a heat of racing. Her father has the racing bug as well, having run a top fuel dragster in the ’60s out of St. Louis known as Sheehy’s Obsession.

I’m biased because I’m blessed with a phenomenal wife and friend all in one. But without our supportive spouses, be it John, Stu, Tonya, Sabrina and all the others in boat racing, we simply couldn’t race with the energy and commitment that we do.

So, thank you to all of the spouses and significant others who support what we do. I hope you know that you are our heroes.