Tri-Cities couple making a multi-million dollar mark on unlimited hydroplane racing
Editor’s Note: For all the weekend’s Columbia Cup racing action, visit tricityherald.com.
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Darrell and Vanessa Strong are in year three of Strong Racing’s four-year plan, and the Tri-Citians have no regrets about what they’ve done with their multi-million dollar operation.
“I had a business plan that I would cash flow this by the fourth year. It’ll happen next year,” said Darrell Strong.
The Strongs, in the span of a couple of months in 2020, bought two unlimited hydroplanes and all of the equipment. It’s been a great ride ever since.
The U-8 Beacon Electric, with driver J. Michael Kelly in the cockpit, leads the national high points standings coming into Saturday’s Columbia Cup racing.
Corey Peabody carries double duty for the team. He drives Strong’s other boat, the U-9 Beacon Plumbing, and also is the team manager.
The formula has worked.
“I’m happy,” said Strong. “It’s always fun here.”
Of course it is, especially when you win more than you lose.
In 11 races, the Strong team has won seven times. Four wins by one boat; three by the other.
That in itself is impressive.
Usually when a team runs two boats, one is the main boat for the team, while the other gets the secondary equipment. Not on the Strong team.
Each boat has four gearboxes. Each boat has its own boat motors — and those motors only fit the boat they’re assigned to.
“We have two A boats,” said Peabody. “I’m super happy for Mike when he wins, and he’s super happy for me when I win.”
Peabody and Kelly know what they have: a great situation.
“It’s been great,” said Peabody. “Unbelievable. We’re all living dreams. We can argue and disagree, but at the end of the day it’s living dreams.”
Kelly, a longtime veteran driver of unlimiteds, agrees.
“I’ve driven for a lot of teams, and all have been special,” said Kelly. “But this is an amazing group of guys. And Darrell came to us at the right time. If he doesn’t buy the two boats, who knows what happens in this sport?”
Strong goes all in
The story goes that Darrell Strong grew up in Pasco and loved the hydroplane races for as long as he can remember. Whenever he heard the loud boats race on the water, he’d jump on his bicycle and race to the river.
His first date with Vanessa was at the boat races. They’ve been married for 40-plus years.
In 2013, the successful insurance salesman began sponsoring boats. The logical next step was to purchase his own team, which he did in 2020.
He bought Mike and Lori Jones’ speedy unlimited that Andrew Tate drove to a national championship in 2018.
About a month later, Strong found out Erik Ellstrom’s relatively new and fast boat was available for sale. He purchased that too.
At one point last season, he even considered buying a third boat.
“But it’s so hard to put together a third crew,” he said.
Darrell Strong does nothing halfway.
“The first person I hired was (public relations man) Jim Simpson,” said Strong. “Second person I hired was Corey Peabody.”
It’s rare to find a team that has very many full-timers on its roster.
Strong has five: Simpson, Peabody, crew chief of both boats Jeff Campbell, and gearbox specialist Mike Campbell (Jeff’s brother), and Strong’s assistant.
The Campbell brothers
Now, throw in the Campbell brothers — Jeff and Mike — and it just gets better.
The Campbells worked for the legendary Bernie Little and the Miss Budweiser team.
They were with the Joneses in 2018 when Tate raced to the national title.
“I quit after the 2018 season,” said Jeff Campbell. “My brother and I were going to go out on top. But I helped here. I started out as a part-timer, and then it snowballed.”
Strong said that Campbell came to him and said, ‘Mike Jones said I had to set up your boat for you. But after that, I’m retired.’”
But a funny thing happened — he liked being back in the shop.
“My girlfriend helped me put the boat back together, and she suggested we should go out on the whole circuit,” he said with a smile. “Yeah, racing is in my blood, but it’s her fault.”
Campbell admits he’s pretty serious about racing. He’s always thinking about the next race, even after the team wins.
“It’s very hard for me to have fun. I’ve done this for a living most of my life,” said Campbell. “The bottom line is I’m responsible for two boats and 20 people.”
Peabody loves working with Campbell.
“Jeff and I get along really well,” said Peabody. “There are moments when we disagree. But at the end of the day we both have the same goal: to win.”
Darrell Strong’s commitment to hiring these members full time is just good business.
“If I don’t hire Jeff and Corey full time, they repair the 9 boat, but they’ll not make it fast,” Strong said. “Jeff comes in at 4:30 in the morning and stays until 5 almost every day. Mike Campbell makes gearboxes. Jeff and Mike know how to set up a hull.
“These guys work hard, six days a week. I guarantee you three days after the Seattle race, they’ll start taking the boats apart. Probably re-do three or four motors.”
Oh, Jeff Campbell already has plans.
“Both boats will have their decks removed,” said Campbell. “There are a lot of projects in the shop that need to be done.”
And he’s trying to train the younger crew members on a daily basis.
“We’re still building this team,” said Campbell. “I told Darrell this past winter I have a three-year plan to get where we need to be. Some crew guys need experience. I have ways of doing things that they need to do. I try to base everything on my years with the Miss-Budweiser team. Try to show these guys how it should be done.”
There is a camaraderie in the Auburn team shop. A lot of guys show up on the weekend ready to help.
Strong is so confident in his team, he stays away. He’s not a meddling owner.
“I think we’re doing well. I don’t even go to the boat shop anymore,” he said.
But he still foots the bills.
“Mike Campbell asked me recently, ‘Do you realize how much you spend on beer and pizza?’” said Strong. “The guys even boycotted the Bud Light and Coors Light recently. But after a few days they were drinking it again. Hey, free beer is free beer.”
Sponsor comes on board
Strong has pretty much self sponsored for the first two seasons.
But a few months ago, Steve Lamson helped set Strong up with a meeting with Bill Cahill, the owner of Beacon Plumbing in Seattle who also happens to be a fervent hydroplane fan.
They hit it off, and Cahill agreed to sponsor both boats.
“We’re fortunate to get Beacon Plumbing as a sponsor in the third year,” said Strong.
Cahill is expected to come in on Sunday.
“He wants to watch the races with me,” Strong said. “ I’ll let him stand with our radio guys; let him watch what we’re doing in the data center.”
Lifelong buddies as drivers
Peabody says that he and Kelly met each other in kindergarten and have been lifelong friends since.
They’ve raced against each other for decades.
“We lived 10 houses apart,” Peabody said.
Kelly says they wrestled on the same team at Kent-Meridian High School.
“In wrestling, Corey did better than me, but I could beat him,” Kelly says with a smile. “We practiced against each other every day. I made him a better wrestler.”
Now they make each other better drivers.
Strong says by Peabody not being able to drive three heats in Madison, due to a broken shaft strut, his chances of winning the national title are slim.
Peabody understands that. With San Diego’s race canceled in September, there are just four races this season.
“A four-race season isn’t a marathon. It’s a half marathon,” said Peabody. “I gotta win. In reality, I’ve got to win and Mike has to get no points. And I certainly don’t want that. And that’s OK. I signed on for the two-boat thing.”
Winning at home
Since the Strongs come from the Tri-Cities, it would mean a lot to them for one of their boats to cross the finish line first in Sunday’s final.
“The team looks at it like this is our home here, Vanessa and I,” said Darrell Strong. “So they want to win this race for us. The crew would probably tell you that Seattle is their home race. So they want to win that one.”
He’ll have plenty of people cheering his teams on this weekend.
“We have a VIP tent with 120 people this weekend,” Darrell said. “My wife handles that. She’s so good at that she has it done before the season starts.”
Sunday night after the races are over, the Strongs will have a catered party for their team, win or lose.
Win or lose — right now, mostly win — Darrell Strong is glad he dived headfirst into unlimited hydroplane racing.
He’s having a ball with his team, the fans — even the other owners and teams.
It’s almost like a fraternity/sorority.
“This is like summer camp,” said Strong. “I’m surprised we don’t sign each other’s yearbooks.”
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Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
