Drag Boat Memorial
including Water Speed Record Racers
ABOUT THIS WEBSITE
This website provides information about racers who died while racing on lakes, marinas, and other locations in pursuit of world water speed records and while racing in drag boat competitions. It is the most comprehensive site of its kind on the Web and a companion to my other websites, Land Speed Racer Memorial and Drag Strip Deaths. Over 80 drivers who died while racing for these attainments have been identified and researched.
It is organized by years with names arranged in each span of years alphabetically by last name. If you are seeking information about a particular racer and are unsure about the year of the accident, scroll down this page to the Fatalities. Then click on the year span in the header at the top of any page. That will take you to the page where his entry will be found. The Index lists all racers who died at a specific location.
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Information about each racer (when known) includes birth/death dates, date/place of accident, age, information about accident, biographical information, burial place, etc. Photograph of the racer, boat, and a link to video clips are included if available.
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Information and photos to add to the entries are always welcome. We also invite those who knew these racers to share their memories in the Forum.
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More information is also needed to add other racers to this memorial. In some cases, we know their names, but we need at least a specific year in order to make an entry for them. Contact us if you can help with information.
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Compiled by Mel Bashore
Last Updated: December 12, 2020
Total Deaths: 85
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Number of deaths by span of years:
1930-1959: 3
1960-1969: 9
1970-1979: 18
1980-1989: 28
1990-1999: 10
2000-2009: 14
2010-: 3
FATALITIES
WORLD WATER SPEED RACERS
Craig Arfons (1989)
Donald Campbell (1967)
Gianmarco Cighetti (1970)
John Cobb (1952)
Erik Laforge (1987)
Len Owen (1962)
Henry Segrave (1930)
Lee Taylor (1980)
Mario Verga (1954)
DRAG BOAT RACERS (A-H)
DRAG BOAT RACERS (I-Z)
Charles Abajian (1978 )
Dale Anderson (2002)
Gil Antes (1990)
Mac Bale (1970)
Joe Barnes (2004)
Jan Barrett (1973)
Jim Benson (1991)
Bob Bird (1967)
Tom Black (1997)
Don Brandon (1974)
Buster Brownfield (1975)
Jeff Bruns (1980)
Lloyd Burns (2007)
Tom Cantrell (1997)
Tim Capaldi (1994)
Ray Caselli (1973)
Jack Cayer (1980)
Milt Chapman (1986)
Mac Christensen (1974)
Buz Coats (1967)
Ricky Comer (1992)
Bill Davis (1988 )
Ronnie Dew (1990)
Neil Donegan (1985)
Melvin Eaves (2001)
Don Ermshar (2009)
Lance Faulkner (2001)
Cecil Florence (1984)
Mike Fry (2015)
Jerry Gleason (1969)
John Haas (2010)
Bill Hartman (1986)
Alan Hawkins (2000)
John Hipwell (2004)
Jim Hobbs (1984)
Charlie Hodsdon (2006)
Ted Holden (1971)
Arvie Hughett (1984)
Hughie Jones (1986)
Gean Keen (1968 )
Julian Kirk (1982)
Tom Kunzeman (1992)
Howard Lakin (1974)
John Lawson (1967)
Earl Lothringer (1976)
Porter McFarland (1976)
Kenny McIntosh (1975)
Randy Muller (1985)
Denver Mullins (1992)
Mike Neuharth (2005)
Dave Nolte (1986)
John Phillips (1977)
Dudley Proctor (1969)
Stephen Rawleigh (2008 )
Thurman Riggs (1983)
Bob Rogers (1988 )
Tom Roland (1988 )
Jim Sanders (1970)
Ken Scheff (1981)
Chuck Skaggs (1970)
Dave Skalicky (2005)
Jerry Spencer (1985)
Wade Stanley (2016)
Larry Stephens (1996)
Bob Stipp (1968 )
Bill Thomas (1989)
Billy Todd (1986)
Jim Tucker (2009)
Denny Vachal (1986)
Jay Wallace (2006)
Jerry Wallace (1988 )
Ed Wilcox (1978 )
Don Williams (1978 )
Jim Wright (1982)
John Young (1986)
Barry Zenovka (1983)