Shane balances job at Kent’s Blue Origin, hydroplane racing | Seafair Cup

Published 3:19 pm Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Jimmy Shane spends his working days as an integration engineer in Kent. But on weekends, the 29-year-old Covington man is a fierce competitor with a zeal to race high-powered hydroplanes.

“It has always been a pretty large passion starting as young as I did,” said Shane, a world and national champion who drives the U-1 Oberto/Miss Madison machine in the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series.

Shane, reigning Gold Cup and H1 Unlimited High Points champion, and the Oberto team return to Lake Washington for the Albert Lee Appliance Seafair Cup this weekend. Shane will look to capture his second Seafair showdown in three years in Sunday’s final (4:40 p.m., KIRO 7 TV).

All in the family

Shane began racing boats at the age of 8, following in the footsteps of his father, who first took up the sport in 1969. Shane’s mother and sister also competed, forming a family contingent that raced each other during Shane’s teenage years.

“We all traveled together as a family,” he said. “It was fantastic.”

Shane was named American Power Boat Association Region 4 Rookie of the Year in 2001. He drove in the limited classes before entering unlimited competition as a substitute driver in 2007. He raced his first full season in the H1 Unlimited series in 2012 and joined the Oberto team in 2014.

Shane’s passion for hydroplanes also includes their construction. He built his own boats when he first started racing.

“My family owned a custom metal fabrication business,” he said. “I grew up in the industry of metal fabrication.”

Shane’s background in metal fabrication and experience building boats led to a job building rockets at Blue Origin, LLC, a privately funded aerospace manufacturer set up by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos.

Shane began working at Blue Origin about two years ago, when he moved to Covington from his native Maryland with his wife, Bianca, who is originally from Sammamish.

“She got her way and we ended up here in Seattle,” Shane said.

Shane is able to balance his job with racing, using vacation time to go to races.

“They (Blue Origin) knew hiring me about the hydroplane racing,” Shane said. “They have been absolutely great to work with.”

Shane’s wife and 2-year-old son, Colton, often travel with him to the races.

“We like to do that as family,” he said.

Shane said he will let Colton decide when he gets older if he wants to race.

“If he is anything like me, it is going to be really hard for him not be somewhat involved growing up in that environment,” he said.

Striving to be the best

Racing has taught Shane many life lessons, such as trying new things and learning from failing.

“Setting goals and trying to achieve to the highest you can is one of biggest life lessons I have learned,” he said.

Shane achieved one of his goals this season, repeating as Gold Cup champion with a win in the Tri-Cities last Sunday. The win on the Columbia River was Shane’s ninth career conquest in H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series racing, putting Oberto in the lead for the National High Points title.

For Shane, winning the Gold Cup on the Detroit River last year in his first season with the Oberto hydro was a big accomplishment, since it had been 43 years since Miss Madison won the prestigious trophy.

Shane and his crew are now targeting a second goal – another series title. Such a feat, Shane pointed out, not only comes with the U-1 number for the boat but gives the team bragging rights for an entire season.

Oberto has been one of the boats to beat for a while, with five National High Points titles in the past seven years.

“Everyone knows when Oberto shows up we are there to win races,” Shane said. “We go into the season knowing that everyone is shooting for what we have.”

Shane said he is fortunate to work with a team like Oberto. He said it took some time for the team to adjust to him as the boat’s new driver last year.

“They were a team that was very experienced with their driver and crew chief for last 10 years,” he said. “It threw a loop into the operation.”

Next: Seafair prize

Shane takes to the challenging waters of Lake Washington this weekend for the Seafair Cup.

“Seafair is a very unique course,” he said. “It is a smaller course being a 2-mile track.”

The course turns more difficult when the log boom makes for choppy waters, not allowing the boats’ waves to dissipate, Shane explained.

“When the wind gets blowing it throws another toughness to the race course,” he said. “It is very unpredictable and changes every single lap. … It is exciting for the fans but tough for the race team to win Seafair and keep the boat in one piece.”

Hydroplane racing has struggled for fan and sponsor support in the last few years but seems to be on the upswing, gaining popularity. Drivers like Shane and his U-5 rival, Bonney Lake’s J. Michael Kelly, make it intriguing.

While there are five races in the circuit this year, two races will be added next year, bringing the total closer to days of 12 unlimited races each season.

Shane said hydroplane racing has a good following in the Pacific Northwest, with Seafair and the races in the Tri-Cities drawing thousands of spectators.

“If we can get some new areas to have that same market, we will be in really good shape,” Shane said.

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Albert Lee Appliance Seafair Cup Schedule of Events

The H1 Unlimited Hydroplane races will take place on Lake Washington, near Seattle’s Genesee Park, 4316 S. Genesee St. For more information, visit Seafair.com

Friday, July 31

8:30 a.m. – Gates Open
8:30 a.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Testing
10 a.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Testing
Noon – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Driver Autograph Session
2:50 p.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Qualifying Session
6 p.m. – Gates Close

Saturday, Aug. 1

8:30 a.m. – Gates Open
8:50 a.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Testing
11:15 a.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 1A Presented by Barefoot Wine
11:35 a.m – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 1B Presented by Kyocera
Noon – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Driver Autograph Session
6:30 p.m. – Gates Close

Sunday, Aug. 2

7:30 a.m. – Gates Open
8:30 a.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Testing
11:20 a.m – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 2A Presented by Tulalip Resort Casino
11:40 a.m – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 2B Presented by Fox Plumbing & Heating
2:55 p.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 3A Presented by Graham Trucking
3:15 p.m. – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 3B Presented by OneMain Financial
4:45 p.m. – Albert Lee Appliance Cup at Seafair – H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Final
5:15 p.m. – Awards Ceremony at Stan Sayres Pits Stage
6 p.m. – Gates Close

NOTE: For a complete Seafair results, visit www.h1unlimited.com.

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PHOTO BELOW:

Golden day: Jimmy Shane and the U-1 Oberto team came away with the Gold Cup victory at Kennewick last Sunday. COURTESY PHOTO, Christopher W. Denslow