When Darrell and Vanessa Strong founded Strong Racing in 2020, they didn’t just set out to own a championship-caliber H1 Unlimited hydroplane team. They set out to strengthen the entire sport of boat racing — from grassroots youth programs to the biggest, fastest boats on the water.
Today, Strong Racing fields two Unlimited boats — the U-8 Beacon Electric and U-9 Beacon Plumbing — but their reach extends far beyond the high-horsepower spectacle of H1 events. For Strong Racing, it’s about building a pipeline of opportunity for young racers, closing the gap between classes, and ensuring that the sport has a vibrant future.
“We can’t put on a show by ourselves with H1,” says Darrell Strong. “We need boats on the water all afternoon. These other classes are very important, and they have a fan base, too. They’re just so in love with the sport… and we want to help them. We all live and die together.”
From the Big Boats to the First Boats
That philosophy has taken real, tangible form. Strong Racing sponsors eight to ten other boats at any given time, including racers as young as 14 or 15. Their roster includes rising stars like Katie Brown and Carson Kelly — the latter being the 16-year-old son of the
U-8’s veteran driver, J. Michael Kelly.
Strong’s investment goes beyond logos and financial backing. In one of their most impactful initiatives, the team purchased four T-boats — small, one-liter inboards that can be driven by racers as young as 13 at speeds of up to 85 mph — and gave them away to families, with one condition: when the driver moves up, the boat must be passed on to another aspiring racer.
“The reason the T-boat class is even on the West Coast is because of Darrell and Vanessa,” Kelly says. “He went out and bought four or five T-boats and handed them out to families to give the kids an opportunity… and that’s where it all begins.”
For Darrell, it’s about accessibility. “Sometimes a T-boat is their first introduction into racing unless they come from a racing family. This way, a kid doesn’t have to be born into the sport to get a shot.”
A Driver Steeped in Tradition
Few drivers in the H1 Unlimited pits embody the sport’s generational pull like J. Michael Kelly. “I’m third generation,” he says. “My grandfather and my great uncles all raced back in the day. My dad and my uncle grew up racing as well. From day one, I was going to the boat races… I got my first opportunity to race in 1987. Never really thought I’d get to drive Unlimited, but in 2004, I got the call — first race was in Tri-Cities, I made the podium, and here I am 20 years later.”
For Kelly, the thrill of competing at the top level is matched by the joy of watching his sons discover the sport. It’s not uncommon to see Kelly running radio in addition to his driver duties. His oldest stepson Brandon tried racing but decided it wasn’t for him. Carson, however, is fully committed. “If he could do it for a job, that’s what he would do,” Kelly laughs. Nine-year-old Asher just started racing this year, making it a true family affair.
“The plus side is every weekend I’m with my family, I’m with my boys, and I’m doing things with them. The sport’s great — great people, keeps the kids out of trouble, and with Unlimited we get to travel and meet different people and venues. It’s a great experience for all of us.”
Always Racing, Always Learning
Kelly’s year doesn’t slow down. From March to October, he races almost every weekend, splitting time between outboard and inboard events. “When I race outboards, I’ll run six classes a weekend. Inboards, two or three different classes. And then we’re on a plane or traveling to race the big boats.”
That relentless schedule keeps him sharp. “Most of the top Unlimited drivers now have come from the smaller ranks, and we’re still doing it. For me, it helps — I run classes that go 60 mph all the way up to 200 mph. You’ve got to be able to adapt.”
Even his coaching role as a spotter for Carson has sharpened his racecraft. “I’ve been doing his radios, and he says I’m really good at
it and doesn’t want anyone else doing it. It’s stressful — you’re their eyes when they can’t see what’s around them — but it’s fun. It’s made me better at communicating with my own spotters.”
In the pits, Kelly’s role as a father is just as visible as his role as a driver. On one of his race boats, the traditional nameplate has even been replaced with the words “Carson Kelly’s Dad,” a lighthearted nod to his 16-year-old son’s growing racing résumé. Kelly admits he takes pride in the title.
“Sometimes I think Carson might even be better than me right now,” he said. “I almost enjoy — well, I do enjoy — watching him more than myself being out in a boat.”
For a man with decades of experience in the sport, it’s a reminder that his greatest rewards may come from guiding the next generation, even while competing at the highest level.
Passing It On
Strong Racing’s influence doesn’t stop at its own drivers. Darrell often points to the ripple effect: “If somebody on our crew owns a boat, we try to sponsor it. If one of our drivers is driving another boat, we try to sponsor it. That’s how it started — and it’s grown from there. We go to smaller races, we get to know people, and they become like family to us.”
That family-first atmosphere is what makes boat racing feel, as Darrell puts it, “like a family reunion or summer camp” in the pits. It’s also what motivates him to keep closing the gap between Unlimited and other classes — so that a kid in a J-boat at nine years old can see a real, attainable path to an H1 cockpit.
Kelly knows firsthand how rare those chances can be. “My family didn’t race Unlimited, so I wasn’t guaranteed a shot. Jim Harvey, who owned the U-2 at the time, was crazy enough to put a kid in one who probably wasn’t qualified. He believed in me, gave me an opportunity — and I ran with it. Now, thanks to Darrell and others, kids have more ways to get there.”
The Road Ahead
As for the U-8 Beacon Electric, the team remains a contender on the H1 Unlimited circuit, with Kelly second in the driver high point standings and teammate Corey Peabody in the U-9 Beacon Plumbing just over 200 points on his roostertail. Off the water, Strong Racing’s support network — from youth drivers to emerging stars — is quietly shaping the next generation of racers.
For Kelly, the future includes more racing, more family, and hopefully one milestone moment: “I want to race against Carson before I retire. That’s my goal. But I’m not giving up the Unlimited seat just yet.”
For Darrell Strong, the mission remains steady. “Boat racing is boat racing. Whether it’s 60 miles an hour or 200, it’s about the people, the passion, and keeping this sport alive for the next wave.”