OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

Dale · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 173

This weekend we seen our West Zone President inducted into the Canadian Boating Federation hall of fame.

Dale · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 173

The following is from Lois, Paula and Corry. And of coarse Brian

Brian McGregor’s Memories of 35 years of Jet River Racing

1981 Great Canadian Marathon Race started in Whitecourt, AB. Raced on the McLeod River, Athabasca River, Smokey River & finished on the Peace River in Peace River.
I watched the start of this race & went home & told Lois, “I can build a boat & motor which will beat all those boats”. After the race, sold my 1965 Corvette & bought Bob Berg’s boat with a broken 427 engine.
Named the Boat Magoo II, Number 322

1982 First race was the Saskabow River Race in southern Alberta. Loaded the motor home with sponsored beer and headed south to race on the South Saskatchewan River & Bow River.
Original crew was John Rozsko & George Chaulifaux
Original boat had handling issues, so sold it & bought my second boat, rigged it up & raced the Great Canadian River Race from Whitecourt to Hinton, to Grande Cache to Grande Prairie

Helped rebuilt the boat launch in Whitecourt. Also built the boat launchs at Chevon Bridge & Blue Ridge Bridge & Windfall Bridge. The oil companies will never know how helpful they were in contributing men & equipment.

1983 Raced in Canada. First year I helped organize the Great Canadian Marathon.
Raced again the Sakabow River Race. This time took entire family. My daughters were not impressed sleeping in a tent surrounded by snakes.
Second generation of racers born, Michael. Comment on the race circuit was “See you had a busy winter.

1984 Raced my first race in Mexico with Fred Chrunyk.
I supplied the boat “324, Magoo II “which I had purchased from Fred. Fred supplied the motor.
Fred Chrunyk and Dorman Ditch, both boat builders, were the originators in starting Jet River racing in Canada in 1975.
I took over the chairmanship of Jet River racing in western Canada.
I was elected to the Canadian Boating Federation as the Western Zone V.P. of Jet River racing & still holding that position until fall this year.
Raced in both Canada & Mexico

1985 Started the circuit races in Whitecourt on the Athabasca River.. First time spectators could watch an entire race from the bleachers.
Raced in the Mexican World Race as well as in Canada.
Crewed with John Rozsko & Paddy Stratton
Lois & John say “Way to much Mexican tequila.”

1986 Raced Whitecourt & Smoky River Marathon
Became the Vice-President of the Smoky River Boat Association

1987 Organized the Shell World’s Championship River Race. President & chairman of race.
Appointed UIM rules representative for jet river racing. I still continue working with this group.

1988 Bought 1st tunnel boat from New Zealand & changed race number to #224. Raced a 468 BB Chev & Won the Peace River Gold Cup & Whitecourt Circuit Race

1989 Repeated the race wins with same motor & boat

1990 Repeated the Canadian Series wins & traveled to Mexico for the worlds. 75 boats in the race & we started in 27th place. On this first leg of the race I passed 21 boats & crashed 1 mile from the finish line. I was thrown out of the boat & my crew Paddy Stratton & Kevin Stead sank down with the boat. Because of inner tubes in the boat resurfaced with both crew members still holding on. Don’t know at what depth these two would have let go.
Had my 1st Mexican helicopter ride to a hospital, landed in a soccer field.
Even with the commotion of the helicopter, the game continued. The race doctor had to flag down a cab to the get to the hospital. Had 4 broken ribs, the hospital was quite the experience until I flew home & race crew brought the boat back?

1991 President of World Race, did not race

1992-1993 Raced Canadian Series

1994-1998 President & chairman of the Whitecourt Circuit Races but did not race.
My daughter, Paula, first year as a race flagger at the age of 14.
Helped organize the building of the Quonset building at the Whitecourt boat launch

1995 Was instrumental in rebuilding the boat launch in Grande Prairie. This launch was renamed Magoo’s Landing after my race boats.
Raced the World Race with crew, Paddy Stratton.

1999 President of the World Race, bought a reposed race boat from Outlaw Marine, and changed the boat number to #181 added a 350 LT1 & went racing.

2000 Bought & rigged up a sprint boat, to push the class, Miss Magoo #69” and raced with my daughter, Paula. Also raced my new B-Class 20 ft Eagle tunnel
Daughter, Corry McGregor, first time as a race flagger.

2001 Bought my first professional built 357 ci aluminum small block for B-Class for $35,000 from AMS Engines & continued spending on motors.
Raced & placed 2nd in B class at the 1st midnight run in Hay River, NWT

2002 Raced Canadian Series & traveled to Mexico to race in the World’s Marathon with crew Tim Greber & Tyler Dick. Won 3rd in B-Class

2003 Raced & organized the 2003 WorldChampionship Jet River Race in Canada.
I raced with my son, Michael & Tim Greber & won B-Class
Raced in Mexico race with Michael & won 2nd place in “B” Class

2004 Started the Western Racing Association which encompasses all jet river racing in Western
Canada.
UIM inspector at the Mexican North American Championship. Still waiting to be paid.

2005 Raced again.

2006 Organized the Whitecourt Races & restarted the Grande Prairie races. Known as the Brekkaas Splash & Das.

2007 Helped with the introduction of the crate class engines. The first class was called FX with a Chevy motor ZZ4, 350 ci crate motor.
Bought a used 1985 hull & new chevy ZZ4 motor to show river racing an old boat was still competitive & not necessarily expensive. My son, Michael, with his friend Curtis Tullock raced it & placed 3rd in FX Class in the World Championship River Race. First time trophies were given out to racers in suits & top hats.
President & chairman of the 2007 World Championship Jet Boat Races. 63 boats from Canada, United States, Mexico & New Zealand.

2008 2008 Rebuilt & expanded the parking lot in Whitecourt. First turbine engine unlimited driven boat at the World Race in the USA

2011 President & chairman of the Outlaw Eagle World Jet Boat Marathon. 53 boats started the races representing 4 countries.
With the involvement of many gov’t departments , international issues & organizing club contributions, putting on a World race now takes about 40 hours of work per week for 6 months. A big job.
Helped with the organization of the 2nd crate engine class CX, with a LS3 ct525 motor.

2012 Helped organized the expansion of the Magoo’s Landing in Grande Prairie. The site can now accommodate up to 150 boats.

2013 Daughter, Paula, was honored by the Western Zone Racing Association for 25 years on the start line flagging & timing. Uncle Paddy Stratton was honored for 30 years of race announcing & working on river races.

2015 President & chairperson of 2015 World Jet Boat Championship sponsored by Outlaw Eagle Manufacturing & Tidy Trucking. 60 plus boats plan to race.

Over the years I have attended 10 CBF conventions. I have attended most of the UIM rules meetings after the World Races in Canada, USA & Mexico.
Through my work with the UIM, I was instrumental over the years to many rule changes regarding racing, classes & safety.
Many of the current racers have either bought one of my many race boats or raced personally with me.
I have always loved racing high speed boats, however, over the years I have put the organization of the races ahead of my actual racing of the boats.
After the 2015 World Race, I am planning on retiring from the organization of jet river races. However, my involvement with the CBF & UIM who’s to say when that retirement will happen

Dale · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 173

I have No idea how to post these as Images Sorry maybe Auther can?

Dale · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 173

Dale · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 173

Dale · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 173

Most of us know Brian but not many of know how much he has done and is still doing for the sport and for river boating in general.

Thanks for many years of hard work.

Will R · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 677 Location: NWT/Alberta

Hear hear!!! Congrats Brian! Well deserved!

Itsworthit · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 432 Location: Whitecourt

Undeniably, the hardest working, most dedicated and respected man in the jet boating community out there, Congrat's Brian, great work!!!

Backdraft · Joined: 20 Jul 2012 Posts: 6

Congratulations Brian!

TOP DAWG · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 3:44 pm Post subject:

Amazing accomplishments ! Thank you so very much for everything you have done Brian.

Arthur · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 4:04 pm Post subject:

He's spent a lot of his life making this sport grow....Thanks Brian!

Bald Man · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:56 pm Post subject:

That is one hell of a resume, Brian.
Everyone thanks you for all the time and effort that you have put into boating racing over the years.