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St. Tammany man makes big splash as world champion boat racer
Published: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 8:30 AM Updated: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 10:01 AM
Idolized in Mexico, revered in Cuba, and regularly bombarded with babies, autograph pens and bright camera flashes in China, Jay Price is an international superstar. But in Louisiana, where the 53-year-old Slidell-area resident has lived his entire life, hardly anyone has heard of him, or his sport, for that matter.
As a professional Formula 1 boat racer, Price has won dozens of titles in the four levels of formula series races. But his F1 H20 world championship in 2008, as well as runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2010, make up the golden eggs of his trophy basket so far.
"The guy is the biggest hidden talent in New Orleans," said F1 H20 series play-by-play host and former ESPN boating announcer Steve Michael. "Bottom line: Jay is probably one of the two or three most respected drivers in the world."
For the record, only 12 different men have held the F1 world title since 1981.
F1 boats measure in at 16 feet and weigh about 800 pounds, but they look more like miniature space shuttles than boats. The engines have more than 450 horsepower and when a race begins, the boats accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in about 4 seconds to begin roughly 45-minute lap-based races.
A defiant work ethic and raw driving talent propelled Price from a no-name Louisiana driver captaining shoddy boats to a world champion on one of the richest racing teams in the world, said Michael, who has done play-by-play for power boating all over the world for 17 years and counting.
"He was able to wring more out of a boat than anybody else," he said, describing the insufficient boats Price raced with in the beginning of his career, earning mediocre finishes. As soon as he got his hands on some decent equipment though, his rankings skyrocketed.
View full sizeImaginechina via AP ImagesF1 boat engines have more than 450 horsepower, and when a race begins, the boats accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in about 4 seconds to begin roughly 45-minute lap-based races. "He was the king of Mexican races, like a Mario Andretti of Mexico," said Duke Waldrop, a Formula 1 H20 official who now races cars as well.
Waldrop knew the late Al Copeland of Copeland's restaurant and Popeyes fame through officiating some of his races, but Price never met Copeland, who was the most famous boat racer in these parts. Copeland competed in offshore boating, where the boats are about 30 feet longer, several tons heavier and use much bigger engines, so the two never raced against one another.
Price graduated from Abramson High School in New Orleans and soon after opened his own used car dealership in Arabi, where it still operates today. It was the dealer in him that roused interest in a used boat because of its favorable price, but it wasn't until he saw the single-seat speedboat that he realized it was for racing.
Not long after, Price caught racing fever and started his own team in New Orleans before joining Stiletto racing in New Orleans. When the team owner came down with leukemia, he told Price to take over the team.
That began a chain of events where he pulled off two U.S. Formula 2 championships, five Mexican championships and seven Cuban titles before signing on with a Formula 2 world tour Spanish team in 2002, one step away from his call-up to the major leagues of powerboat racing.
Four years later, the rugged, sun-tanned thrillseeker became the lead driver for the F1 H20 Qatar team, owned by a member of the royal sheikh family, and began competing against the top 24 drivers in the world for a series championship.
Price has worked as a driver-for-hire since 1991, meaning he does not own any equipment (not even a helmet), but signs contracts with racing teams like players in the NFL and other pro sports. He doesn't have an agent, but his negotiating skills are worth noting, since he rakes in healthy salaries, as well as all his tournament winnings (about $10,000 for first place in any one of the eight series races per year).
"In his last 25 races on the world tour, (Price) finished either first or second in 21 of 25 races," said Michael, "That's unheard-of."
Price resigned from team Qatar at the end of the 2011 season, but he expects to join a new team by the end of 2012 and keep racing at the highest level. But he doesn't know how much he has left in the tank, since the sport's unprecedented turning forces pit drivers against the laws of physics on a regular basis.
"It's absolutely about being fit," said the veteran racer who has witnessed multiple deaths during races over the years and has himself crashed more than 30 times in his career.
One time in St. Petersburg, Russia, race officials had a black box installed in each boat. When Price caught a wave around a turn, he flipped and skidded across the water going upwards of 150 mph. The readings of G-force, a relative measure of acceleration compared to free-fall, were off the charts.
"[The crash] destroyed my canopy and cracked my helmet," Price said. "The box only read up to 39 g's," which is higher than most humans can survive, he said. He still keeps the printout of the readings to disprove skeptics.
Because of the high risk associated with power boating, Price managed to steer his daughter and two sons, all adults now, away from racing. For his wife of 33 years, Roberta, it took a little getting used to.
"She hated it for many years, but I think she's learned to live with the danger," said the man who has owned more than 100 boats in his lifetime.
Boating is a full-time job, requiring overseas travel a minimum of eight to 10 weeks during the year. "I get to watch a lot of movies," Price said. "The trip to China is a monster, so at least 5 or 6 movies."
But the competition and adrenaline rush will keep him going back for now.
"There's no speed limit on the water, you can go as fast as you want," Price said.
Ben Wallace can be reached at bwallace@timespicayune.com.
St. Tammany man makes big splash as world champion boat racer | NOLA.com
St. Tammany man makes big splash as world champion boat racer
Published: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 8:30 AM Updated: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 10:01 AM
Idolized in Mexico, revered in Cuba, and regularly bombarded with babies, autograph pens and bright camera flashes in China, Jay Price is an international superstar. But in Louisiana, where the 53-year-old Slidell-area resident has lived his entire life, hardly anyone has heard of him, or his sport, for that matter.
As a professional Formula 1 boat racer, Price has won dozens of titles in the four levels of formula series races. But his F1 H20 world championship in 2008, as well as runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2010, make up the golden eggs of his trophy basket so far.
"The guy is the biggest hidden talent in New Orleans," said F1 H20 series play-by-play host and former ESPN boating announcer Steve Michael. "Bottom line: Jay is probably one of the two or three most respected drivers in the world."
For the record, only 12 different men have held the F1 world title since 1981.
F1 boats measure in at 16 feet and weigh about 800 pounds, but they look more like miniature space shuttles than boats. The engines have more than 450 horsepower and when a race begins, the boats accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in about 4 seconds to begin roughly 45-minute lap-based races.
A defiant work ethic and raw driving talent propelled Price from a no-name Louisiana driver captaining shoddy boats to a world champion on one of the richest racing teams in the world, said Michael, who has done play-by-play for power boating all over the world for 17 years and counting.
"He was able to wring more out of a boat than anybody else," he said, describing the insufficient boats Price raced with in the beginning of his career, earning mediocre finishes. As soon as he got his hands on some decent equipment though, his rankings skyrocketed.
View full sizeImaginechina via AP ImagesF1 boat engines have more than 450 horsepower, and when a race begins, the boats accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in about 4 seconds to begin roughly 45-minute lap-based races. "He was the king of Mexican races, like a Mario Andretti of Mexico," said Duke Waldrop, a Formula 1 H20 official who now races cars as well.
Waldrop knew the late Al Copeland of Copeland's restaurant and Popeyes fame through officiating some of his races, but Price never met Copeland, who was the most famous boat racer in these parts. Copeland competed in offshore boating, where the boats are about 30 feet longer, several tons heavier and use much bigger engines, so the two never raced against one another.
Price graduated from Abramson High School in New Orleans and soon after opened his own used car dealership in Arabi, where it still operates today. It was the dealer in him that roused interest in a used boat because of its favorable price, but it wasn't until he saw the single-seat speedboat that he realized it was for racing.
Not long after, Price caught racing fever and started his own team in New Orleans before joining Stiletto racing in New Orleans. When the team owner came down with leukemia, he told Price to take over the team.
That began a chain of events where he pulled off two U.S. Formula 2 championships, five Mexican championships and seven Cuban titles before signing on with a Formula 2 world tour Spanish team in 2002, one step away from his call-up to the major leagues of powerboat racing.
Four years later, the rugged, sun-tanned thrillseeker became the lead driver for the F1 H20 Qatar team, owned by a member of the royal sheikh family, and began competing against the top 24 drivers in the world for a series championship.
Price has worked as a driver-for-hire since 1991, meaning he does not own any equipment (not even a helmet), but signs contracts with racing teams like players in the NFL and other pro sports. He doesn't have an agent, but his negotiating skills are worth noting, since he rakes in healthy salaries, as well as all his tournament winnings (about $10,000 for first place in any one of the eight series races per year).
"In his last 25 races on the world tour, (Price) finished either first or second in 21 of 25 races," said Michael, "That's unheard-of."
Price resigned from team Qatar at the end of the 2011 season, but he expects to join a new team by the end of 2012 and keep racing at the highest level. But he doesn't know how much he has left in the tank, since the sport's unprecedented turning forces pit drivers against the laws of physics on a regular basis.
"It's absolutely about being fit," said the veteran racer who has witnessed multiple deaths during races over the years and has himself crashed more than 30 times in his career.
One time in St. Petersburg, Russia, race officials had a black box installed in each boat. When Price caught a wave around a turn, he flipped and skidded across the water going upwards of 150 mph. The readings of G-force, a relative measure of acceleration compared to free-fall, were off the charts.
"[The crash] destroyed my canopy and cracked my helmet," Price said. "The box only read up to 39 g's," which is higher than most humans can survive, he said. He still keeps the printout of the readings to disprove skeptics.
Because of the high risk associated with power boating, Price managed to steer his daughter and two sons, all adults now, away from racing. For his wife of 33 years, Roberta, it took a little getting used to.
"She hated it for many years, but I think she's learned to live with the danger," said the man who has owned more than 100 boats in his lifetime.
Boating is a full-time job, requiring overseas travel a minimum of eight to 10 weeks during the year. "I get to watch a lot of movies," Price said. "The trip to China is a monster, so at least 5 or 6 movies."
But the competition and adrenaline rush will keep him going back for now.
"There's no speed limit on the water, you can go as fast as you want," Price said.
Ben Wallace can be reached at bwallace@timespicayune.com.
St. Tammany man makes big splash as world champion boat racer | NOLA.com
