TRI-CITIES, Wash.-Evans, Tate, Brown, Eacrett, King and Hopp, the sport of boat racing is often a family affair and the Echols are the latest to carry on the family business.
“I’ve done this since I was 10 years old in the smaller boats, and you always look to drive an unlimited and finally making it to that level and getting to compete against these other guys is the ultimate,” said Dustin Echols, a second-generation boat racer.
Echols drove the U-40 Fav-R-Pac boat to a third place finish in the Apollo Columbia Cup on July 28 and his daughter Findley is a rising star in the Stock Outboard division.
Like children in most racing families, Findley was on the water at an early age and began competing at age 11.
“It’s a feeling that you don’t get like in everyday life, and it’s a feeling that you keep chasing and chasing, and it’s just like the need for speed,” said Findley of boat racing.
Now almost 18, Findley raced to a second place finish at the Stock Outboard Nationals in Moses Lake on July 21 and is quickly following in her father’s wake on the water.
For Dustin, the opportunity to share his passion for boat racing with his daughter is pretty special.
“I wanted to race boats long enough, so she would understand what I did and hopefully would think its cool, and the fact that she not only thinks its cool but she wants to follow in my footsteps is unbelievable, and it drives me to keep doing as well as I can,” said Dustin.
The father daughter boat racing bond also helps the Echols on the water, as they push each other to be their best.
“He’s always there for me at my worst times in boat racing specifically, yes, I calm him down, but he makes me feel better, he sees my perspective and gives me a new perspective,” said Findley of having her dad around as she climbs the ranks of the sport.
