They were working on the engines of Gibson Exhausts boat and their famous 150 mile dog was supervising the operation.   I learned all this while just hanging around there and saw some people with magazines and articles about the boat and dog.  They mention they’re in Offshore Racing every month and some 6 foot blonde in very skimpy dress and an Admirals hat interviewed them while I was there. Once they quit tinkering with the engines, they fired that baby up.  I was standing right next to it and should have covered my ears, but it was such sweet music.  I was really excited now and hoped this chick, Monica has nice boat. About that time she comes running up and asks if I’m Mac.  Then she grabs me and says lets go pulling me over to an assembly area for the Veterans.   Then introduced me to a bunch of folks and I noticed they all had radios and VIP Badges.

Then Monica, said she checked www.SgtMacsBar.com and asked if I was a TSgt and had a Bronze Star with Valor…. She said, Great I need you to sign this waiver releasing us of all responsibility and then they banded me to allow me access to the VIP Area. The Boss Man was Jim; Race Starter and Assistant Referee who reminded me of the song, You don’t mess around with Jim.  I’d seen him talking earlier with the Gibson Exhaust boys and he was a flurry of activity.  I was introduced to him; he thanked me for coming out and said he’d get me on a boat.  It was finally starting to dawn on me; Monica doesn’t want my body and doesn’t even have a boat.  I’ve been had and I’m not going to get any beer to loosen me up.  And then I’m insulted when the first thing the Boss Man does is tell some young Marine stud to get on the Gibson Exhaust Boat.

He told a few other people where to go and was looking for boats to take us and I was concerned it might be a shift thing because there were two races.   I needed to take some action and up my odds to get on nice boat and check out the races.

I kept my eye on Jim and had him cornered away from the crowd, so as soon as he hung his phone up, I made my move.  I said; “Jim, I don’t know how you’re deciding to put who on what boat, but I’d have given you my left nut to get a ride on that Gibson Exhaust boat.”  He stepped back, gave me a once over and said; “You’re coming on my boat.”

Now, I hadn’t seen Jim’s boat, but I let out with a big COOL and knew I’d made the day. 

I later overheard him voice some concern about some of the older Veterans and he didn’t care how many waivers they’d signed, he refused to put them in harms way.  He then explained to them how there just wasn’t enough room on the fast boats and how the Budweiser Select Party Boat, a two decker party your butt off boat, wanted to have them as guest.  I almost floundered and jumped ship. 

Jim sent me down the dock and told me to jump on the last boat.  What a pleasure, I met the boat owners, Rick and Julie, and friend Ed who was nice enough to pop the hood and showed me the engines….. SWEET. 

I was about to get my first ride on a cigarette boat and find out why Jim was concerned about the elderly folks and gave me a once over before committing me to his boat.  Actually it was Rick’s boat and was being used as the pace boat.  I still don’t understand the significance of all that’s happening, I’m overwhelmed with the moment.

Rick started that bad boy up and my pulse jumped.   We idled on out and when he threw some power on those props we jumped out of the water and beat the hell out the waves as they fought back.  I’m not sure who won, but the boat stayed together and I managed to stay in it.  They asked if I was OK and I told them they were sure making it hard for me to take pictures and how I was looking forward to a day of this brain jarring.

Once we got out of the channel and the winds weren’t funneled through it, it got a bit smoother and we were only Airborne about ½ the time.  It didn’t take long to get to the race course where we just putted about while Jim coordinated.

I heard him mention something about the KIA Family coming up and I asked if he knew who it was.  He didn’t, but said they were in the yellow boat coming up on us, and sure enough…….. there was Nick Fresques along with Lindsey and Justin.

You should have seen the surprise on their faces when I popped up and said, smile.

I am so lucky and have no clue what the rest of the day holds.

Now Jim’s coordinating with the aircrews, rescue, photographers and the networks, fixed and rotor.  Technology that is used at major sports events such as the NFL, including the Superbowl, the NBA, and Major League Baseball is going on-line in Destin to bring the races live and in color worldwide. Actually, the same productions teams involved in these sports and other major special events have been contracted by AMF Productions to broadcast the Merrick World Cup Classic - the United Worlds of OSS, OPA, and POPRA – live to a worldwide audience.

Jim also mentioned something about three old time airplanes doing a couple of fly-bys and a low pass with smoke. 

Then he told me I’m going to have to help Ed hold the American Flag while we do a “Missing Man Formation” lap with all the boats in a salute to our Veterans.   Next thing I know we’re motoring off and Jim’s yelling in his radios and telephones while giving hand signals to the racers.

I actually see a formation forming behind us and then a formation of rotor wings fell in and we threw up the American Flag as we ran the Missing Man Formation along the beach.  We were hauling butt, it was all you could do to hang on, and then hold a flag that 50 miles of wind is trying to pull from your hands.

We weren’t going to let that flag go, however it had other plans.  The top attachment came undone and after a few frenzied seconds Ed got it reattached and we had the flag back up.  In all the excitement I almost didn’t see the helicopter in my personal space filming the incident. 

Later on the attachment came undone again, but we managed to keep it in the air flying.

Then all of a sudden we veer off, come to a stop and the five of us are all high fiving and whooping it up.  It suddenly hit me that I was on the lead boat at a World Offshore Racing Event and my job was to hold the flag, the only flag in the formation.  Pictured to the left are Julie and Ed. It can’t get any better and I couldn’t be bestowed a bigger honor, or could I?  The races were about to start and Jim is giving orders left and right through multiple devices and we’re moving again.  He gives Ed a yellow flag to hold, gives me a green one and tells me to throw it up when on his 5 second countdown.  We pass in front of the racers and Ed holds his yellow flag up and they start following us.  Jim starts coordinating with his hands a lot and then we’re hauling ass with the racers flying wingman and waiting for a start.

Pace speed is around 50, it’s a bit choppy and a challenge to stay in the boat without using two hands.   Ed’s managed to keep his flag up and I have my face in Jim’s.  With those engines throbbing and slamming into the waves, it can get rather loud, and I didn’t want to miss Jim’s countdown.

I hit it on the mark and about threw the flag right out of the boat.  When it hit that 50 MPH wind it wanted to go and I’m happy Jim was able to put a hand on it to help while I got it under control.  Again we veered off and the five of us are all high fiving and whooping it up. 

We then hang around enjoying the race while Jim’s coordinating again and threatening the local sheriff with prosecution from the Feds if he doesn’t quit trying to feel his oats. 

After all the excitement, I noticed my stomach was starting to catch up with me and asked Rick about any rules involving regurgitation and was told the only rule was to get it over the side.  I easily abided and thanked him for not charging me a case of beer..

I explained our 1st barf case of beer rule and he loved it.  I won’t get off so easy next time, but the Lake of the Ozarks doesn’t get that rough.  I told him how I lived by the lake but couldn’t use it in season because of the big boats He told me quite often it was his boat; there are a few races a year there and that maybe we could catch up there next time and I could help him chase some of those small boats off.   To hell with the fishing poles, Let’s Party! This is the only picture I have of Rick and you’ll notice Jim coordinating in the back ground.  I was lucky to get any pictures and when Ed found my camera lens on the boat floor, there are no more pictures.  The camera was around my neck and was obviously not a Timex.  I think it’s going to survive with some of my handyman skills.

After the race, it was our job to hand out checkered flags to the winners.  You should have seen Rick maneuver his boat around to pass them out.  It was a bit rough out there, but no boats touched.  Did you notice how I just joined the crew?

They were concerned about my illness and offered to dump me off on the scoring boat, but I tied myself to the boat and refused.  The second race was the big boys and they had the Miss Geico, a turbine charged boat and the Budweiser Select.  I wasn’t going to miss this, and I’m realizing I’m the Starter.

This time I said to hell with hanging on, that Green Flag would pop up and fly straight and I needed both my hands.  I just sat in my seat when I wasn’t airborne and was lucky I never got over 3 feet high or the back of the seat. 

I got a much better view of the boats this way and was enjoying it so much I almost forgot I was the Starter….. Just Kidding!  When Jim was ready to start them, that flag was straight up and flying high…… Good Start!

Again, we passed out Checkered Flags to the winners and it was time to go home, but Jim noticed some of the race buoys were off.  The wind was picking up and they were concerned about losing some, so we started recovering them.   Lucky there were people there for the job, but Jim’s a hands on man. He finally released me from duty about 4:45 leaving me just enough time to be late for the reunion banquette.  I’m still not sure all this happened and who would believe me anyway?

The Starter for the Merrick World Championship Offshore Racing came from a Waffle House @ 2 in the morning the same day of the races; only in America.

 There is A Power Above!  

What were the chances of me running into Nick, Lindsey, and Justin Fresques on the high seas?  I wondered why Sherry wasn’t on the boat and saw her immediately as I arrived for the reunion banquette.  She told me they could only take three of them, and then inquired how I knew she wasn’t there.

I said Nick didn’t tell you, I was the Race Starter?  Then I proceeded to bullshit her and she wondered in disbelief as I explained I was in the lead boat and the U.S. Flag Holder for the Missing Man Formation, plus I threw up the Green Flag to start the races.  Sherry was just a little bit leary about my story, as to be expected.  She's heard them before.................

When Nick walked up, she knew she had me, and immediately said; “Nick, you didn’t tell me you saw Mac out there.”  She about fell over when he verified I was on the Pace Boat.

I just said; “Damn Sherry, if I knew you needed a ride I could of put you on my boat.”  And then I just walked away having to park the car I left outside the Ramada entrance.  I know Sherry’s still trying to figure out where my bullshit ends and the story starts, but this was so weird, I don’t even believe it myself.

There is a Power Above!  Just think, if I hadn’t listened to that voice and made a u-turn to see if there were any buds left at Coasters, I’d of had to go to the CCA Business Meeting.

Moral of the story; Next time you’re passing a bar and here that voice telling you to turn around and go back, do it.   I think the voice said he was Jose, a friend of mine, turn around;                 and I’m sure you’ve heard the voice too............. Now I won’t promise a day like I had, but if you tell your wife this story, and let her know you only turned around because you heard a voice and thought it was a sign you were going to be The Starter for the World Championship Offshore Racing Competition, she might just understand..........................................................................NOT!