User talk:Sandybennett 1

Gean Keen was my father. He held the NDBA record for unblown flatbottom fuel drag boats in 1968.. He died attempting to break his own record which was 111.38 mph. His racing carrier began in 1965 with his third flat bottom boat, "Spooky". It was a Spico hull and had a Chevrolet engine. He won his first trophy driving "Spooky" in the 50-55 mph class. No purse was awarded in drag boat racing. They did it for the thrill that goes with the sport and the recognition of being "the fastest". KEEN WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 105+ when his boat, KEEN MACHINE II flip[ped, ejecting him from the boat. He died almost instsntly. This was the first death attributed to drag boat racing at Ming Lake in Bakersfield, California. A memorial race was held in Keens' honor at Ming Lake the same year, and donations went to Keens' widow Gwen, age 37 and his surviving 3 daughters. Keen Machine II was the sixth boat owned and driven by Keen. Keen Machine I had been transported to Keens' brother, William (Bill} Keens' home in Bakersfield, Ca., Bill shared his brothers' "need for Speed" and he ( Bill} took the speed boat for a trial run and the craft became airborn at 90+mph, flipped and sank. The boat was retrieved, a new engine was installed and the KEEN MACHINE II was to become a speed boat record holder.