2022NAMBANatsProgram.indd

74 WORLDCU Most known for being the contest Director of theWorld Cup Gas Boat Championships, Russ Stark has been racing boats for 30 years where he has accumulated 33 National Championships tying him for the 5th all time highest number of Champion- ships tied with Dick Crowe and Mark Grim. That’s some fast company there. Russ was born in San Luis Obispo. But moved from there when he was very young, basically growing up in Brea, California. Russ came from a very modest upbringing. His Dad was a college professor and his mother was a stay at home mom. He’s always felt like he was very fortunate. As a kid growing up, Russ says he always liked anything with an engine. He and his father were always trying to build motorcycles, go-carts, and as he got older old cars many of which came as a box of parts! Today Russ is a stockbroker. He has been doing this for 35 years. His Grandfather got him interested in that field and it was what he always wanted to do. Russ is also a long time family man with a beautiful family.“I met my wife Michelle 35 years ago and we’ve been married for almost 34. We have two great daughters, and three Grandsons!”Russ proudly explained. Yet with a full fledged family many still have our passion of RC boats. Russ is no different. I asked him about how he got started in RC Boats and I was surprised to find out that it wasn’t boats that got him started but instead planes. Russ explained,“I started flying airplanes, but we crashed so many planes into the local neighbor- hood, we lost our field. Then I was out playing golf not far from Prado park one day and I heard what I thought were planes so when we were done, I drove over to see. Turns out it was RC Boats running on the lake. I went and watched for a while and had my first boat We wanted to try and put on the best race ever, so we planned and planned and I think we succeeded with the race in Las Vegas. Then we tried to come up with a name that would encompass that. Hence ‘World Cup’. ...the memory that sticks with me the most is when I hopped into the retrieve boat turned to sharp and flipped it over and sunk it right in the launch area with everyone watching.